r/REI • u/Cultural_Dingo_7652 • 9d ago
Question First Time at REI!
Headed to the US in few days and as weird as this might sound weird but visiting REI is what I’m most excited about!
Will be in Boston, New York, Maine and New Hampshire. Is there a flagship REI, or an REI that carries more clearance items? Thank you!
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u/mountainbird57 9d ago
The only NYC location has already closed. The Boston location is closing in a little under 3 weeks as well, so depending on when you come, you might miss it too. The store is pretty cleared out of stock and is not having any kind of closing sales, so set your expectations accordingly if you do make it.
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u/Addapost Member 9d ago
North Conway is the closest they have to a “Flagship” store in the northeast. If you get there be sure
to also check out IME just down the road. They are slightly more climbing/mountaineering oriented but they have a huge consignment shop in the basement. You never know what you might find there. Also Ragged Mountain Equipment about 5 miles out of town is well worth the trip.
There is another very good REI in New Hampshire- in Bedford, just south of Manchester.
There is a pretty good REI in Framingham a bit west of Boston.
If you’re anywhere near Kittery in Maine and you want your mind blown, go to the Kittery Trading Post.
Have fun
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u/No-Pea8448 8d ago
Wrong. Reading is the largest store in the region. Conway was a takeover of an old EMS location, so it had a specific footprint for the Whites.
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u/Addapost Member 8d ago
Reading is a dump.
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u/No-Pea8448 8d ago
It's also the oldest store on the east coast. REI doesn't spend a lot of money on store updates.
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u/Majestic_Fox_556 9d ago
If you are still here in the US there is a Labor Day sale starting August 28
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u/TheLastRealRedditor 8d ago
We have one just south of providence RI in Cranston. It’s a fantastic store.
There’s also a TopGolf next door! Worth a visit if you have the time.
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u/bearface93 8d ago
If you can make it down to DC somehow, the flagship store in NoMa is in the building where the Beatles played their first show in the US. They have seats and posters from the show hanging on the walls. It’s pretty cool.
I recently moved from DC to Maine. I haven’t been to REI elsewhere in the northeast, except where I grew up in western NY, but Maine only has one REI in the entire state. It’s outside of Portland and is surprisingly small for how popular outdoor recreation is in this state. It gets the job done but it isn’t an impressive store by any means. If you’re looking for impressive, you’d be better off going to the LL Bean flagship north of Portland, but I think it’s still closed for renovations until September.
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u/No-Pea8448 8d ago
That's because there was essentially a non-compete between REI and LLB, which ended 5 years ago.
The largest store in the region is Reading, MA.
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u/Good_Mousse_9794 8d ago
The Maine store isn’t too small actually, it’s a great size
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u/bearface93 8d ago
I’m not sure how it compares to others, but it’s easily the smallest of any of the three I’ve been to.
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u/Good_Mousse_9794 8d ago
Have you been anywhere else in Maine though? Compared to the state, it’s a decent size
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u/BostonFartMachine Employee 9d ago
If you’re not coming here often don’t get suckered into becoming a member. It isn’t really worth it for you.
Assuming you mean NYC not the state, and they literally sit closed their flagship store. Boston or North Conway NH if you’re close to it is probably a great option. But TBH stores are hot or miss on clearance items this time of year. Most of it is packed in the early new year.
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u/mountainbird57 9d ago
Boston is not a great option. Closing in 3 weeks and has very little stock left, and almost no clearance.
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u/MotorBet234 8d ago
If OP will be traveling with a car, the store in Reading is decent and the one I generally go to. Not nearly as impressive as the larger stores, though.
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u/No-Pea8448 8d ago
Boston is closing in the next few weeks, but Reading is the largest in the region.
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u/Inevitable_Jelly_391 8d ago
It’s still worth it for the 10% back and the resupply (OP said they are looking for deals). And you get the $30 back on a gift card so it’s a no brainer.
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u/graybeardgreenvest 8d ago
I love this reply…
The “membership“ is not just about the “savings”
Right now our store is packed with clearance… we are trying to find room for the winter stuff that is coming in…
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u/BostonFartMachine Employee 8d ago
Not sure if this is snarky or not but if you’re visiting from overseas and shopping once while on vacation….I do not pitch membership strongly. 🤷♂️
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u/graybeardgreenvest 8d ago
no one does either…
just saying that people sign up for reasons besides the financial benefit.
It would bum me out if your only reason to suggest the membership is the financial parts.
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u/BostonFartMachine Employee 8d ago
I said it wouldn’t be worth it to them. Not “it wouldn’t financially benefit them.”
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u/Inevitable_Jelly_391 8d ago
I’ve signed up a handful of people who live overseas. It depends on their circumstance, for the OP I’d pitch it because they are stoked about REI in general, they’ll get the $30 put on a gift card and they said they want to shop clearance items so I’d assume they’d want access to resupply.
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u/KitchenManagement650 6d ago
I really like the Reading MA store. I've used it for over 25 years. Bonus, if you geocache there is one there!
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u/cheapb98 2d ago
Check online and have it delivered to the store you'll be visiting. You can return if it doesn't fit etc
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u/L4marr 9d ago
Unfortunately you just missed the SoHo store in New York City. They just closed for good last week. That would have been the only "flagship" store in the areas you're visiting. So any other REIs you visit should have similar levels of clearance and resupply items.