Since leaving REI to join Canadian outdoor retailer Mountain Equipment Company less than two years ago and then becoming a part-owner, Chief Merchandising Officer Chris Speyer has focused on doubling down on MEC customers’ core activities, investing in store experiences and employees, and building trust alongside expanded partnerships with key vendors like Arc’teryx and Black Diamond.
The strategy is yielding solid results for Vancouver, B.C.-based MEC, which operates 24 stores across Canada. The renewed emphasis on hiking, climbing, camping and backpacking is resonating with Canadian consumers, and the shift coincided with a successful winter season.
“This winter was actually very good for us,” Speyer said in an interview with SESO, acknowledging the snow drought in the western U.S. this year that impacted so many retailers and brands south of the border. “Basically from Calgary east, we’ve had a lot of winter. It was a very strong season for us, and we’re quite happy with it.”
Speyer and VP of Marketing Michele Guimond shared details about how MEC’s investments in stores are showing up in-store and in the retailer’s marketing campaigns, the company’s renewed investment in its private label and what’s resonating with consumers heading into the spring season.
Investing in Stores and Cultivating Expertise
The physical retail space remains a priority for MEC. At the opening of its Nanaimo location on Vancouver Island in December, there were 400 people in line, many of whom said they were excited to see the retailer in the city, which is a gateway to the outdoors on the island.
In addition to building experiential elements such as an in-store bouldering wall in the Nanaimo store, MEC is investing heavily in its people, Speyer said.
During the holidays, the retailer increased staffing levels to ensure customers could connect with an expert right away. Training focuses less on memorizing every technical specification and more on hiring friendly, engaging individuals who actively participate in local outdoor activities. A staff member’s personal experience running a local trail provides far more value to a shopper than simply reciting the type of rubber used in a shoe’s outsole, Speyer said.
MEC is also refining its assortment and highlighting key partnerships. The retailer is adding new shop-in-shops with Arc’teryx, a move that customers have loved, Speyer said. Black Diamond is also gaining greater prominence in MEC’s climbing and outerwear departments. Customers love Black Diamond because they’re well-known among climbers and the brand is thinking more expansively about hiking and camping.
“We just really like the direction they’re going in,” Speyer said. “They seem to be doubling down on specialty as well.”
Speyer has spoken previously about how MEC is working to regain trust with its vendors, which requires constant dialogue. Speyer and his team host quarterly meetings with top brands to share the state of MEC, discussing what is working well and where there are opportunities to improve.
“If you’re being quiet these days, it’s a problem, because there’s lots of stress to go around for brands,” Speyer said. “Be really clear on who you are and talk often to those who are in the same industry as you are.”
Photo courtesy of MEC.
Authenticity Through Marketing
The investment in store employees also translates directly into MEC’s marketing efforts.
“If you look and see who’s at the center of our marketing, it is our own employees telling their stories about the outdoors,” Speyer says. “I love that, because if you’re a customer, there’s a really good chance that the person you might have seen on your Instagram feed is working in the camp section when you walk in.”
Nearly 40% of MEC’s social content features staffers, and that content is driving impressive results: Nearly half of the company’s organic impressions came from content featuring employees, and those posts also generated 23% stronger engagement and 20% more saves, according to Michele Guimond, MEC’s VP of marketing.
This approach leverages a massive internal resource and communicates authenticity and trustworthiness that seamlessly connects the digital experience with the physical store.
“The wrong boot fit on a long approach, the wrong layering system in the wrong conditions — these aren’t just inconveniences,” Guimond said. “Our customers know this, and they’re increasingly skeptical of polished brand campaigns that have no connection to genuine knowledge or are derived solely through a search algorithm. When they see a piece of content featuring one of our staff members talking about why they choose a particular piece of gear, they’re seeing someone who has actually made that choice in the field. That credibility cannot be manufactured.”
A recent Instagram reel featuring Pierre from MEC’s Calgary store showcasing some of the simple tools he always brings with him on a backcountry skiing trip generated 11,600 likes and 75 comments from people weighing in on their favorite tools.
“In a retail landscape that is rapidly moving toward automation, self-serve, and algorithmic recommendation, MEC is making a deliberate bet in the other direction,” Guimond said. “Our marketing reflects that bet. The faces in our content are the same people who will answer your questions, challenge your assumptions, and send you out the door with the right gear. We think that’s worth showing.”
MEC VP of Marketing Michele Guimond. Photo courtesy of MEC.
Pushing Boundaries With the Two-Kilo Project
MEC is also investing in its private label, and promoted longtime staffer Mark Knight to director of product creation last year.
This spring, MEC launched the Two-Kilo project, which aimed at designing a fully functional camp system weighing less than two kilograms (4.4 lbs.).
Approaching the project as a systems engineering exercise rather than designing isolated products, the team successfully created an ultralight setup for fast-and-light backpacking.
The collection includes:
- Alpha 1UL Tent: A 660-gram lightweight hybrid single-wall shelter.
- Delta Pivot –2 Sleeping Bag: A 505-gram sleeping bag featuring a removable pivoting hood and body-mapped 900-fill down.
- Bravo 6 Sleeping Pad: A 455-gram, four-season pad with an R-value of 5.8.
- Charlie 32L UL Pack: A 400-gram durable pack built with Challenge Sailcloth TX70 waterproof fabric.
“It has acted as such an amazing proof point and the words I hear are ‘MEC is back,'” Speyer said regarding the project. “We’re thinking more about the experience and the outdoors than we are about a transaction, and product like this is that signal.”
Photo by Nollaig Butler, courtesy of MEC.
Tracking the Trends Across Core Activities
As consumer expectations shift, MEC is adapting its gear across several major categories. In addition to producing lighter weight products, backpackers and campers expect increased durability and responsible manufacturing, Speyer said. Even in the backcountry, comfort is increasingly a priority. Customers now carry ultra-lightweight chairs and expect their sleeping pads to offer superior warmth and cushioning.
Hiking remains the broadest audience for MEC, capturing everyone from neighborhood walkers to multi-day backpackers. Trail running continues to be a massive growth area. Shoppers looking for trail running shoes often want versatile, breathable and aesthetically pleasing footwear that transitions easily from intense runs to casual day hikes.
Climbing also shows strong momentum. The climbing wall at MEC’s Montreal store has reopened and is bustling with activity. Furthermore, the explosion of urban climbing gyms is bringing in a new, younger demographic of climbers looking for specialized shoes and gear, Speyer said.
Looking Ahead at Future Store Optimizations
While MEC is not planning to expand to new locations this year, the company is focused on optimizing its existing fleet, modeled after its recent reopening in Laval, Quebec. By tailoring the assortment to the local community, hiring local marketing talent and upgrading the in-store experience, MEC saw a positive return on a relatively small investment.
The retailer is eyeing its Kelowna, B.C. location for a similar optimization, with three to five other stores on the list for upgrades. By carefully deploying capital to enhance current locations, MEC ensures that its physical spaces reflect its renewed commitment to the core outdoor customer.
“[I have an] intense belief that there is a lot of room for good, specialty outdoor retail and it seems like our focus on our core is really paying off,” Speyer said. “For others that are out there, it’s easy to be distracted by a lot of trends to chase, but you might be amazed if you just double down on your on your core business.”
