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REI to close its only Boston store
The outdoor retailer is also shuttering New York City and New Jersey locations.
REI Co-op announced Tuesday that it will close its only Boston store in late 2026 as part of a wave of closures, including locations in SoHo, New York City, and Paramus, New Jersey.
The closures come as the outdoor retailer continues to struggle, with net sales down 6.3% from $3.7 billion in 2023 to $3.5 billion in 2024.
“As markets and customer needs evolve, we must adapt to position the co-op for long-term success,” the company said in a statement. “We will continue serving members and customers at these locations until closing.”
The REI at the Landmark Center in the Fenway opened in the early 2000s. After it closes, the nearest stores will be in Hingham, Framingham, and Reading. REI has 195 stores across the country.
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In March, REI announced it was also closing its experimental storefront in Cambridge due to underperformance.
According to the United Food & Commercial Workers, the REI store in Boston joined the union in May 2023. The union represents about 80 workers at the store.
The REI Boston and SoHo locations were two of 11 unionized stores nationwide.
“As with any store closure, this decision was based on business factors, not on union activity,” REI said in a statement. “The co-op remains committed to continued good faith bargaining towards a collective bargaining agreement.”
REI said its employees could apply for open positions at other REI stores.
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A spokesperson for UFCW Local 1445, which represents the employees, told The Boston Globe that the union is working to find out more details about the closure and the fate of its employees.
“We certainly are sad to hear about the closure and are focused on negotiating the best outcomes for our workers,” the spokesperson said in a statement to the Globe.
Boston.com could not immediately reach members of the union.
REI is headquartered near Seattle and is the nation’s largest consumer co-op.
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