End of an era for world famous name.
Some stores formerly operated by troubled American retailer Dover Saddlery are to be reopened under the Greenhawk Equestrian Sport banner.
Canadian company Greenhawk – which has acquired the leases on the stores but not the Dover brand or stock – is now set to become the United States’ most prolific equestrian retailer.
Dover Saddlery announced it was to close a number of stores in May. ‘Going-out-of-business’ sales then commenced across Dover’s bricks-and-mortar outlets and website.
It’s since been reported that Gordon Brothers, a restructuring firm specialising in liquidating struggling companies’ assets, had purchased Dover in late April from an arm of its primary lender, Prudential Financial.
Previously, since 2022, Dover Saddlery had been owned by Promus Equity Partners. In 2024, the retailer received a $15 million cash injection from Second Avenue Capital Partners to help with its growth plans.
Greenbank has recently reopened several of the Dover Saddlery stores under its Greenhawk Equestrian Sport brand. It already had an outlet in Natrick, Massachusetts, as well as 50-plus Canadian outlets.
End of an era
For many years, Dover Saddlery was the biggest and best-known stockist of English saddlery in North America.
It was founded in 1975 by brothers Jim and David Powers, former members of the US three-day event team. Dover Saddlery’s first store in Wellesley, Massachusetts opened that year, with a mail order catalogue arriving by 1982.
Eventually, Dover Saddlery grew into a national chain with 37 stores across the United States.
Greenhawk’s plans
Greenhawk Equestrian Sport has written to suppliers outlining its plans for the former Dover retail locations.
The company says it has been “successful in acquiring a significant number of former Dover store locations from the liquidator.”
However, Greenhawk emphasises that it has not acquired Dover Saddlery itself, but rather secured store locations through the liquidation process.
These outlets will be rebranded under the Greenhawk Equestrian Sport banner and operated by Greenhawk USA LLC.
The company says its goal is to preserve equestrian retail access in key markets, protect jobs where possible, and continue supporting riders, horse owners, and local equestrian communities.
Greenhawk was founded in 1985 by Gordon K. Russell who was later joined by his son Ian. It remains family operated and offers franchise store opportunities across Canada.
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