REI to Outfit Denver Outdoor Enthusiasts with New Store in Westminster

Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a national retail cooperative providing quality outdoor gear and clothing, today announced plans to open a new store in Westminster, Colo. at The Orchard Town Center in the spring of 2009.

Located at the northwest corner of I-25 and 144th Avenue, the 27,000 square-foot, one-story location will offer the top brands of outdoor gear and apparel for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, paddling, snow sports and travel, including REI’s own award-winning line. Additional store features include a gear rental department that will help outfit members and customers in exploring new outdoor activities and a bike shop where technicians will provide quick assemblies or repairs. The store’s community space will be available for non-profit partners and employees to use for classes, presentations and events.

“We’re excited to open the store in Westminster as an added resource to the many outdoor enthusiasts and more than 93,500 active REI members who enjoy the incredible outdoor recreational activities the region offers,” said Julie Lochner, REI retail director for the Mountain district. “We also look forward to extending our partnerships with local nonprofits to help protect the natural spaces in the Denver area and get more people active in the outdoors.”

As part of its commitment to inspiring and educating for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship, REI partners with non-profit outdoor and conservation organizations through grants, interactive programming and volunteer opportunities. In 2007, the co-op provided nearly $315,000 in financial contributions and/or gear donations to 16 Denver-area nonprofit organizations that work to increase participation in outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship. Examples include The Access Fund, City of Boulder, Colorado Mountain Club, Continental Divide Trail Alliance, International Mountain Bicycling Association, Leave No Trace and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. REI also coordinated 20 service projects with more than 1,225 volunteers, who gave nearly 5,165 hours of service to maintain and preserve the natural spaces in the Denver metro area in the past year.

The co-op first entered Colorado with a store in Denver in 1983, which was more recently relocated to the restored 1901 Denver Tramway building in 2000 as one of the co-op’s three flagship locations. Westminster will be the eighth REI location in Colorado, also joining the recently remodeled Boulder, Colo. prototype store, which opened in October 2007 and was designed to test retail design and green building concepts. The co-op currently has more than 237,000 active REI members in the Denver area.

REI will hire approximately 60 employees who share a passion for the outdoors and quality customer service for the new store in Westminster. Hiring clinics will occur approximately two months prior to the store’s opening. More information about employment opportunities is available at www.rei.com/jobs.

While anyone may shop at REI, members pay a one-time $20 fee and receive a share in the company’s profits through an annual member refund based on their purchases. The co-op returned $62.8 million to more than 3.4 million members through the refund in 2008.

About REI
REI is a national outdoor retail co-op dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Founded in 1938 by a group of Pacific Northwest mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions.