Specialty outdoor retailer REI Co-op announced expansion plans to open 10 new stores in 2024 to better serve its members and outdoor community. Locations have been finalized for summer 2024 openings in Glendale, Arizona and Rancho Mirage, California. A store in St. George, Utah will open in fall 2025.
The co-op will open its doors in formerly occupied retail spaces at Arrowhead Promenade in Glendale, The River in Rancho Mirage, and St. George Place in St. George. Each location will offer a wide assortment of apparel, gear and expertise for camping, cycling, running, fitness, hiking, climbing and more. In addition, a full-service bike shop will be staffed with technicians to tune, repair and enhance the performance of all bikes. The new Utah location will also feature a ski and snowboard shop.
"Each of these communities has an abundance of easily accessible natural places to play in addition to proximity to iconic national parks where REI currently guides active adventures," said Mary-Farrell Tarbox, REI vice president of Stores. "We look forward to serving as a welcoming resource to everyone through our staff's expertise and broad product assortment. As we do in every community where we have a presence, we will also establish nonprofit partnerships to support their efforts to help get more people outside."
REI will open 10 stores in 2024, including:
- Spring: Beavercreek, Ohio and Beaverton, Oregon
- Summer: Glendale, Arizona; Ithaca, New York; and Rancho Mirage, California
- Fall: Albany, New York and Tulsa, Oklahoma
The co-op will announce details of three additional stores opening this year as contracts are finalized. Two stores have been announced for 2025 thus far – Durango, Colorado (spring) and St. George, Utah (fall).
As the country's largest consumer co-op, anyone is welcome to tap into the expertise of REI's store staff and online resources such as its Expert Advice library to learn or advance skills, plan adventures, and more. Members who join the co-op enjoy a range of benefits, including a used gear program called Re/Supply to find great deals on lightly used gear and trade-in products for gift cards, discounts on shop services and experiences, an annual Co-op Member Reward of 10% back on eligible purchases, and more.
REI expects to hire approximately 50 employees for each location. Candidates interested in joining the team can learn more and apply online at REI.jobs. Candidates can set a job alert on the co-op's career site to be notified when positions post. REI is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace that enables a life outdoors for everyone. The co-op seeks candidates who demonstrate shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism. All employees receive a wide variety of benefits, including generous product and service discounts, competitive pay and retirement contributions. REI employees also enjoy unique perks, such as two paid annual "Co-op Way Days" that allow them to enjoy their favorite outdoor activity and an additional paid day off on Black Friday to #OptOutside.
Building on decades of supporting local and national nonprofits across the country, the REI Cooperative Action Fund launched in 2021 as a 501(c)(3) organization to bring together the collective strength of the co-op community. As a community-supported nonprofit, the REI Fund is fueled by donations from REI members, customers, employees, foundations and corporate partners – including REI Co-op. REI staff across the country help identify regional local organizations whose missions focus on improving access to outdoor recreation places, as well as those connecting nearby underrepresented communities to time outdoors. Last year, the REI Fund made a record investment, contributing $6.1 million to more than 260 organizations creating a more equitable outdoors. Of that total, more than 200 of the grantees were local organizations championed by REI employees who work in-store. As part of grand opening process for new locations in Arizona, California and Utah, store teams will also recommend local nonprofits to receive support from the REI Fund.