One of Southwestern Virginia’s most notable aspects is the wonderful outdoors residents enjoy so much. On any given day, thousands of people from around the country come to our part of the state to enjoy the trails, rivers, and mountains that dot the area surrounding Lexington. Tackling a long hike or a tough climb takes months of preparation and training, which can leave any beginner in over their head.

Kirk Miller opened Walkabout Outfitters in April of 2005 to combat this exact problem. Mr. Miller is a former Civil Engineer for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. “I just felt there was more to life,” he says “I didn’t hate my job, but I wanted something more.” So, he quit his day job and began focusing on hiking the Appalachian Trail, a massive US trail that stretches from Maine to Georgia. He completed the hike in 5 months, and moved to Lexington when his Mother retired from being a Washington and Lee professor.

He met his wife, Tina, the owner of Ladles and Linens, and began working with her at the store and at several festivals. “I learned retail and though ‘I can do this!’” he says, “So I looked for a hole in the market.” He found one in an outdoor outfitter, and soon opened up shop. He has since opened four more locations: two in Roanoke, one in Harrisonburg, and one in Richmond. He says he loves running a business, and believes that there is no limit to his lifestyle now. “Owning a business, it really opens your eyes to the kinds of opportunities that are out there. I’ve become more aware of what it takes to run a successful business and what customers need.”

As for the future of Walkabout Outfitters, Mr. Miller’s goals are very clear. He says “We’ll keep expanding, but not into bigger stores. Keep the same atmosphere of a community-based, hometown store, but bring it to different cities.” When asked if he will keep his businesses local, or expand outwards across the country, Mr. Miller simply smiled and said “Never limit your options. Anything can happen if you take it one step at a time.” If Walkabout Outfitters keeps it’s same business model, there is no doubt that there are infinite possibilities.