REI***Recreational Equipment Incorporated

[Matthew323]

It's amazing the minutia one's mind can retain.

I had Googled several items yesterday that I was looking to purchase in the next several months, to create a new Bug Out Bag.

One of the possible sources for one of the items turned out to be Recreational Equipment Incorporated, or REI for short.

I hadn't used my REI membership for quite a while, so I was curious as to whether my original membership number was still assigned to me.

I ended up calling the 1-800 toll free Customer Service number for REI in order to find out what my status was.

Lo, and behold, I was able to dredge up my original membership number out of the depths of my memory. It is a 6-digit number in the high 300 thousands, which I got from the flagship REI store in Seattle, Washington in 1976. It was, at that time in September of 1976, I believe, the Co-Op's third business address since its founding in 1935 out of Lloyd & Mary Anderson's garage.

That "building", located at 11th & Pine Streets was a conglomeration of cobbled together buildings acquired as REI grew. It was located on the steep hills of Seattle, just a short walk downhill to the Pike Place Market.

It was the most amazing warren of nooks and crannies to explore. Something new could always be discovered each time one visited that store. It was a delightful, and sometimes frustrating place to shop. So many different levels, with both ramps, and steps, that connected what were once separate buildings into one huge smorgasbord of a outdoor equipment shopping paradise.

I especially recall the "basement" where used hiking/camping/mountaineering/ice climbing/rock climbing equipment, clothing, and boots/shoes could be traded in/donated/purchased.

Anyhoo, my original 6-digit membership number turned out to still belong to me. The Customer Service representative told me my original join date was listed in the records as 1974, not 1976.

I distinctly recall getting the flimsy paper membership card, which resembled the type of paper that Social Security cards were made from, from Customer Service upon that first visit to the Seattle store in late September, 1976.

I must have become a member when I purchased something out of the paper catalog back in 1974, the year I started backpacking/camping.

Amazing that I still remembered the number, and even more amazing that the 6 numbers just rolled off of my tongue like it was yesterday, instead of more than a decade ago.

Anyone else have any REI stories from prior to REI becoming a corporate behemoth?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Is that REI still there? I was in a sporting goods store in Seattle several years ago that sounds similar to your description. Dont remember the name of the place tho.

 

[MTY]

I worked in Everett off and on during the 70's and 80's. When I was there, I spent the weekends hitting the outdoor businesses, including REI. REI has gone anti gun.

I do not know if I can spell it, but Warshalls in Seattle was also a great place. They have been gone 20 years or more. It was a family business, and the younger generation was more interested in cashing out than running the store. I have heavy wool clothes I bought there that are still in good shape. More importantly, they still fit.

 

[Matthew323]

Is that REI still there? I was in a sporting goods store in Seattle several years ago that sounds similar to your description. Dont remember the name of the place tho.

REI tore down that amazing warren of cobbled together buildings some years ago, I believe in, or around, the year 1996. Not long afterwards, REI, sold the Co-Op to some corporate entity.

Interesting enough, I can recall all of the hoopla surrounding the ground breaking for the new, oh so wonderful, be all & end all, REI Headquarters Campus that took place in 2016, and was scheduled for completion in 2020. Turns out that in order to stay as financially sound as possible in the midst of the new retail shopping paradigm vis-a-vis Covid-19, REI sold that never tenanted headquarters building to Facebook for $390 million dollars in mid-September of 2020.

I doesn't surprise me that Corporate REI is anti-firearms. Seattle had to be the most liberal place that I ever lived, for a short couple of months after I got out of the military in June of 1979.

 

[robwheeler]

It's amazing the minutia one's mind can retain.

I had Googled several items yesterday that I was looking to purchase in the next several months, to create a new Bug Out Bag.

One of the possible sources for one of the items turned out to be Recreational Equipment Incorporated, or REI for short.

I hadn't used my REI membership for quite a while, so I was curious as to whether my original membership number was still assigned to me.

I ended up calling the 1-800 toll free Customer Service number for REI in order to find out what my status was.

