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Post by hikerjer on Sept 19, 2019 18:56:07 GMT -8
It was just announced that REI is building their 4th store in Montana in my city. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. First of all, we already have three major outdoor sporting goods stores in town- a Scheels, a Cabelas and a locally owned store which is quite good and owned by a great local guy. We used to have two others, Big Bear and Garts/Sports Authority but they went under in the past couple of years. I'm not sure that the community can support another large store of this kind. Something will have to give. Which leads me to the second concern - the store that will be impacted greatest will probably be the locally owned one since it's by far the smallest and is a bit more expensive. Also, they only sell backpacking/climbing type of gear where as Scheels and Cabelas have large hunting and fishing departments which will not be in direct competition with all lines with REI since that's not their niche. I like REI and often order from them when I can't find what I want locally at the price I want. Still, I have real mixed feelings about this. Life is so complicated and full of mixed loyalties.
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Post by bradmacmt on Sept 19, 2019 19:47:11 GMT -8
Jer, we saw REI put out of business the fairly large and diverse Northern Lights. Before that, Barrel Mountaineering had closed. The internet has already put the beat-down on stores like The Base Camp. Were I betting, I’d say REI will likely deal the final blow, which is too bad because The Base Camp is a really fine store.
I hope I’m wrong.
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Post by swimswithtrout on Sept 19, 2019 19:53:59 GMT -8
"Back in the Day", Ft. Collins had two excellent locally owned stores that catered to rock climbers, backpackers and back-country skiers. Business was so good, one had to move from their old alley way store to a brand new custom built store. I bought from both constantly, my Dana Astralplane came from one of them.
Then REI and EMS came to town. The local stores were gone in 3-5 yrs after the "Big Boys" moved in.
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Post by hikerjer on Sept 19, 2019 20:05:40 GMT -8
Hope you're wrong too, but I fear you're not. Fortunately, Scott has been approaching retirement for sometime although I'm not sure he's ready to quite yet. This may force his hand. Too bad. He's a good man and The Base Camp is a bit of an institution in town.
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jazzmom
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Post by jazzmom on Sept 20, 2019 4:57:01 GMT -8
I live in a relatively big college town (Ann Arbor) and I had similar mixed feelings when REI opened a store here. We have a local gear shop, Bivouac, that's been around since we were kids; it's an Ann Arbor institution for most of us. There's also a small Moosejaw store downtown that feels "local" to us since Moosejaw started in Michigan. Additionally, we have a half-dozen specialty stores; a few bike shops, running stores, a ski shop, etc.
10 years later, everyone's still around. There's enough outdoor interest here in Ann Arbor and it seems to be growing. I do think it helps that Ann Arbor is a pretty snobby town retail-wise. The store that did close was the "MC Sports" store (like a Dick's.) That said, I'm pretty sure Bivouac felt the pressure. They started a loyalty program, validating parking (they're located downtown) and a pretty amazing same-day delivery service within central Ann Arbor (it's a bit of a shock when the owner's standing at your door with the pants you ordered.) But they've been smart in shifting some of their high-end products to brands that REI doesn't carry or stock. I still buy most of my gear there. I go to REI for basics, like fuel canisters, water containers, socks, baselayers. The two seem to stagger their major sales intelligently, so it works out well for us customers.
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Post by cweston on Sept 20, 2019 5:05:44 GMT -8
I completely understand and share these concerns about big box stores vs local businesses.
To play Devil's advocate: I've always gone out of my way to support my local shop when I can. I often look for used products when I buy big-ticket items like tents and they don't carry the cottage makers that I'm increasingly turning to for big-ticket gear anyway. But I try to patronize them when possible.
But they don't make it easy. More than once in the last year I've asked them to order something for me, and they've botched or simply forgotten it. I don't expect them to have everything in stock--that's increasingly unrealistic for brick&mortar stores, especially in small markets like mine (town of 60,000). But then you better be efficient at ordering things. I ended up purchasing those items online.
