New REI Louisville Grand Opening Tomorrow 11/8

[Monte Masterson]

Quest Outdoors has been the go-to backpacking store in Kentucky since the late 70’s. They carry a wide selection of top brand gear. Heck, they even sell one major thing REI doesn’t…Western Mountaineering bags. But they’ve been terrified for years that REI would locate a store in metro Louisville. There are REI’s in Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Nashville, which are all around 2 million people (metro) and the thinking was that Louisville is too small of a market… wrong!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/rei-co-op-holds-grand-opening-in-louisville-this-week-heres-what-to-know/ar-AA1tBq5K?ocid=BingNewsSerp

[MJ H]

One time, I was driving down I-65 with my family and we saw the signs for Louisville. We got into an argument on the correct way to say “Louisville”. So, we stopped for lunch and when we did, I asked the guy behind the counter, “We’d like to learn how to say the name of this place the right way. Could you say it very slowly?”

He said “BUR-ger K-I-N-G”.

[Chris FormyDuval]

It’s an effort by REI to survive. New store creating lots of new members that tend to spend a lot more the first few years of membership. That’s why even with cutbacks in other areas REI continues its expansion.

[K C]

REI sells WM bags

[Monte Masterson]

“REI sells WM bags”

Okay my bad. Both REI’s in Phoenix never used to carry Western Mountaineering so I assumed they didn’t. You know what they say about assuming.

MJH, it’s pronounced Lou-uh-vul. I live in Southern Indiana now and the Louisville REI is closer than the one in Indianapolis. Even though I buy very little from REI it’s good to have one within reach.

[Monte Masterson]

OutdoorGearReview did a video back in June where he goes on and on about how much money REI has been losing. Claims much of it is an image problem with REI being seen as a store mainly for the affluent. He can’t understand why REI has opened 10 new stores in 2024 amidst such huge losses. Makes other claims about the health of the outdoor industry but I doubt anyone who promotes very heavy junk gear in his videos and says how wonderful the stuff is. Perhaps contrary to recent trends, REI thinks brick and mortar stores are a smart move in a world oversaturated with online sales. I don’t know.

[Author]

Posts