REI Co-op opens its new Athens store on Friday, February 10 and invites the community to a three-day celebration filled with giveaways, outdoor brands, afternoon social, music and more. To celebrate the grand opening, REI invested $10,000 each in Bike Athens and All Terrain Georgia, an initiative of Aimee Copeland Foundation in partnership with Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The nonprofit partners will have a presence during the weekend.
Located in Beechwood Shopping Center at 196 Alps Road, the 17,200 square-foot store features a wide assortment of top-quality outdoor gear and apparel for camping, hiking, cycling, running, fitness and more. A specialty bike shop is staffed with certified mechanics to tune or repair equipment.
“Our team of 50 employees is excited to be part of the local outdoor community,” said Timothy Myers, REI store manager. “Beyond our store, we look forward to taking care of natural places in and around Athens, including a staff service project this weekend to remove invasive plant species from the Middle Oconee floodplain with Georgia River Network.”
Doors open at 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. on Sunday during the celebration. Giveaways will be available each day while supplies last. An outdoor social is scheduled every afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m. with music, nonprofits and outdoor brands including Adidas, Altra, Black Diamond Equipment, Brooks Running, Cascade Designs, ENO Hammocks, Gregory Mountain Products, HOKA ONE ONE, Hydro Flask, Küat, KÜHL, Nikwax North America, NEMO Equipment, Oboz Footwear, Osprey, PROBAR, Salomon, Sea to Summit, and The Landmark Project.
REI is the country’s largest consumer co-op with 21.5 million lifetime members. Anyone is welcome to shop at REI and tap into the company’s resources in support of an active lifestyle, but members enjoy a range of benefits. There are 3,700 members in Athens and more than 595,000 members across Georgia. The new store joins five other locations in the state – Alpharetta (opened 2015), Atlanta (opened 1990), Buford (opened 2003), Kennesaw (opened 2008) and Perimeter (opened 1995).
The co-op actively partners with nonprofits across the country that create access to outdoor places and offer transformational outdoor experiences for all people. Beyond local investments made for the grand opening of REI Athens, the co-op has invested $1.6 million in Georgia nonprofits since 2002. In addition, the company’s public charity, the REI Cooperative Action Fund, enables employees, members, and the public to contribute to organizations that promote justice, equity and belonging in the outdoors. To learn about Georgia’s recipients, visit the REI Cooperative Action grantee landing page.
About the REI Co-op
REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of more than 21 million members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips, and outstanding customer service. REI has 179 locations in 42 states and the District of Columbia. If you can’t visit a store, you can shop at REI.com, REI Outlet or the REI shopping app. REI isn’t just about gear. Adventurers can take the trip of a lifetime with REI’s active adventure travel company that runs more than 100 itineraries across the country. In many communities where REI has a presence, professionally trained instructors share their expertise by hosting beginner-to advanced-level classes and workshops about a wide range of activities. To build on the infrastructure that makes life outside possible, REI invests millions annually in hundreds of local and national nonprofits that create access to—and steward—the outdoor places that inspire us all.
