For the Seventh Year, REI Co-op Is Closing on Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Once again, REI Co-op will be closed for business on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. The outdoor retail giant announced that it will continue its #OptOutside initiative for the seventh consecutive year, closing its more than 170 facilities on Black Friday. This includes stores, activity centers, distribution centers, call centers and its headquarters. Rather than work, REI said in a statement that it will encourage its 15,000-plus employees — while paying them — to head outside with their family and friends. “As the last year and a half has continued to challenge us all, #OptOutside is a reminder of the importance of community and time outside,” REI CEO Eric Artz said in a statement. “What started as a special moment for employees has become a movement for the co-op community to come together and prioritize action on the things that matter most.” Although REI has engaged in #OptOutside since 2015, this year the retail giant is celebrating a bit differently. In a statement, REI said it will use this year’s initiative to encourage people to help build a more equitable and inclusive outdoors. It will do so by highlighting the grantees of its recently-launched REI Cooperative Action Fund. The purpose of the fund, which was revealed on

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