Jordan Mountjoy is a man following his both of his dreams. In one dream he always wanted to be a firefighter, something he fulfilled by joining the Little Rock Fire Department. In the other dream he wanted to own a clothing company, this dream came real one year ago when he founded Rock Monkey Outfitters.
“Even back when I was in high school I would tell people I wanted to be a firefighter and start a clothing line,” Mountjoy tells us. “Now when I see them and they ask how I am doing I say I am a firefighter and I have a clothing line. None of them are surprised.”
Rock Monkey Outfitters was founded as an outdoors and active lifestyle brand. The name comes from rock climbing as a term of endearment for someone passionate about the sport, which is something Mountjoy loves to do.
Mountjoy designed his first shirt out of necessity. He loved the outdoor gear on the shelves around Central Arkansas, but it didn’t quite fit into his budget. He thought if he designed a few shirts and asked some friends to chip in, they could put together an order to outfit themselves on a budget. All the while, his dream of owning a clothing company never left his sights.
“Coming from a line of business owners, I have always heard that hard work and putting yourself in the right place at the right time are the keys to success,” Mountjoy says. “I believe we’ve done that time and again in the first year of business. I’m always looking for the next opportunity that will introduce us to folks living their lives outdoors.”
Two weeks after designing his first shirt, Rock Monkey Outfitters quickly grew to having to make runs of over 100 shirts. “The only social media content I had to post were lame photos of me walking in the rock climbing gym,” Mountjoy says.
The end of January marked the one-year point for Rock Monkey Outfitters. In that time they have grown to over $100,000 in annual sales with customers across 35 states internationally in New Zealand, Canada, and Brazil.
Rock Monkey Outfitters is extending their reach to outdoor enthusiasts who are not all rock climbers thanks to their athlete partner program. They team up with other outdoor athletes such Beau’s Guide Service, a Little Red River trout guide service, to help promote the brand.
We have the best fans in the world and without all of the #TeamRockMonkey we would not be where we are today,” explains Mountjoy. “We want to be a brand that you can be proud to be a part of.”
The company is also growing their product line by adding products such as a 30 liter dry bag backpack and new pullovers that are all manufactured by Rock Monkey Outfitters.
Despite the success, Mountjoy says he plans to continue following both dreams.
“It would take a whole lot to get me to ever leave firefighting,” Mountjoy tells us. “I love both equally, and thankfully with a firefighting schedule it is easy to manage both passions. I was out fighting a five-hour fire last night and today I am working through a new shipment of shirts. I love every minute of it.”
You can find Rock Monkey Outfitters apparel around Little Rock at Ozark Outdoor Supply, Little Rock Climbing Center, the Dive Shop, and at Gear Head Outfitters locations locally and throughout the state. They also are carried by a growing number of outdoor supply stores throughout other areas of the state as well as in Indiana, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.
