Topo Designs’ financing issues will soon be the problems of a court-appointed caretaker.

Late Thursday, Judge Bruce Jones said he will hand the corporate reins of the Denver outdoor apparel and backpack company to Cordes & Co. at the request of an investor, Gart Capital Partners. But he declined to let a Cordes & Co. employee run its stores and warehouses.

“He’s never sold a bag in his life. Why would I put him in control of the company?” the judge asked a lawyer for the Garts, who have invested $10 million in Topo since 2023.

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