Gearing Up for Outdoor Adventure

Twenty-three climbing friends founded REI in 1938 when they wanted to find quality ice axes and other gear for their outdoor adventures. Today, the REI community has 23 million lifetime members, more than 16,000 employees and 181 locations in 41 states and the District of Columbia. The member-owned business has no shareholders; instead, supporting outdoor stewardship, sustainable business and an outdoor lifestyle.

The new 25,000-square-foot store is in the Frontier Village Shopping Center. It offers a wide assortment of apparel and gear for camping, cycling, running, fitness, hiking, paddling and climbing, plus a full-service bike shop staffed by certified mechanics. Customers find the store deep, well-lighted and attractive. REI Prescott has hired 50 local employees who Store Manager Jess Wesling says are eager to serve and share their knowledge.

“Besides having trails five minutes in any direction, we already had 10,000 co-op members in the Quad Cities area,” said Wesling. “I can’t tell you how many people have come in and said they were happy they no longer have to drive to Flagstaff or Phoenix to visit an REI store.”

The store’s popularity was underscored when 11,000 people visited during the three-day grand opening Nov. 3-5.

While people do not have to be members to shop, most will want to pay the $30 one-time, lifetime fee for the benefits it offers, said Wesling. Membership includes discounts, ability to buy and trade used outdoor gear, free U.S. shipping and collections just for members, with no annual fees.

“Not being publicly traded allows us to focus on community impact,” Wesling said. “REI gives back 70% of its profits in community non-profit partnerships, 10% rewards to members and employee bonuses.”

That community impact extends to REI’s bi-annual grants, which support local non-profits that partner with the REI mission. “We believe it’s a basic human right to experience the physical and mental effects that you get from being outdoors. It’s our mission to ensure people have the knowledge to take care of our public spaces and to get out in those spaces in a way that feels good.”

The current grant partnership, $10,000 for two years, is with Azimuth Quest Foundation in Prescott, which helps young people through outdoor adventure education. Additional partners include the Launch Pad Teen Center, the Prescott Mountain Bike Association and the Highlands Center for Natural History.   

Another way the store gives back is to close each year on the day after Thanksgiving, or Black Friday, to encourage everyone to get outdoors for a day. “It’s the eighth year in row we’ve paid all of our employees to go outside. People are excited to support a company that supports their employees,” Wesling said.   

So far, she says, the store’s sales have been strong in outdoor clothing and footwear. “It’s a robust community when it comes to getting on trails and hiking and biking. We try to partner with local businesses as much as we can. We all have the same goal: to get people outdoors.”

This holiday season, REI has a stock of gift items in all price ranges. Hot ticket items are outerwear and footwear, particularly Hoka One One and Bondi shoes. Camping gear, first aid and survival items are also popular, as is climbing gear. Mountain, gravel bikes and ebikes are also sure to be much-appreciated gifts this season. Wesling said she also has noticed that people in the Quad Cities love their dogs and they’re fond of dog accessories. The store has a solid supply of stocking stuffers for furry pets.

And, those ice axes that began it all? REI keeps its beginnings front and center with the ice axe replica door handles on the front of the building. QCBN

By Heidi Dahms Foster, QCBN

Customers can find REI holiday specials at www.rei.com. Online pricing is the same as in the store. Members can sign up for promo emails. The Prescott store at 1761 E. St. Rt. 69 is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday.

Photo by Kay Lyons: Sales Manager Jess Wesling makes the Prescott REI store opening official with the cutting of the ribbon.