REI Christiana will mark its grand opening with members and the local outdoor community from Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27.
The store will be the first to open in the new Christiana Fashion Center at 2300 Fashion Center Boulevard. The Seattle retailer is a cooperative owned by its members.
The center is near the mall and will see the opening of REI neighbors The Container Store and Nordstrom Rack next month.
Doors open at 10 a.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. on Sunday. A number of activities, events and giveaways are scheduled throughout the weekend in honor of the store’s opening
The store is the cooperative’s first location in Delaware. It will serve 77,000 active REI members in the region, including nearly 3,000 in the area around the store.
The store will offer an REI Outdoor School with a variety of in-store classes and presentations, and outdoor outings throughout the year, beginning with a Hands-On Bike Maintenance class on September 28.
As part of its mission, REI has provided $20,000 to the Friends of White Clay Creek State Park and Delaware Greenways. The co-op has also invested $40,000 in three other Philadelphia-area nonprofits this year.
In August, new REI employees joined the Friends of White Clay Creek State Park in a service project at Judge Morris Estate.
REI Christiana offers gear and clothing for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, paddling, travel and other outdoor activities. The store will also feature a year-round bike shop with assembly and repair.
REI is a the nation’s largest consumer co-op with 140 stores in 33 states.
