Local roots, global adventures.
After a successful career in the menswear industry, Mark Thompson decided to change course. He enthusiastically jumped into the outdoor apparel industry. Mark’s love for nature and his uncommon taste in style drew him to the most innovative brands that placed a high emphasis on quality and dependability. And in 1992, Trailmark was born in Edina, Minnesota.
In August of 1997, Joel Santerre was a Minnesota college student looking for a job. He found Trailmark. It didn’t take long for Joel to fall in love with both the outdoor industry and working for a small company. He soon realized he wanted to have his own business. With Mark Thompson as his mentor, Joel learned the art of savvy buying and making customers happy. More than fifteen years later, Mark and Joel still roam the markets together looking for new and exceptional brands to curate. After all, Trailmark customers expect to find the unexpected on each visit.
In the spring of 2003 Joel’s brother, Jed Santerre, become the assistant manager. He had been a great Trailmark salesperson and developed into a great manager. Jed also took it upon himself to learn the financial side of the business and now we like to refer to him as the CFO.
Today, Trailmark continues to evolve. We offer exceptional products that enhance our customers’ adventures. With our roots still in outdoor apparel, we are excited to offer brands and styles that are on the forefront of European fashion. We are proud and privileged to still be blazing new paths with customers for over 25 years.
Trailmark is purposefully smaller and consciously more intimate than the large outfitters. This is so our guests can find exclusive, best-in-class brands in our unhurried atmosphere, happily expecting our trademark personalized service.
Most importantly, the Trailmark experience is about discovery, delight and inspiring people to pursue the natural joys and wonders found all over the world.
The origins of trail marking:
Trail marking — or trail blazing — is the practice of marking paths in outdoor areas with signs or markings that follow each other at certain intervals and indicate the direction of a trail.
A “blaze” originally meant "a mark made on a tree by slashing the bark” and eventually came to mean any conspicuous object which served as a guide to travelers. Such marks are made by paint, carvings, affixed markers, posts, flagging, cairns (piled stones), and crosses, with paint being the most widely used.
Trail marks were often created and used by miners and surveyors.