SEATTLE – REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), a national retailer providing quality outdoor gear and clothing, today announced plans to open stores in Yonkers, N.Y., Carle Place, N.Y. and Paramus, N.J. in the spring of 2011. The new Tri-State stores follow the company’s previously announced entry into Manhattan at the Puck Building, scheduled for the fall of 2011.
The new stores will offer the top brands of gear and apparel for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, paddling, snow sports and travel products. Each location will also house a bike shop for quick assemblies and repairs, a seasonal gear rental department and a community space for REI and its local partners to hold outdoor classes, presentations and events.
The new 25,300 square-foot REI in Yonkers, N.Y. will be located off of I-87 in Westchester County at Ridge Hill. The 25,400 square-foot store in Carle Place, N.Y. will be located at The Country Glen Center at the intersection of Glen Cove Road and Old Country Road. The store in Paramus, N.J. will be a 24,100 square-foot store and located at Bergen Town Center on Route 4.
“Since 1987, we have been helping people in the Northeast get outside and have fun,”said Anne Maleady, REI retail director for the Northeast district. “We look forward to bringing our friendly, knowledgeable employees and top-quality gear to even more outdoor enthusiasts in the Tri-State area.”
REI opened its first Northeast stores in Reading, Mass. and College Park, Md.. The company’s current Tri-State locations include stores in East Hanover, N.J. and Norwalk, Conn., which recently opened on October 8.
With a store opening in Columbia, Md. on November 12, REI will operate 114 retail stores nationwide. The co-op also outfits outdoor enthusiasts through two online stores – http://www.rei.com and http://www.REI-OUTLET.com – and manufactures its own award-winning REI brand and Novara bike products. The company’s sales totaled $1.46 billion in 2009.
As part of its commitment to the outdoors, REI partners with local outdoor and conservation organizations in each of its communities through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions. For example, REI and The REI Foundation have provided grants totaling $124,000 the past two years to local non-profits, including the New York Restoration Project, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference and Recycle-A-Bicycle. The new store will allow REI to expand its outreach efforts in New York and New Jersey by partnering with additional local organizations.
Hiring for each new store will occur approximately three months prior to the openings, where REI will recruit people who share a passion for the outdoors and a commitment to providing quality customer service. Each store will hire approximately 65 employees. More information about employment opportunities will be available at www.rei.com/jobs.
Although it operates as a consumer cooperative, 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. Earlier this year, more than $80 million in annual refunds was distributed to more than 3.9 million active members based on the co-op’s 2009 sales. REI members also receive discounts on gear rentals, REI Adventures trips and REI Outdoor School classes.
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.