REI

Reviews 5

AL

Alice Wang

The D.C. REI flagship store is now OPEN! This is REIs 5th flagship store to date, as well as the largest one on the East Coast. Its a whopping 51,000 square foot space in the NoMa neighborhood, filled with all the outdoor gear you need for every outdoor activity you can imagine. Aside from your clothing and outdoor supplies, theres an Adventure Station. In partnership with the National Park Service, REI uses this station to offer advice to visitors on where to go and how to really make the most of an outdoor vacay. It’s stocked with guide books, brochures, and maps. Youre able to consult with staff (both REI experts and National Park rangers), who will help you choose the best place for you based on any criteria you give them. Theres also a community space with in-store classes for everything from trying out new GORE-TEX products to backpacking basics to learning how to survive a zombie apocalypse. Many of these classes are free. If youre a cyclist, youll love this place. It was designed for DCs cycling community. Immediately to the right when you walk in, theres a gigantic bike area where you can buy a bike or bike gear, as well as a repair shop where the best techs can get right to work on your precious two-wheeler. Additionally, theres a courtyard with murals and a fireplace for guests to enjoy. Its open year-round and has history baked in. The store is the building that was formally the Washington Coliseum and Uline Arena, the site of one of the earliest U.S. concerts by The Beatles in 1964 (in fact, youll see Beatles and other memorabilia throughout the store to commemorate the history of this retail space through design). The arenas original concrete archways sit right in the middle of the courtyard. Its really neat how they were able to incorporate brand new and original historical, architectural elements into this space. But my favorite has to be their La Colombe cafe. Im a big fan of La Colombe, and Im so happy to see them grow so rapidly in D.C. Visitors can grab a cup of Joe or tea while perusing the store or sit in one of the high chairs and enjoy. La Colombe even has a separate entrance and can be open even when REI isnt. Conveniently located across from the NoMa-Gallaudet metro stop, theres also plenty of bike parking outside the store. The staff are all friendly and helpful. if youre looking to plan your next outdoorsy adventure, D.C. REI flagship store is the place to go!

---

DA

David C

Im a long-time REI member and think theyre a great company. I was very interested to see the new flagship store. But I think they dropped the ball on this one. Its a fun space in an historic building that has been nicely renovated. The store design is taken from the Urban Outfitters school of retail design. It seems to be more designed on trying to put random stuff in front of you than trying to get you to what you came in to buy. Because the display racks are deliberately in the way, getting from A to B means going by C, D, and E first. Theres quite a lot of stock, but a very heavy emphasis on clothing means that theres often less gear than at the other local stores. I was underwhelmed by their bags, bikes, and camping sections--theres more of all that at some of the other local REI stores. The staff were unfailingly friendly, but the ones I spoke with didnt know much about what they were selling. There are some major fails. Admittedly, these arent relevant to everyone, but they certainly matter to some. The first is that theres no parking. You can try and find a spot with limited metered street parking nearby (very limited with all the construction going on nearby) or pay $7 for the public lots. Theres also doesnt appear to be a loading zone, so think twice before trying to buy anything large that needs to be loaded into/onto a car. Its also accessible in only a barely minimum way. There is a ramp hidden behind the bikes to get you from the entry level down to the main floor level, but youll probably have to have someone show you where it is the first time and dodge the merchandise that juts out over it. And if youre after footwear, thats all on a mezzanine level at the back of the store. Theres an elevator, but its not self-service, and I was told by a staff member that they only activate it for wheelchairs and wont for strollers. So I guess they want to make it hard for anyone shopping with small kids and insist that you use the stairs. Which is odd given that this is REI and so many of their customers have young kids and come in to buy with them in mind. Having been to the REI flagship store in Denver, I have to say the DC one is a disappointment.

---

JE

Jennifer Scott

Now I know where half my dividend went last year! This place must have cost a bundle and all we got was a study in form over function. Its like an artists rendition of an outdoor equipment store thats not designed to actually work. First, the weird location, awkward street approach, and lack of parking all contribute to a huge barrier to entry to a store intended to draw customers from a large surroundings area. Then the interior layout is creepy. Its so obviously manipulative, sucking you toward high markup inventory while useful gear clings to the exterior walls. The staff gamely try to compensate by being very attentive and friendly, but this only contributes to that initial impression, particularly when you discover they have a very shallow level of knowledge. In the funny because its true vein - it took over 20 minutes to determine that their huge inventory didnt include the backpack I was looking for. I headed up to the relatively tiny Maryland store where I was in and out in 5 minutes with exactly what I needed.

---

AU

Austin Graff

Well done, REI. Seeing banner ad after banner ad for months, all the marketing dollars paid off. The DC REI is your best yet (and biggest store on the East Coast). Heres why: 1) Its a neighborhood shop. Its in the emerging neighborhood of NoMa. Its HUGE but they divide the store into less intimidating sections sprinkled with couches and sofas. 2) Its more than a sporting good store. Theres DC art inside and La Colombes fourth DC location inside with plenty of seating to enjoy a good draft latte and book. 3) Its historic. This building is the location of the first Beatles concert on US soil. The vintage posters inside nod to how awesome that is. 4) theyre friendly. They hired an army of your friendliest millennials to welcome you the moment you step inside. 5) Theyre a university offering countless classes from fixing your bike tire to camping with toddlers. If you havent already, stop by. Find the DC flag inside and Instagram it. All the cool kids are doing it!

---

MO

Molly W

Bad customer service. I waited 35 mins for assistance with winter sports. It was not a busy day (no line at register, plenty of green vests walking around the floor). I requested assistance 3 times over that span and each time they called someone over their mic/earpiece to assist me. I knew exactly what I wanted (bindings) and what size someone just had to get it from the back for me. Then I wanted bindings mounted on my gear they told me 30 min wait, awesome no problem. But it wasnt 30 mins. I was in the store for 2.5 hours!!! And I walked in knowing what I wanted and it was in stock. Did not plan on losing my whole evening. Then to top it off the person that rang me out didnt give me the $20 discount card being offered even though I supplied my member ID and spent over $300 (requirement was $100). I cant image if I actually had questions about gear or wanted advice. Go else where if you want some assistance with sporting goods.

---

---