Seattle — Specialty outdoor retailer REI Co-op will open a Re/Supply store dedicated to used gear and apparel in Clackamas, Ore., in late August 2023. Located in Clackamas Town Center, the 16,113-square-foot store will open a few doors down from the co-op’s existing store that has served the outdoor community since 2007. The new location will join the co-op’s Re/Supply store in Manhattan Beach, Calif., which opened in 2020.
“As a member-owned co-op, we have a responsibility to preserve the long-term health of the planet,” says Bob Cagle, REI regional director. “Our Re/Supply offering reimagines the lifecycle of outdoor products and helps keep gear where it belongs — out on trails, waterways and other natural places. Opening a Re/Supply store in the community builds on the popularity of our used program that is enjoyed by many Oregonians.”
Access to the program is a benefit of co-op membership. In the Portland market there are more than 303,000 active members. Anyone can purchase a lifetime membership to the co-op for a one-time fee of $30, which grants access to not just the Re/Supply program, but discounts on shop services and experiences, free flat-tire repair (labor only) and ski waxing, an annual Co-op Member Reward of 10% back on eligible purchases, and more.
This store builds upon the co-op’s long history of encouraging the exchange of used gear amongst its members. REI offered used outdoor gear to co-op members for more than 60 years through its well-known “garage sale” events at retail stores across the country. In 2018, REI innovated within its used business to launch a used-specific e-commerce site, trade-in program, and used gear offering for sale in most retail locations. In 2022, more than 1 million used products were sold through REI’s Re/Supply omni-channel offering. REI’s investment in Re/Supply aligns with the co-op’s 2030 climate goals to de-couple business growth from carbon impact. Buying used instead of new typically avoids carbon emissions of 50% or more based on REI’s estimate of preparing used gear for sale versus making new gear.
Once open in late August 2023, REI’s Re/Supply location in Clackamas will join the co-op’s other eight retail stores in Oregon.
REI is a specialty outdoor retailer headquartered near Seattle. REI has 181 locations in 42 states and the District of Columbia.
SOURCE: REI Co-op