REI Co-op will close its stores again this year on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday as part of its annual “Opt Outside” mission. The co-op said it will pay its 16,000 employees to spend the day outside the day after Thanksgiving while calling on the broader community to join and help others to do the same.
The retailer suggested that over 100 million people in the U.S. lack access to quality outdoor space. REI said that to help close the gap, it launched its Outside in 5 initiative earlier this year, “bringing together its 23 million member community to partner with non-profits and support legislation to help everyone in America get outside in five minutes, no matter where they live.”
“Eight years ago, we asked everyone to join us in ditching the chaos and mass consumerism of Black Friday and instead spend the day outside. But for millions of people living in America, the invitation to Opt Outside isn’t so simple,” said REI CEO Eric Artz. “We’re committed to changing that.”
REI said that, since 2015, Opt Outside had “demonstrated the collective power of the outdoor community by inspiring hundreds of organizations and millions of people to participate.” Now, the co-op reported it is “harnessing this power to help pass the Outdoors for All Act, which would secure funding for green spaces in underserved communities.”
“If you’re planning to Opt Outside with REI on Black Friday, help others do the same,” said Artz. “Voicing support for the Outdoors for All Act is a simple but impactful step that can help make the possibility of Opt Outside a reality for everyone.”
In 2022, REI announced Opt Outside would become an ongoing, permanent employee benefit, where it closes its stores, distribution centers, activity centers, call centers, and headquarters on Black Friday. While customers can continue to place orders on REI.com, order processing and fulfillment do not begin until the following day.
Photo courtesy REI
