REI Co-Op in New England expansion
REI continues to expand its store portfolio.
The specialty outdoor retailer will open a store at the Market and Main shopping center in Bedford, New Hampshire in fall 2023. It will be REI’s second location in the state.
Other REI locations scheduled to open next year include the retailer’s 13th store in the Los Angeles area, at Oakbrook Village in Laguna Hills, Calif., and a 21,100-sq.-ft. store at Huntington Shopping Center in Huntington, New York.
In October, REI opened its first store in the Panhandle and seventh in Florida, in Tallahassee.
The 22,000-sq.-ft. Bedford store will a full-service bike shop will be staffed by certified mechanics, along with a ski and snowboard shop with professional tuning, waxing and repairs. It will offer a wide assortment of apparel, gear and expertise for camping, cycling, running, fitness, hiking, paddling, climbing, snow sports and more.
REI has 78,900 members in New Hampshire, and 628,700 members in the Boston DMA.
“Our purpose at REI in the Northeast is to serve our members and customers, while connecting everyone to nature in a meaningful way," said Sonny Russell, REI retail regional director in the Northeast. "The Bedford community has a deep love of the outdoors in all seasons, and we look forward to meeting each customer where they are in their journey.
REI, which has made Black Friday a permanent holiday for all its employees, partners with non-profits across the nation to steward and maintain local trails and public lands to connect more people to the outdoors. Last year, the co-op invested $7.1 million in 450-plus non-profits across the country, including a total of $24,000 granted in New Hampshire to Granite Outdoor Alliance, Mount Washington Valley Adaptive Sports and Mount Washington Valley Trails Association.
REI has 178 locations in 42 states and the District of Columbia.