[pct-l] REI Past and Present

[Paul.C.Griffith at bankofamerica.com (Griffith, Paul C)]

One good thing about the new Seattle REI "mothership" - it is just a couple of blocks up the street from the Greyhound station!  Catch a bus at the Chevron? station at Snoqualmie Pass and a hour and a half later you are in the store.  Eat a WorldWrappe, drink a Starbucks, and get back on the bus with all that raingear you didn't need until now.  No need to go downtown and see all the Microsoft ex-millionaires and laid-off Boeing machinists panhandling in front of the Nordstrom's flagship store.

-----Original Message-----
From: judson [mailto:judsonb@internetcds.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 4:45 PM
To: Montedodge@aol.com; pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: RE: [pct-l] REI Past and Present


Yes, yes, REI is basically Starbucks with packstraps, but are our local
outdoor supply stores any different? I have watched both Mountain Supply in
Bend and Ashland Outdoor Store in, um, Ashland go the way of yuppy casual
wear, and these aren't exactly huge conglomerates.

Every store needs to do what it can to stay alive. I would rather wade
through all the non-backpackers and clueless salespersons at REI than have
it attempt to "stay true to its roots" and, as a result, go out of business.

Judson Brown
"Pounder"
Ashland, OR

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of
Montedodge@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 10:47 AM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] REI Past and Present


 The old brick building with wood floors fits well with all the best things
about Seattle, like Pike Street Market and all the Waterfront shops which
are
all top draws and parts of Seattle past.
  Today's REI has all the warmth of a McDonald's and a Strip Mall all
wrapped
in one!! Their job is the sell the the widest range of clients to make a
buck.  They have got away from the " Meat And Potatoes" hikers and climbers
to
turn more money . That is why today's catolog doesn't have pictures of big
mountain exp. ,but looks more like a "Toy's For US" catalog.with large
sections of
it's calalog devoted to baby fleece sleepers, kid's REI Logo boots and
family
car camping hoopla.
   REI on line is a good tool and I am sure their are a few knowledgable
employee's still around , but as a whole, REI is just a big swiss army
knife. It
serves a lot of purposes, but none very well!!!!!
   In the old store on any given day , you would be standing next to Fred
Becky, Havery Manning, Lou Whitaker or any number of Northwest legends who
were
happy to answer any question just by asking. Most of today's service people
are
not well rounded in their knowledge and it's kind of like buying a bucket of
paint from Home Depot. If you get that sales person out of their area of the
store , they look at you with that " Deer in the Headlights" look.
    Unless you were around at the old store, a person isn't qualifyied to
compare the old REI with today's Home Depot version.
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