THAYNE NORD WANTS YOU to enjoy the journey—no matter where it takes you or what form it takes.
Step inside Tourist, his small but mighty outdoor gear shop on Santa Fe’s Garcia Street, and you can see potential paths unfold like the expanse of the Valles Caldera. Puffer jackets, backpacks, tents, camp cookware, and hammocks—new and used—fill the 1,000-square-foot space. “It’s more about experience than sport,” says Nord, “highlighting a touring approach—whether on two feet, two wheels, or four—to enjoying the outdoors, as opposed to one centered around achievement or conquest.”
After flip-flopping coasts working in bicycle manufacturing and retail, the Salt Lake City native and outdoors lover set down stakes in Santa Fe two years ago. Nord opened Tourist as a more inclusive alternative to the big outdoor retailers, featuring a carefully chosen inventory of well-made products and an environment that meets customers where they are. “Hiking is walking,” he says, “and you don’t need to don a costume to do it.”
Nord’s approach also allows him to take the role of a trusted guide. “Often, it’s just an exchange of knowledge that doesn’t mean buying something new, but altering how you use [what you have],” he explains.
Although the shop name draws inspiration from the Swiss brand Sigg Tourist, known for its sturdy camping cook sets, Nord applies the philosophy to his own life. “I simply am a tourist,” he says, “especially if the definition is a person who travels for pleasure. I often hear the word used as a pejorative. I think it should be celebrated.”
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Visit Tourist at 376 Garcia Street, Suite A, Santa Fe, and on Instagram.