Outdoorsy residents in Glendale, Ariz., Rancho Mirage, Calif., and St George, Utah, will soon have a new place to gear up, with REI announcing today it will open new stores there in 2024 and 2025.
The announcement follows previously announced openings coming this year, bringing the total number of new co-ops joining the REI fleet to 11 between this year and next.
“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,” Mary-Farrell Tarbox, REI vice president of stores, said in a press release. “We look forward to serving as a welcoming resource to everyone through our staff’s expertise and broad product assortment.”
Tarbox also confirmed that per REI’s standard operating procedure, the co-op would partner with local nonprofits in the new communities to support more people recreating outside.
REI Expansion
Today’s announcement comes after another banner year for the outdoor industry. At the close of 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce released an economic impact report that valued the outdoor industry at a whopping $1.1 trillion. While that figure includes many expenditures not linked to REI’s business (such as RVs and travel), the report points to overall health in the industry.
Looking ahead, REI will open nearly a dozen stores from coast to coast, including Beavercreek, Ohio, and Beaverton, Ore., in the spring; Glendale, Ithaca, N.Y., and Rancho Mirage in the summer; and Albany, N.Y., and Tulsa, Okla., in the fall. Locations in Durango, Colo., and St. George are slated for 2025 opening.
REI said three more locations will be announced as contracts are finalized. The co-op said each location will have a full-service bike shop and cater to all manner of outdoor sports. In addition, the co-op noted that St. George will offer a ski and snowboard shop.
