REI announced plans to open a second store in Columbus, OH in fall 2014 at Sun Center. The 23,000-square-foot store will join a previously announced 23,400-square-foot REI location at Easton Gateway, scheduled to open in the spring of 2014. The retailer opened its first Ohio store in Cincinnati in 2012.
"Columbus is a city filled with active people and one of the largest markets without an REI store," said Ray Dinterman, REI retail director for the Mid-Atlantic district. "Two stores allow us to better serve the many local adventurers looking to have fun in the outdoors, including the more than 5,100 REI members in the area."
REI expects to hire approximately 100 employees to staff the two stores and is currently accepting applications for its Easton Gateway store. It will begin interviewing for those positions early next year. Interested candidates for the store at Sun Center can sign up online to be notified when REI begins accepting applications.
REI has already granted a total of $20,000 to Central Ohio Mountain Biking Organization, Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed and Metro Park-Central Ohio Park System to help maintain outdoor places in Central Ohio. The retailer expects to invest $3 million in such such partherships in 2013 as part of its mission to inspire, educate and outfit its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship.
Headquarter in Seattle, REI is the nation's largest consumer cooperative with about $2 billion in revenue, 5.1 million active members and 132 stores in 33 states. Anyone may shop with REI, but members pay a one-time $20 fee to receive a share in the company's profits through an annual member refund that usually amounts to about 10 percent of their annual, full-price purchases. REI membership also includes special promotions, and discounts on REI Adventures trips and REI Outdoor School classes. It also operates REI.com and REI.com/outlet.