Lo, and behold, I was able to dredge up my original membership number out of the depths of my memory. It is a 6-digit number in the high 300 thousands, which I got from the flagship REI store in Seattle, Washington in 1976. It was, at that time in September of 1976, I believe, the Co-Op's third business address since its founding in 1935 out of Lloyd & Mary Anderson's garage.

That "building", located at 11th & Pine Streets was a conglomeration of cobbled together buildings acquired as REI grew. It was located on the steep hills of Seattle, just a short walk downhill to the Pike Place Market.

It was the most amazing warren of nooks and crannies to explore. Something new could always be discovered each time one visited that store. It was a delightful, and sometimes frustrating place to shop. So many different levels, with both ramps, and steps, that connected what were once separate buildings into one huge smorgasbord of a outdoor equipment shopping paradise.

I especially recall the "basement" where used hiking/camping/mountaineering/ice climbing/rock climbing equipment, clothing, and boots/shoes could be traded in/donated/purchased.

Anyhoo, my original 6-digit membership number turned out to still belong to me. The Customer Service representative told me my original join date was listed in the records as 1974, not 1976.

I distinctly recall getting the flimsy paper membership card, which resembled the type of paper that Social Security cards were made from, from Customer Service upon that first visit to the Seattle store in late September, 1976.

I must have become a member when I purchased something out of the paper catalog back in 1974, the year I started backpacking/camping.

Amazing that I still remembered the number, and even more amazing that the 6 numbers just rolled off of my tongue like it was yesterday, instead of more than a decade ago.

Anyone else have any REI stories from prior to REI becoming a corporate behemoth?

Mine is 312617
rob

 

[Matthew323]

Mine is 312617
rob

Mine is 384**9

I think that the current headquarters for REI is located in Kent, Washington.

The woman that helped me when I called the Customer Service phone line, was almost gushing over herself to help me update my account information. I got the impression that she doesn't often speak with Co-Op members that are my age, or older, with 6-digit, and smaller, membership numbers.

 

[Rbrown]

Grew up in Tacoma, Wa........ REI was THE PLACE to go to get outdoor camping/hiking/climbing stuff. At that time Seattle was the place to go on Fridays and Saturdays. It's now nothing like what it used to be by a long shot. My REI number --> 197009. MSR was good also but mostly for climbing gear and serious backpacking. Still have one of their original ice axes.

 

[Bad Karma]

I’ve been a member since the mid sixties and I do have the original card they sent me. I was mail order for quite a few years, until some time in the early 70’s as I was passing through Seattle. My Mrs was addicted to Red Zinger herbal tea and I recall picking up a five gallon bucket of the stuff as a Christmas present from a vendor near there and asking REI staff to ship it home.

Same here reaction from staff when I present my card these days. It’s as if they don’t believe they’ll be old someday too. I may have once felt that way too.

 

[Kingwalter]

The local rei in Oregon donates to a lot of anti hunting and firearm organizations.

 

[Matthew323]

Grew up in Tacoma, Wa........ REI was THE PLACE to go to get outdoor camping/hiking/climbing stuff. At that time Seattle was the place to go on Fridays and Saturdays. It's now nothing like what it used to be by a long shot. My REI number --> 197009. MSR was good also but mostly for climbing gear and serious backpacking. Still have one of their original ice axes.

I had a MSR climbing helmet, plus one of the first multi-fuel stoves that would burn most any liquid fuel. I really want one of the new water filters. My ice axe was a Chouinard, as were my crampons.

 

[Rbrown]

I had a MSR climbing helmet, plus one of the first multi-fuel stoves that would burn most any liquid fuel. I really want one of the new water filters. My ice axe was a Chouinard, as were my crampons.

Yep.. The MSR Firefly stove... I have one out in the garage that's only been used 2 or 3 times. It's a dang blowtorch that works better than just about anything when things get cold. (The new Dragonfly looks like it would be more stable but it now costs about $150 !!!) Those Chouinard ice axes sure were pretty and VERY strong. I didn't have the $$$ at the time... I do have a Stevenson Warmlight 2 person tent if you remember those. They were a bit obscure but very high tech.

