REI store coming to Jax

[kam311]

Exciting news, but a shame it isn't located in a more 'outdoors-centric' location... 

REI, one of the nation’s leading retailers of outdoor clothes and equipment, is opening a store in Jacksonville.
The 23,400-square-foot store is expected to open spring 2013 in the Markets of Town Center, adjacent to St. Johns Town Center.
The store will be between Whisky River and Best Buy.
It will be the first REI store in Florida and will hire about 50 employees, a spokeswoman said, with hiring beginning three months before opening.
Unlike many other outdoor stores, REI carries no hunting or fishing equipment. It also carries no team sports gear.
Instead, it focuses on hiking, camping, padding, cycling, climbing, fitness and travel gear.
The company was founded in Seattle in 1938 as a cooperative. It now has 122 stores in 29 states., but still has a cooperative element.
Anyone may shop at the store, but members who pay a $20 lifetime fee receive dividends at the end of the year, depending how much they spent.
REI has more than 4 million active members, include more than 3,100 in the Jacksonville area, a spokeswoman said.
Fortune magazine named it the eighth best company in the country to work for in its Feb. 6 issue.


Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/business/2012-03-06/story/rei-open-outdoor-gear-store-jacksonville#ixzz1oMkDOiUo

[blizz01]

Exciting news, but a shame it isn't located in a more 'outdoors-centric' location... 

Like where?  I know they sell bikes and kayaks, but it's not like folks are grabbing a North Face jacket & a backpack and heading up the mountain anywhere in town.

It seems like Black Creek Outfitters also found this area to be prime & thrives (doubt they're too excited, though).

[acme54321]

Cool news.

[kam311]

Exciting news, but a shame it isn't located in a more 'outdoors-centric' location... 

Like where?  I know they sell bikes and kayaks, but it's not like folks are grabbing a North Face jacket & a backpack and heading up the mountain anywhere in town.

It seems like Black Creek Outfitters also found this area to be prime & thrives (doubt they're too excited, though).

Granted, they're going where the money is, but it'd be great if they had opened in a location next to the river, or with access to bike trails, etc.  Some place where customers could try out the product.  It's a good business move to open at the town center, though.

[copperfiend]

I guess that is the old Golf Galaxy location.

[RiversideLoki]

Sweet, now I can not go to REI, just like I don't go to Dick's sporting goods. Who in their right mind wants to deal with Town center traffic?

[fsujax]

anyone who wants to go to REI. I am just happy they are opening a Dick's Sporting Goods at the RCMP.

[cline]

With REI's emphasis on environmental stewardship I would expect them to locate in a place that wasn't the embodiment of a sprawling greenfield development. 

But then again, the developers for those new apartments they are building at the SJTC refer to the area as an "infill site" which is quite a sad joke.

[ben says]

While I agree with all that the location is terrible, I am glad we're getting an REI.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

It's perfect!  Maybe they can single-handedly convince everyone to not drive store to store, but instead buy a comfortable pair of hiking boots and a survival pack and walk the 39 miles round trip during a shopping adventure.

[ben says]

The old Fuel spot in five points would have been a really cool location...

[blizz01]

Lot's of mountain climbers & snow boarders in 5-points too?

[ben says]

Lot's of mountain climbers & snow boarders in 5-points too?

Your critiques are misplaced...even on Colorado or NC, you're not going to find an REI on the side of a mountain or perched on a river...and to be quite frank, yes, I'm sure Riverside is full of outdoorsmen. We've seen how many people drive to the Town Center for god-knows-what. Why not Five Points?

[Anti redneck]

Sweet, now I can not go to REI, just like I don't go to Dick's sporting goods. Who in their right mind wants to deal with Town center traffic?

I've dealt with traffic much worse.

[fsujax]

Cline. i read that article and couldnt believe my eyes! The SJTC was developed in the middle of woods for crying out loud!