Why are there two Helly Hansen stores in Annapolis? And why are they both on the same block?

132 Main Street is the home of the official Helly Hansen store in Annapolis – and if you miss that, just walk down three stores over to 118 Main Street, on the same block, where you will find a second Helly Hansen. To find out why there are two Helly Hansen stores in Annapolis, we decided to unleash the best investigative journalist on our team to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Okay, sure. This isn't one of those big picture, Earth-shattering questions that we turn to the news for answers. But hear us out.

If the name is unfamiliar, Helly Hansen is a popular brand for sports apparel and gear – it's beloved by many sailors and skiers alike. It's generally considered to be "high-end" and pricey, and even Robb Report gives it a nod for being "seaworthy." So you'd expect to find their stores near sailing hotspots, like Annapolis. But two stores in the same town on the same block? Why?

Check our math: There are at least 50 licensed Helly Hansen stores in the world, and only about a dozen spread across the US and Canada. Annapolis is a town of 40,000 people, which means it is incredibly oversupplied in its share of Helly Hansens. And yes, Annapolis does call itself "the sailing capital of the world," and yes, Annapolis gets a huge influx of tourists and sailors flocking to boat shows with dollars burning holes in the pockets of their salopettes. But still, can this town really sustain two Helly Hansen stores, on the same block, no less?

For context, here's a short list of other American sailing destinations that don't have a single Helly Hansen store... San Diego, Montauk, Key West... wait, make that the entire state of Florida, which has the largest proportion of boat owners in the country and is also the gateway to the Bahamas, yet is still deprived of boasting a single standalone Helly Hansen store. Even the San Francisco Bay Area, with a population of nearly 8 million and with some of the best sailing in the world, supports only one lonely Helly Hansen store, and that one is buried in a mall somewhere in Livermore. See what we mean?

Helly Hansen has a special relationship with Annapolis, sure, and the Annapolis Yacht Club even hosts one of the coveted ports of call along the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series.

Here's the skinny: The second Helly Hansen location in Annapolis used to be a Musto (both brands are owned by the same parent company), and when that closed, the owners converted it into the second Helly Hansen. The two stores offer slightly different offerings, with the main store focusing on popular apparel and the second store focusing more on marine apparel and sailing gear. And even though the two stores are on the same block, maybe that was a smart move, after all. Considering both stores sit on Main Street, the tourist cattle chute– err, corridor– leading straight to the Annapolis Boat Shows' entrance at City Dock, Helly Hansen may have the last laugh.

PS: This article officially wins the prize for repeating the name "Helly Hansen" 17 times. And no, this post wasn't sponsored. But maybe we should call and suggest they sponsor the next round, hey, Helly?