 

[Matthew323]

I remember the Stevenson tents. Totally high tech, and very lightweight for the times. I worked at the former Huckleberry Creek Mountain Training Camp, an adjunct of Ft. Lewis, Washington.

It was located in the Snoqualmie National Forest, just outside of the boundary for Mt. Ranier National Park. The instructors all carried personal equipment that was state of the art vis-a-vis rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, cross country skiing, alpine skiing, and backpacking.

This was the mid-to-late 70's. Because of what we were able to get away with, equipment wise, a trend was started, that continues to the current day, where all the SPEC OPS units get to field test cutting edge equipment.

I guess that a lot of the time, just as we did back in those days, currently, the individual soldier, marine, sailor, airman, or coast guardsman, ends up purchasing their own equipment as a means of survival. Or, improving their chances of survival.

Our Army-issued equipment was so antiquated & often worn out, that we took to purchasing own stuff to use everyday as we taught skills to other GI's in sheer self-defense. Of course, we were virtually all gear heads. So, we tended to buy the cutting edge gear that would allow us to perform better when we were not on military time

I was a medic assigned to the camp from its parent unit, the 864th Engineer Battalion, Combat Heavy. I got to spend about 17 months stationed both at Huckleberry Creek, and over the pass at the Yakima Rock Climbing School.

Out of three years active service.

Along with two 90 day TDY's at the Madigan Army Medical Center Hospital. One working as a Medical Records Clerk, and the other working on the Male Surgical Ward.

Along with about 4.5 months stationed on the Yakima Firing Center when the 864th was mining gravel, and improving the very poor backcountry roads on the Firing Center.

I had an interesting 3 years stationed nominally at Ft. Lewis, Washington, with less than 7 months actually spent on base. I had a lot of time for outdoor activities.

I do remember how good the food was at the 9th Ranger Battalion mess hall, when the Post Commander ordered the 9th's mess hall to be opened up after hours as a means of trying to entice intoxicated GI"s to stay on base in order to get something decent to eat.

And to keep from getting arrested for DUI/DWI in both King County & Pierce Counties Washington; which more, or less, surrounded Ft. Lewis.

 

[Matthew323]

 

[Rbrown]

Nice gig..
USAF 318th FIS, McChord AFB 1 1/2 yrs./(Khorat RTAFB, Thailand 1 1/2 yrs) I know Ft. Lewis, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker areas pretty well (It's been a while though).

 

[robwheeler]

MSR made great stuff. Back in the day '70s there were about 3 major supliers REI, EMS (Eastern mountain sports) and MSR. Of course there were many single companies making things like sleeping bags. I went thru 6 bags before settling on one.

rob

 

[Rbrown]

Just curious.... Which bag did you finally settle on? (and what conditions was it used in?) Expedition bags are really different than most "regular" backpacking ones. I loved Kelty but settled for one of the better REI bags when it went on sale.

 

[robwheeler]

I had Camp 7, North Face, Paul Petzal (Don't buy), another North Face and I settled on a REI one with fiberfill on the bottom and great down on top. (5-7 inches) and I still have that one. We use to cross country ski into Yellowstone over New Years and and the lowest temp we experienced was 36* below zero during the night. Never was cold. Sleeping on a closed cell blue foam pad, which really helps. I haven't used it much lately but still a very nice bag. I am very wide shouldered and I looked at the width and length. Always bought a 6 foot or longer to stuff things into the foot box.

I always bought 3 season plus as we did a ton of winter camping in the Black HIlls, Bighorns and Yellowstone. All trips we used skiis or hiked in.

rob

 

[michiganmuzzy]

LOL.

Is that REI still there? I was in a sporting goods store in Seattle several years ago that sounds similar to your description. Dont remember the name of the place tho.

Wasnt even in seattle, i was in portland, according to my wife.

 

[robwheeler]

They have stores all over the place.

rob

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Yeah. Ive been a member of rei for a while. Just thought i was in WA but i was actually in OR.