REI Closing for Thanksgiving, Black Friday

REI (Seattle) announced it plans to close its call centers, stores, headquarters, activity and distribution centers during Thanksgiving and Black Friday, for the seventh year in a row, according to a company press release.

As part of the company’s #OptOutside initiative, the outdoor retailer plans to pay its 15,000-plus employees to spend the day outside Black Friday. The movement, the retailer says, is meant to “celebrate the power of time outside and reject the mass consumption and stress that comes with Black Friday.”

REI CEO Eric Artz says, “As the last year and a half has continued to challenge us all, #OptOutside is a reminder of the importance of community and time outside.”