Longtime Portland clothing retailer will soon have a new owner
Courtesy / Nomads
Kelly Fernald, left, and Hannah Wolken are Nomads' current and future owners, respectively.
Nomads, a Portland clothier co-founded 18 years ago by owner Kelly Fernald, is changing hands.
The store, which sells activewear and travel gear at 100 Commercial St., will be owned and operated by Hannah Wolken starting Jan. 1, according to a news release Thursday. Details of the handover were not disclosed.
No immediate changes are planned at the shop. Fernald, who opened it in 2003 with business partner Todd Forsyth, said she plans to spend more time with family, but will maintain a consulting role in the business.
“It’s no small thing to walk away from a business that I’ve dedicated so much to for the past 18 years, but I can’t think of a better person to fill this role,” she said in the release.
“Hannah and I have known each other for years, have a shared passion for the types of activities our customers love, and are both well versed in the critical role Portland’s independent businesses play in maintaining the character of our community.”
Wolken’s previous experience is in business development and planning work for Maine companies including WEX Inc., Unum Group, and IDEXX Laboratories. But she said her passion has been entrepreneurship and supporting the local business community. She is an avid biker, snowboarder, cross-country skier and traveler who has lived in Portland for 14 years.
“It’s been a longtime dream of mine to own my own business, and one that allows me to share my love of the outdoors and traveling with customers every day seems like the perfect fit,” said Wolken. “Kelly’s done a fantastic job of not only building a business, but a community, and it’s an honor to be able to carry that on.”
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