Blue Tomato
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| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Gerfried Schuller |
| Headquarters | Schladming, Austria |
Number of locations | 80+ stores |
Area served | Europe |
Key people | Adam Ellis (CEO) |
Number of employees | 850 (2025) |
| Parent | Zumiez Inc. (since 2012) |
| Website | www |
Blue Tomato GmbH is an Austrian retail company specialising in boardsports equipment, streetwear, and lifestyle apparel.[1][2] The company was founded in 1988 by Gerfried Schuller in Schladming, Austria.[3][4] Since 2012, Blue Tomato has been a subsidiary of the U.S.-based retailer Zumiez Inc.[5][6][7][8]
Blue Tomato was founded in 1988 by Austrian snowboarder Gerfried Schuller, who won the European Snowboard Championship in 1988.[1][9] Before founding the company, Schuller was active in competitive snowboarding and contributed to the development of the sport in Austria.[10] He originally established Blue Tomato as a snowboard school in Schladming.[11][12]
In the early 1990s, Schuller began selling snowboard equipment informally under the name "Gerry’s Garage".[13][14] In 1994, the company opened its first permanent retail store in Schladming.[11][15] During the late 1990s, Blue Tomato developed an online presence and launched its official webshop in 1999.[16][17]
In 2012, Blue Tomato was acquired by the American action-sports retailer Zumiez.[18][19] Following the acquisition, the company continued to operate as part of the Zumiez group and functions as its European retail arm while expanding its store network across Europe.[8][20][21]
In 2017, founder Gerfried Schuller stepped down from operational management, and Adam Ellis became chief executive officer.[12][22]
In 2019, Blue Tomato received the Anton Award in the multichannel category.[23] In 2025, the company ranked third in the "Sport Retailer of the Year" category at the #VICTOR Awards.[10][24]
During the 2020s, the company continued expanding its retail presence into additional European markets, including Sweden, Italy, and Belgium.[25][26][27]