Beauty

[suzyQ3]

An e-mail I received from REI (sports-related retailer):

This Black Friday the co-op is doing something different. We’re closing all 143 of our stores. Instead of reporting to work, we’re paying our employees to do what we love most—be outside.

We want you, our members, to be the first to hear—not just what we’re doing, but why.

We’re passionate about bringing you great gear, but we’re even more passionate about the experiences it unlocks for all of us. Perhaps John Muir said it best back in 1901: “thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home.”

We think Black Friday is the perfect day to remind people of this essential truth.

And don’t worry, as a member you’ll still enjoy great deals on great gear all holiday season long. But on this one day, we’re going to #OptOutside and we want you to join us.

While the rest of the world is fighting it out in the aisles, we hope to see you in the great outdoors. Visit optoutside.rei.com and you’ll discover great ways to #OptOutside from coast to coast.

Let’s get out there,
REI

P.S. If you have friends you want to encourage to #OptOutside, please pass along this invitation. You can also visit optoutside.rei.com to customize your own Black Friday message and share it via social media. There’s plenty of room out there for all of us.

[Kachina624]

Good for them!  Nice to hear of a retailer with the right attitude.

[Lipstickdiva]

Good for them.  I saw it scroll across GMA this morning that they would be closed.

I also saw that all Neiman Marcus Last Call stores will be closed on Thanksgiving day as well to allow their employees to spend time with their families.

[ladyroxanne]

what a great idea!

[Bella Carro]

Just for that I will make it a point to buy a gift from REI  this season.

Thanks, @suzyQ3, for sharing this.

[NativeJax]

I heard about this and I think it is nice but I work with the public and have heard employees say they don't want to be off because they need the money. Retail employees do not make that much money and unless it's a day off with pay it could hurt them financially. It's just another way to look at it.

[HappyDaze]

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@NativeJax wrote:
I heard about this and I think it is nice but I work with the public and have heard employees say they don't want to be off because they need the money. Retail employees do not make that much money and unless it's a day off with pay it could hurt them financially. It's just another way to look at it.

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They are paying their employees for the day AND giving them the day off. A win win for everyone.

[NativeJax]

Oh great they are getting PTO! That is awesome and I didn't hear that part of the story, wonderful😇

[dex]

rEI will still be selling online though and that is how most people are doing their Black Friday shopping these days anyhow so they are getting great advertising and not really loosing sales.

[Kachina624]

REI is getting a million ddollars worth of publicity out of this.  Makes me feel good to hear it.