Trav’s Outfitter Incorporated, located in Watertown, South Dakota, is one of First District Development Company’s most recent clients to take advantage of a low, fixed interest rate SBA 504 loan. The 504 loan, in conjunction with a conventional loan offered by American Bank & Trust in Sioux Falls, provided Trav’s Outfitter an attractive financing package featuring manageable debt repayment requirements, which in turn put an ease on their cash flow. Loan proceeds from the 504 and American Bank & Trust were used to construct a new building in Watertown to house Trav’s Outfitter.
Trav’s Outfitter Incorporated is owned and operated by Travas Uthe. Travas started working in the footwear industry on Kemp Avenue in uptown Watertown at 15 years old. In 2003, with 18 years of clothing and footwear retail experience under his belt, Travas decided to open Trav’s Outfitter in Watertown. The humble beginnings of Trav’s Outfitter included warehousing and selling out of his home garage. 
From there, Trav’s Outfitter moved to a 4,000 square foot building on Highway 20 in Watertown that he shared with a pizza and sub shop for a short time. Over the years, Travas has had to adapt to the ever changing retail landscape in order to deliver the service Trav’s customers expect. One thing has remained the same—Travas’s commitment to integrity and customer service, which he trains staff on daily. Travas appreciates the value of hard work and understands the worth of every single customer. These values, along with a team of high quality management and staff, have fueled Trav’s Outfitter’s growth. As the store on Highway 20 was busting at the seams with inventory, it was time for Trav’s Outfitter to relocate. In 2018, the store moved to a newly constructed 28,000
square foot store located on west Highway 212. Their new building not only allows them to carry a larger variety of inventory, but also includes indoor space to store the mobile trucks. The trucks and staff who load and unload the mobile units especially appreciate this feature during the cold winter months.
Trav’s Outfitter has something for everyone including work shoes for every environment, a full array of western boots, athletic shoes, hunting and biker boots and gear, jeans, shirts, hats, jewelry, and more. In addition to the store in Watertown, Trav’s Outfitter also uses mobile units to bring their quality shoes to factories and jobsites in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.
Congratulations to Travas Uthe with the successful relocation of his business!