Retailer REI Announces Permanent Store Closures on Black Friday

Outdoor retail giant REI is maintaining its commitment to closing its stores on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. This tradition, which began in 2015, has been a part of REI's calendar ever since.

In 2015, then-CEO Jerry Stritzke declared that Black Friday had "gotten out of hand" and decided to close all REI stores, distribution centres, call centres, activity centres, and headquarters on that day. Instead, the company encourages its employees and customers to spend the day outside, a move that has since become an annual observance known as the "Opt Outside" movement.

As part of this movement, REI pays its over 16,000 employees to enjoy time outside on Black Friday and every future Black Friday. Customers can still place orders on REI's website on Black Friday, but order processing and fulfilment will not start until the next day.

REI's decision to close its stores on Black Friday is not a new one. In 2019, the company asked employees and customers to participate in a nationwide cleanup. The following year, in 2021, REI pledged to match up to $1 million in donations to its REI Cooperative Action Fund.

The tradition of closing stores on Black Friday has been a permanent one since REI made the decision in 2015. Some REI employees have also voted to unionize, with workers at the New York store being one example. However, the founding dates of labor unions within REI in New York and Berkeley, California, are not specified in the available sources.

It's worth noting that daily operations in retail have changed significantly over the past few years, with retailers re-examining topics such as shrink and pricing. However, the context provided does not provide any information about any changes in retail strategies related to these topics.

In addition to closing stores on Black Friday, REI temporarily opens stores late on Election Day to ensure employees have time to vote. The company's commitment to giving its employees time to engage in civic duties is a testament to its values as a company.

As for fashion trends, it's interesting to note that skinny jeans were still popular in 2015, the year when REI first decided to close its stores on Black Friday. Today, the company continues to promote outdoor activities and encourages its customers to spend Black Friday outside, rather than shopping in stores.