Outdoor outfitter REI Co-op set to open first Maine location in Westbrook
Courtesy / REI
REI will be located in the expanding Rock Row development, shown here.
REI Co-op, a national retail chain selling outdoor recreation gear, plans to open its first Maine store on Friday at the Rock Row development in Westbrook.
The 24,000-square-foot store will feature sporting goods, camping gear, travel equipment, and clothing. It also will have a bike, ski, and snowboard shop staffed with certified mechanics to tune or repair equipment.
“Westbrook and the Portland communities embrace the outdoors. They are gateways to some beautiful places in Maine, whether it’s the mountains or the coast or just biking to some greenspace,” JR Janda, REI Westbrook store manager, told Mainebiz. “We couldn’t be more excited to be part of the local community. Westbrook is truly special.”
Founded in 1938, REI is the nation’s largest consumer co-op, with 20 million lifetime members. While anyone is welcome to shop at REI, members get benefits such as a trade-in program for used gear, discounts on classes and rentals, and a share of the co-op’s annual profits based on qualifying purchases.
“The outdoor community has encouraged us to open in Maine for many years,” Janda said. “We’re proud to join a community in which there are so many shared values, starting with our mutual passion for creating a more inclusive outdoor culture so that everyone feels welcome outside."
Seattle-based REI joins a crowded field of outdoor retailers in Maine, including Freeport-based L.L.Bean, Cabela’s in Scarborough, and Orvis, which has an outlet store in Freeport. In addition, Eastern Mountain Sports has locations in Portland, Freeport and South Portland.
Janda said REI doesn’t shy away from the competition, but its main focus is encouraging REI members to enjoy the outdoors.
“Yes, there are competitors. But we really want to make sure we’re inspiring the community and our members to live a life outdoors,” Janda said.
The store has hired 42 staffers and offered signing bonuses to encourage people to join REI in a tight labor market.
“We knew hiring was going to be a challenge, but we’ve got an extremely strong staff that’s been training for the past three to four weeks. They have a lot of expertise and embody REI’s values,” Janda said.
Each year, REI invests millions of dollars in local nonprofit organizations to steward trails, waterways and parks and connect people to the outdoors. Prior to the Westbrook store opening, $20,000 was invested in the Bike Coalition of Maine and Portland Trails.
Annually, more than 70% of the co-op’s annual profits are invested back into the outdoor community through dividends to REI members, employee profit-sharing and retirement, and investments in nonprofits dedicated to the outdoors.
REI has other New England locations, with recent openings in Williston, Vt., North Conway, N.H., and Cambridge, Mass.
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