I do drop into REI stores when I'm on the road sometimes and need an item or two--at least you can be reasonably assured that they will have it in stock, if it's an item REI carries.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Sept 20, 2019 5:31:35 GMT -8
You could send one of those shops here. There are no outfitters within 45 miles of Syracuse*. Just a few years back, we had about 5, including 2 EMS. On the plus side, I haven't spent any $ on backpacking for years.
*We do have 2 pseudo-outfitters... Dick's and Gander Mtn
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swmtnbackpacker
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Sept 20, 2019 5:31:51 GMT -8
Really depends if the locals can offer viable alternatives to REI. REIs’ inventory is pretty much limited by their national HQ and now there’s no more lifetime returns. In southern AZ, Summithut survived in Tucson, though their new location had to move away from the new REI, ..and Phoenix has its own local store despite a number of REIs in that area. Your local outfitters may need to take a look at those businesses.
However, in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, REI put the local outfitters out of business. That was before the change in the REI return policy, though.
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Post by bradmacmt on Sept 20, 2019 5:41:20 GMT -8
Really depends if the locals can offer viable alternatives to REI. Yes, but it also depends on the size of the backpack/climbing community those stores serve. Billings, MT is a city of 100K, but is far more a "hook and bullet" community than a "backpack" community.
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swmtnbackpacker
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Sept 20, 2019 5:48:20 GMT -8
Really depends if the locals can offer viable alternatives to REI. Yes, but it also depends on the size of the backpack/climbing community those stores serve. Billings, MT is a city of 100K, but is far more a "hook and bullet" community than a "backpack" community. Heard a rurally oriented Montanan complain that you guys are getting more a Californians, though. Summithut seems to have more stylish travel soft goods, guessing aiming for day-hikers (tourists?) and Euro-style backpackers/travelers, .. soft goods being a big source of profits for outdoor stores. Also there’s specialty items. I’ll check out Summithut first for sun-protective wear, for instance.
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Post by bradmacmt on Sept 20, 2019 6:26:33 GMT -8
Californians are definitely not moving to Billings, MT.
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swmtnbackpacker
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Sept 20, 2019 6:29:56 GMT -8
Californians are definitely not moving to Billings, MT. You say that like people who say eating garlic wards off vampires.. or mosquitoes (2 related species).
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Sept 20, 2019 7:11:18 GMT -8
It was just announced that REI is building their 4th store in Montana in my city. hikerjerI do hope you keep your local stores but anything that could smack Cabella/BassPro, Sportsmans Warehouse or Rocky Mountain Discount Sports makes me happy. Many years ago, I got harassed right out Scheeels after I took one too many trips into the store to fondle a stove a final time before I was ready the trigger to buy it. They lost the sale when I returned home. in Northern Wyoming terms, that will be in my neighborhood. Billings is just a two hour trip that I make 4-6 times a year for shopping, medical or even date weekends to catch a movie or event that is not happening at home. When I was a pipeliner, it was HQ for my business unit and spent days in training or operations. I never visited the local stores for hiking as we have really good local shops and have been a REI member since my late teens for back-up from mail order days to now web. When I was married and had school age children, we would make a shopping pilgrimage every year in July-August to Billings or Rapid City. I drove and paid but spent my time Borders or other books stores. .
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Sept 20, 2019 7:12:11 GMT -8
It happened in my city. REI put 3 local brick & mortar stores out of business, one was part of a small regional chain called Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, that shuddered all their stores when REI announced plans to move into most of their markets. There's 1 long standing local place left, that is doing ok, since they expanded their business interests to capture a market that REI wasnt quite able to reach. Very smart, but i'd imagine they are still operating on paper thin margins and probably at risk on a daily basis.
I go to REI occasionally. We usually hit up their garage sale. The kids like going in there too. I think small local stores just find themselves unable to compete with the return policy thing.
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Post by bradmacmt on Sept 20, 2019 7:55:35 GMT -8
Californians are definitely not moving to Billings, MT. You say that like people who say eating garlic wards off vampires.. or mosquitoes (2 related species). Not at all... it’s just a fact.
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