REI to Relocate Niles Store to Northbrook

Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a national retail cooperative providing quality outdoor gear and clothing, today announced plans to relocate its store in Niles, Illinois, near Chicago, five miles north to Northbrook in the spring of 2007. The new store will be in North Shore Village at the intersection of Willow Road and Waukegan Road, near Interstate 94.

“We opened in Niles in 1991. During the past 15 years, our customer base has grown and patterns of development and traffic have changed,” said Janet Hopkins, REI retail regional vice president for the East and Midwest. “The North Shore Village location will be convenient to a majority of our customers in this area.”

At 26,000 square-feet, the new store will be about 4,000 square feet larger than the current store. REI stores provide outdoor gear and clothing for camping, climbing, cycling, paddling, hiking, travel and snow sports, as well as all of the top outdoor brands including REI’s own line of award-winning REI gear and apparel.

While anyone may shop at REI, co-op members pay a one-time $15 fee and receive a share in the company’s profits through an annual member refund based on their purchases. There are more than 20,000 REI members in the Chicago area. REI has a second store west of Chicago in Oakbrook Terrace, which opened in 1994.

“We serve an active outdoor recreation community that enjoys cycling, hiking and camping,” said Niles Store Manager Kale Klontz. “Our customers enjoy being outdoors in the huge Forest Preserve District in Cook County and the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin.”

REI is known for knowledgeable employees who work with customers to select the right gear and offer information and useful tips on how to achieve a great outdoor experience. A camp stove demonstration table and a footwear test rock are among the in-store features to assist customers in learning about gear. A gear rental department encourages customers to try new outdoor activities.

REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions. Recent grants in the Chicago area include Friends of the Chicago River, Broadtree Adventures in Education, Emily Oaks Nature Center, Conservation Foundation, Trips for Kids-Fox Valley and Chicago Area Mountain Bikers.

Recently named among the top 10 great companies on FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For in America,” REI has been included in the magazine’s rankings for nine consecutive years.

Founded in Seattle in 1938 by a group of mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI now has 2.8 million active members and operates 83 retail stores nationwide, two online stores – REI.com and REI-OUTLET.com – and an adventure travel company, REI Adventures.