For the sixth year in a row, REI Co-op will close its 167 locations — stores, activity centers, distribution centers, call centers, and headquarters — and pay its employees to #OptOutside on Black Friday.
Since 2015, REI has closed on the busiest shopping day of the year to encourage customers to spend the day outside rather than shopping for the holiday season.
“In the middle of everything, we have watched as people all over the world – some of them for the first time – looked to time outside to reflect, restore and connect to one another,” REI CEO Eric Artz wrote in a letter to employees and members. “In this year of unprecedented challenges staying true to our purpose, living our values and caring for our people and communities is more important than ever.”
The decision to close again on Black Friday comes as the coronavirus pandemic has forced many retailers, including REI, to reimagine how they served customers and communities. With record numbers of people turning to the outdoors this year, local parks, trails and public lands are seeing increased use. In order for everyone to enjoy the outdoors this Black Friday, REI is calling on its employees and members to recreate responsibly and help reduce the spread of COVID-19 while getting outside.
“One of the gifts that time outside offers is perspective – on our own lives, on our work and on the places where those intersect,” Artz wrote. “We are focusing on what matters most – on caring for one another, caring for our community, and sharing the connection brought by time outside.”
Logo courtesy REI
