The Man Behind The Beard And Long Hair

by Jacob Gordon

I’m sure you’ve seen him.

Big burly man. Huge smile. Looks like he just strolled out of the backcountry and wants to outfit you for your next adventure.

Or maybe you’ve been browsing around the store and noticed him perched in his preferred spot between the men’s and women’s sections of the store. You know the spot. Right against the railing. Huge smile.

No matter what you were looking for or when you were in the store, it’s likely you’ve talked to, or at least have seen, our General Manager.

His name is George Schettler, but we know him more affectionately as “Long Hair.” (I think you can guess why)

While Appalachian Outdoors is celebrating its 40^th Anniversary this November, it’s not hard to see why George has been such a key cog to the store. He’s in just about every day, and sometimes he’s there from open-to-close.

But what you, the customer, surely have noticed is his willingness and excitement to help. Without a doubt, his favorite part of his job or a work day is outfitting a customer for their next big adventure. “Getting them the gear they want and listening to them,” says George. “Just making them feel good about it. When I help a customer go on an adventure somewhere, it just feels good.” For George, it’s not just about selling a product or even getting a customer the most expensive piece of gear; it’s about getting the right piece of gear, apparel, or equipment to ensure the customer gets the most out of their adventure.

George is eager to share his knowledge and passion for the outdoors because he’s been going on adventures most of his life. “I’d go backpacking with my father all the time. Needing the gear to go on these adventures with him as a kid brought me into the store before I ever worked here.”

While George has been at Appalachian Outdoors for a while, it hasn’t been the entire 40 years of the store’s existence. He actually got his start at the store in the early 90s. Starting at the same position as many beginning employees at Appalachian Outdoors, George worked his way up from part-time floor staff to General Manager.

During his near 20-years of working at the store, George has seen a lot change. “The biggest change that I can see is the women’s clothing we carry. It’s basically gone from — if I’d stick my hands out to my sides, that was the entire section.” And this change is seen through the outdoor industry too; it’s not just within our store. “When I first started here, there were not women-specific backpacks. No women-specific sleeping bags. Now, the women’s section is basically half the store.”

And the constant evolution of the industry and store are part of what keeps George coming back day after day. The other part? The unknown!

For George, working at Appalachian Outdoors is as much a lifestyle as it is a job. “There’s always something new and different. Some crazy. Some pain-in-the-butt. A lot of great. But I never know what’s going to be happening the day I walk in.”

It’s this kind of unknown that exemplifies working with George (in a good way of course!). For example, take his favorite product. You’d think a man with that beard and hair wouldn’t hesitate to say his favorite product was an axe, a pair hiking boots, or a burley jacket. George is a man who spends a lot of his free-time outdoors: backpacking, traveling, gardening, raising chickens or horses, hunting — you name it, he probably does it.

But his favorite product? Well, that’s a little more practical: Patagonia organic cotton shirts. “I wear them in the store all the time. They’re basically my uniform. I have choices of other shirts and shirts in my closet, but I prefer the fit and style of the Patagonia shirts. Plus, I really believe in their philosophy and support them.”

And that’s what you get with George. He can be a bit soft spoken and difficult to read at times (is he really telling me to power wash the basement floor or is he just pulling my leg?). But almost effortlessly, he can grab your attention from the other side of the store. And have you heard him sneeze?! If you don’t remember, you haven’t experienced it.

This brings me to the final piece of the George puzzle, and like the final piece to any puzzle, it’s perhaps the most important. The look. It’s probably the first thing anyone notices about George. Long hair. Bushy beard. He is the outdoors personified. But how’d he get his look? Backpacking the AT? A dare? Maybe he just woke up this way? Nope. Three words:

80s.

Hair.

Bands.

“I grew out my hair in the mid 80s. I listened to a lot of hair bands while growing up. That’s just what you did then.”

But what about the beard? That’s a bit more practical, really. “Grew the beard because I had too many people coming up behind me and saying, ‘Excuse me, miss?’ So I decided to grow a beard.”

There you have it. The man behind the beard and the hair.

George sees his job as part coach, part leader, and part friend. That’s absolutely what it’s like to work with him. When he needs you to step up during a rush or helping complete a project, he’ll ask you. If he needs something to get done, he’ll tell you. And if you need anything from him, he won’t hesitate to help you out. Heck, he even looked past my apparent flaw of being a Buckeye. (Truthfully, I didn’t even know this was a problem, but thankfully, every Saturday in the fall, he tells me how he’s able to look past it.)

The next time you’re at the store, whether you’re looking for something to buy or just ducking in for a reprieve from the biting winter weather, make sure to say hi to George. And if you do need help for your next adventure, you can’t pick a better source of information and guidance than our very own George Schettler.