10 years of #OptOutside: REI Co-op continues to close its doors on Black Friday

All 195 stores will close for the day, giving 14,000 employees a paid day to spend outdoors and continuing a movement that has inspired millions to rethink the start of the holiday season.

In 2015, a simple question was asked at REI Co-op that would later spark a movement: What if we closed on Black Friday?

Susan Viscon, now the co-op’s Chief New Ventures and Impact Officer, was part of that conversation. “When we first decided to close our doors on Black Friday, it was a leap,” she said. “It meant missing one of the biggest sales days of the year so our employees could be outdoors with their families and friends. But that was the point. Choosing time outside was an act of care that reflected our values and who we are as a co-op.”

What began as a single idea has become a legacy at the co-op. In 2022, REI made Opt Outside permanent, ensuring every employee continues to receive a paid day off to spend time outside.

10 years of #OptOutside: REI Co-op continues to close its doors on Black Friday | REI Newsroom | REI Co-op

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