On a sunny Borrego day in October 2002, Borrego newcomers Ben and Donna Nourse came to work for the first time at their new business, Borrego Outfitters. Little did they know they'd still be at it 20 years later, and that their store would become a mainstay of the Borrego community. Borrego Outfitters celebrates its 20th anniversary this fall.

Borrego Outfitters, "the Casual Lifestyle Store", is a specialty department store located in The Mall in central Borrego Springs. With a diverse offering of apparel, footwear, gifts, accessories, home and kitchen accessories, hiking gear, souvenirs, gourmet foods, wine and more, "the Outfitters" as it has become known, is a "must-stop" for Borrego visitors and a regular shopping spot for Borrego's full and part time residents.

Throughout its time in business, Borrego Outfitters has pushed into new areas, striving to keep things interesting and fresh. Some highlights of its time in business include:

October 16, 2002: Borrego Outfitters opens at the site of the former Potluck store, a kitchen accessories and outdoor furniture retailer.

October 2004: A satellite store, Gourmet Outfitters, opens in a separate location in The Mall, offering kitchen accessories, gourmet cheeses and food items, and a selection of fine wine. Gourmet Outfitters was closed, and its product offerings consolidated with the main Borrego Outfitters store, in 2009.

December 2015: Borrego Outfitters reaches $1 million in annual sales. Corie Jaramillo becomes General Manager and part owner of the business.

October 2016: Borrego Outfitters remodels and expands into its current 5,000 square foot location.

March 2020: While temporarily closed due to COVID-19 lockdowns, Borrego Outfitters opens its online store and begins developing the online part of its business.

Summer 2020: Long-time team members Karen Hildebrandt, Paige Schafer, Stephanie Sullivan and Marsha Boring join Corie as co-owners of the business along with the Nourses.

October 2022: Fully stocked and ready, Borrego Outfitters prepares to welcome customers for its 20th Borrego season.

Borrego Outfitters team members have taken on diverse responsibilities in the business. Donna, Corie, Karen and Marsha share buying responsibilities. Paige is responsible for marketing and the online store. Stephanie, along with everyone, helps with customer service, being sure customers are well taken care of. Ben is a jack of all trades, working on accounting, marketing, IT and a bit of everything else. Together, they manage to get everything done and enjoy working together.

Borrego Outfitters recognizes its responsibilities to the Borrego community that supports it. It is a regular contributor to a variety of local non-profits, including the Boys & Girls Club, the Anza Borrego Foundation (ABF), Borrego Springs Little League, the Borrego Senior Center, BASIC, Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association, and the Borrego Art Institute.

Donna, Corie, and Karen are Rotary members, and Ben has been on the Board of the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on the Board of the Borrego Art Institute.

As the Nourses look forward to their continuing involvement in the business, they are confident that there is a strong team of co-owners in place to continue to build and improve the Borrego Outfitters. Be sure to stop in to congratulate the entire team on the business' 20th Anniversary.