Madison’s Rutabaga Paddlesports isn’t closing after all.
Owner Darren Bush was originally going to shutter the store at the end of the year as he pursues a career as a hospice chaplain.
He will now keep the store open, according to an Oct. 16 Facebook post, until he can find a buyer. The reason he decided not to close was due to an outpouring of support from locals. After announcing he would sell instead of close, Bush posted on Facebook that he received about 150 emails expressing happiness at the decision.
“After careful thought and heartfelt conversations with many mentors, I’ve realized that there is a path forward for Rutabaga that does not end with the doors closing,” Bush wrote on Facebook.
“My priority has always been to ensure that Rutabaga’s mission — to connect people with paddling, nature and each other — continues in the right hands,” Bush said. “There are prospective new owners who share those values and who can steward this legacy. Several have articulated how much they love the shop: ‘I feel good every time I come into the shop. I love it there.’”
Rutabaga will remain open, and Bush hopes it does for years to come.
“It was your responses to my original message that reminded me just how meaningful this community is,” Bush said in his post. “I am humbled by your kindness and grateful for the chance to create a future for Rutabaga beyond me.”
Bush told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he expects a sale to take place in early 2026. The annual Canoecopia paddlesports expo in Madison, which Bush will continue to run, will move forward as planned.
