Top Notch Outfitters is a staple here in Amarillo. If you’re a fan of the outdoors, chances are you’ve made a pit stop at this mom-and-pop shop. The owners, Tim + Jan Brosier, have been catering to the local outdoorsman (and women) for nearly forty years! TNO is located in the heart of Wolflin Village and inside you will find everything from Patagonia luggage and fly-fishing equipment to Spanx, Chacos, and Tai jewelry.
Top Notch Outfitters is a family company at its core. Any given day you will find Jan, Tim, or their daughter Molly, guiding customers throughout their shop, teaching beginner fishermen how to tie knots, and helping put together the perfect outfit for your next adventure. The welcoming atmosphere of Top Notch coupled with the Brosier family’s personable approach to customer service, make this a place that everyone wants to shop time and time again. To read more, follow along with the interview below:
Top Notch Outfitters has been a part of The Collective since we opened in November of 2020. Can you tell us how long you’ve been in your brick + mortar?
Tim: We have been in this location for thirty-five years now! We were in another location when we first started out that was on Paramount, but we moved here soon after in 1989. Jan taught school the first year we were in Amarillo, but by the second year she had left teaching to help work in the store. We’ve somehow been able to work together day in and day out for thirty-four years now!
That’s an impressive run for a small business! Can you tell us what landed you in Amarillo?
Tim: I am from Amarillo, born and raised. Jan is from Paris, Texas, originally. We met while in college at The University of Texas. I knew that I was going to move back home after college, and I brought Jan back with me!
Upon your return to Amarillo, what made you decide to start your own business?
Tim: I walked to school every day past the very first Whole Earth Provisions store in Austin. It was in an old house, and I went in there more than a few times to shop! At that time, there was nobody in Amarillo doing outdoor gear. I thought something similar would work, but I knew nothing about retail at the time. I worked for a store in New Orleans for about a year, and I learned a lot (maybe more of what NOT to do, because that store is no longer there, haha!). But I knew that it was something that Amarillo was missing, and that’s how we got started here at Top Notch Outfitters.
What were the early days like? I’m sure a lot has changed in thirty-five years!
Jan: Our store was so much smaller then! Of course, we still had men’s and women’s clothing, but it was much smaller selection. When I made the decision to leave teaching, I came to work with Tim in the store. And let me say, I am much better at this than I was at teaching! When I came on board, we moved to this location, which was just a year after we opened. We expanded very quickly, I believe in that same year, to add an entirely new women’s side to the store.
With the longevity you have in business, I’m sure you’ve been through it all – good times and bad. Is there any advice you would give to young business owners who are just starting out?
Tim: I would say if you own a business, you will come to know this fast… You become the bookkeeper, the janitor, the salesman, and the accountant! It’s important that you know how to wear a lot of hats, and wear them well. In a small business, it just isn’t always affordable to hire everything out when you can do it yourself. It’s a lot of hard work to do it all, but that’s how to make your small business work.
Jan: I agree. I think being hands on, and being in the shop every day is important. When you do it all it’s important to be present every day.
Top Notch is a family company at its core. When people come in nowadays, who else might they see at the store? Are there more family members coming into the mix?
Yes! Molly, our daughter, has joined us at Top Notch Outfitters! We love having her around, and we are glad to have a fresh perspective on everything. She is a very friendly and outgoing person. She fit right in and the customers love her. She is doing a great job stepping in alongside her father and I!
So, Molly, your mom gave you a nice little introduction! You joined the family company in August of 2022. What made you decide to come back and be a part of Top Notch?
Molly: I’ve always loved the store! When we were young, my sister and I would come in and help gift wrap at Christmastime. We spent a lot of time here growing up. I think it was something that I always knew I would come back to eventually. I made the leap in August, and it’s been really cool! It’s so special to be a part of what my parents have created here. I’d like to continue that legacy, and keep it a staple of Amarillo for as long as I can!
If you were able to reach anyone and everyone and tell them why they should come to Top Notch, what would you say?
Molly: We specialize in outdoor and casual clothing, and we have top rated customer service. I like to think that we approach customer service in a different way than most places. We are very, very hands on. We want all of our customers to feel catered to. Our team members assist the customer within every need throughout the store, physically showing them products and telling them about all of the unique features of our garments. We get to ask them about their travels and learn more about them personally. I think that is really special and fun for us to build that relationship with our clients.
Your customers are probably familiar with the big name outdoor brands that you carry in your store, like Patagonia and North Face, which you also stock at From 6th Collective. But when you visit your brick and mortar here, there’s several others aspects to the store. Can you talk about what all you offer in the men’s department here at Top Notch?
Molly: One thing that is very cool in Top Notch Outfitters is our Fly Fishing Department. People can come in and get that hands-on guidance. We’re here to educate our customers about everything we offer in the store that is geared to fly fishing. My dad is the expert, and you can find him teaching customers how to tie knots on a regular basis. He is also available to help choose the right reels, or gloves, or whatever their needs may be. We even sell waders, hats, and just about any other item you would need for your next fly fishing trip. We love to be able to curate that experience for Amarilloans.
If you had to name only one of your favorite things about the shop, what would it be?
Molly: First thing that comes to my mind is the family-owned aspect of the business. My family is here everyday. So any time you come in, you’re interacting with the owners of the store and getting to know them. Also I love all the products we carry! Every time we get new inventory, I find things that I want to wear, or that someone I know would want. It’s been great going to Market and seeing how the industry is changing. Getting to select these new products for the people in Amarillo, is a lot of fun. It is always interesting to see what styles our customers gravitate toward.
We are a few months into the year already, but what are you most excited about in 2023?
Molly: For me, one of my biggest goals at the store is learning more and more about how my parents run this business. I’ve never worked in retail before, so I’m getting to learn all of the processes they use to run this store. I would like to contribute in a way that makes those processes more efficient, while modernizing it just a bit. You know, we still do hand-written tickets here! I do think that some of the old-school touch is the heart and soul of the store. It makes us unique in that aspect. I’m glad to have the opportunity to continue that on, while making some little tweaks and adding my personality into the store as well.
Top Notch has some upcoming promotions too. Do you want to share what’s going on over the next month?
Molly: During the month of April, we are collecting used Chacos and Keen sandals to donate to an organization called Ringroad Ministries. Ringroad works with other non-profits in Africa that supply these shoes to orphanages and other places. We will be giving anybody who brings in those used shoes 10% off a new pair throughout the whole month!
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