G.I. Joe's will officially open the company's tenth Washington store, in Mount Vernon, on Sunday, May 1. The Mount Vernon G.I. Joe's store is the chain's first new store in Washington this year, the first in Washington since the Lake Stevens G.I. Joe's opened in April of 2004. G.I. Joe's president and CEO, Norm Daniels is expecting an exciting weekend at the new store. “We're very pleased that our new Mount Vernon store and the Skagit Valley Square retail development are already receiving such positive feedback from the local community.”
Sunday's Grand Opening special events begin at 9 a.m. The weeklong festivities include in-store prizes every thirty minutes — awarded for identifying local Mount Vernon landmarks, a free trout-fishing pond for the kids on Sunday, and a host of special in-store events and seminars (schedule attached).
Sunday's Grand Opening will feature the 9 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony at the new store highlighted by donations from G.I. Joe's to Mount Vernon High School Athletics and local charitable organizations. Community involvement is something Daniels, the company president, takes very seriously. G.I. Joe's employees are part of the community and so they regularly take time to serve their communities.
“We strive to be neighbors first, retailers second. But most importantly, we are a complete and trusted resource for our customers. Each year, G.I. Joe's sponsors numerous youth athletic programs, and our stores regularly host ongoing in-store classes and educational events for our customers. At G.I. Joe's, we want to offer everything anyone might ever need for a great outdoor experience, all in one place. And folks who live in this part of the country seem to appreciate our focus on the Northwest customer.”
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids can go trout fishing and have the experience captured on film at a free trout pond sponsored by Coca Cola. A weeklong Explore Mount Vernon giveaway and other special in-store events, including a Sunday 1 p.m. special seminar with famous game caller Wayne Carlton, help round out the Grand Opening festivities.
“Our new Mount Vernon store, with no formal announcement, has been doing steady business and getting rave reviews from customers,” reported store manager Dino Riggott. “Customers are excited about the store's layout which features a huge selection and several specialty shops including performance footwear, outdoor apparel, camping and field & stream,” added Riggott. “Popular brands including Nike, Columbia Sportswear, Carhartt, Under Armour, and adidas, all enjoy generous floor space in the new store. That's exciting.”
The nearly 50-thousand square foot Mount Vernon store has been serving residents in the Skagit Valley on a limited basis since mid-April. The store features the latest in energy conservation technology including photocell-controlled lighting with automated dimming and skylights.
One element of the store design is already drawing rave reviews. “12-foot glass windows prominently display our water sports category, you can't miss it, that's the idea,” said Shannon Burley, G.I. Joe's advertising manager. “Across the board, we've put an increased emphasis on helping our customers have more fun in the water. However, the Mount Vernon store, with its highly visible water sports section, is certainly unique among our Washington locations. The average Puget Sound area customer spends a lot of time in and around the water and our newest store naturally reflects that focus. If you're shopping for kayaks, canoes and inflatable craft, this is the place.”
G.I. Joe's now operates twenty-three stores in Oregon and Washington. In April of 2004, the company opened up a new store in Lake Stevens, Washington. Last month, G.I. Joe's opened a new Portland, Oregon store in the fast-growing South Metro area of Clackamas County. The Johnson Creek store replaced the company's Eastport Plaza location nearby. G.I. Joe's is exploring bringing more Northwest stores on-line in the near future, including additional locations in the Puget Sound area.
G.I. Joe's CEO Norm Daniels called the Mount Vernon Grand Opening Celebration 'the perfect way to thank local customers who have shopped our other locations in the past.' “Now you have a G.I. Joe's in your neighborhood. Thanks for being so patient. We're extremely proud to be in Skagit County and grateful for the opportunity to become an even bigger part of this great community.”
