Wanaka Good-sports Ltd will merge with Outside Sports Ltd of Queenstown and Outside Sports Te Anau (owned by Luxmore Enterprises) from April 1.
The merger will create a company with retail outlets in Queenstown, Queenstown Airport, Te Anau and Wanaka.
Outdoor Sports Ltd chairman Noel Walker said the merger was not influenced by the credit crunch.
Planning for this [merger] has been under way for the past 12 months.
An economic downturn was certainly not a factor, However, the merged retailers and new company were now in a stronger position to weather any such downturn, he said.
The company would build on the success of the three respective established local businesses to provide the basis for significant growth, he said.
Good-sports in Wanaka was opened by Peter King in 1985.
An associated transport company called Alpine Coachlines, owned by Mr King, will work co-operatively with, but not be part of, the merged company.
A management team for the newly-formed company will be based in Queenstown under the leadership of Elizabeth Cox (at present general manager of Outside Sports, Queenstown).
All staff at the merging businesses are expected to retain their jobs as a result of the merger, Mr Walker said.
A complete refit of Good-sports in Wanaka is to start after Easter, following which the store will operate as Outdoors Sports.
