Recreational Equipment, Inc. plans to open a new store in Richmond, Va. at West Broad Village in November of 2009. The new location will be located along West Broad Street near I-64, the 26,500 square-foot, two-story location.
“With easy access to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Atlantic coast, were excited to join the Richmond community and be a gateway for people and families exploring these areas,” said Gail Kirkland, REI retail director for the South. “Our new store will serve as a resource for both outdoor enthusiasts and our non-profit partners that are working to inspire people to get outside and conserve the natural spaces where we all enjoy recreating.”
Although the store is not opening until later this year, REI has already begun partnering with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay through a $10,000 grant to support its Urban Tree Canopy program and to assist in establishing an outdoor classroom program in Richmond. The co-op will also help recruit volunteers to enhance water quality and preserve wildlife habitat with the Alliance and other non-profit conservation and outdoor organizations in the area.
REI first entered Virginia in 1990 with its Baileys Crossroads store and opened an additional location in Fairfax in 2003. The new store will begin hiring for approximately 40 positions in early September.
