I’ve never heard of Rei and I’m not even sure if it exists in Canada, but I admire what they’ve decided to do this year.
Instead of opening on Black Friday so that crazy people can have a tug of war over a tent, they’re keeping their stores closed, giving all of their employees a paid day off and telling the rest of us to go the hell outside. They’re doing this in spite of the fact that They’re likely to lose a shitload of money on the deal. This isn’t just because they’re paying people to stay home, but also because the Black Friday insanity has gotten so bad in America that there are malls that honest to god mandate that stores open whether they want to or not and enforce it with fines that Rei will have to pay if they’d like to be able to open the rest of the year.
For 76 years, our co-op has been dedicated to one thing and one thing only: a life outdoors. We believe that being outside makes our lives better. And Black Friday is the perfect time to remind ourselves of this essential truth.
We’re a different kind of company—and while the rest of the world is fighting it out in the aisles, we’ll be spending our day a little differently. We’re choosing to opt outside, and want you to come with us.
It’s the end of November and it’s either going to be raining or cold as hell, so I’ll stay in here, thanks. But good luck to you. Seriously. I don’t expect many places to follow your lead, but good on you for trying to make people think.
