OW Lee has been a staple in the outdoor industry for over 70 years, and one major reason is the company’s resilience in the face of challenges.
Leisa McCollister, vice president of marketing, says inventory management is a significant challenge given the breadth of options the company offers and that their lead times are often shorter than those of their suppliers.
“Our team is managing more than 2,500 active parts,” she said. “To address this, we’ve added key team members and implemented additional forecasting and planning safeguards to better anticipate demand.”
According to McCollister, 2025 was a strong year for the company as it grew sales and maintained short lead times.
“Our new ARC collection performed exceptionally well, and we were proud to maintain lead times in the four- to six-week range, which continues to be a key advantage for our customers, “ she said. “Sales were up approximately 7%, which we see as healthy, sustainable growth and a positive indicator of long-term momentum.”
The company expanded ARC with a sectional, which McCollister says has gained strong traction, and it also launched a new offering of Dekton tabletops.
“Looking ahead, our new 25/26 collection Horizon has already secured great placement,” she said. “We also rolled out several new firepit concepts that we’re excited about.”
Horizon is an aluminum collection that draws inspiration from the iconic silhouettes of midcentury design. The collection features lounge chairs, a loveseat, sofa, ottoman and matching tables.
The company also recently launched a redesigned website featuring two new tools designed to attract leads and help convert sales more effectively.
The first is a dedicated, SEO-optimized landing page for each OW Lee retailer, helping them rank higher in local search results. The second allows consumers browsing products on our website to submit inquiries directly to their dealer of choice, delivering those inquiries to the dealer as actionable leads.
“We’ve implemented new tools designed to drive qualified leads directly to our specialty retailers,” she said. “In addition, we’ve developed dedicated product pages for every SKU, enabling our customization tool to live directly on each product page, creating a more seamless and intuitive customer experience.”
McCollister says she’s concerned about smaller retailers, particularly those trying to compete primarily on price in an increasingly crowded market.
“We believe specialty retailers are best positioned when they lean into what makes them unique by offering higher-quality products, special-order flexibility and deep expertise that makes them a trusted outdoor resource,” she said.
McCollister says OW Lee is optimistic about 2026 and the opportunities it holds.
“Order activity has been steady, and we continue to see a competitive advantage in being American-made while offering special-order capabilities with reasonable lead times,” she said. “We’re looking forward to continuing to support our customers and playing a meaningful role in their success.”
She also offers a sneak peek into what’s next: “We’re developing new materials and color options for our 26/27 introductions that we’re especially excited about.”
