Photo courtesy of REI
REI Co-op, the national retailer beloved by outdoor enthusiasts, opened its newest store in the Valley in late June. The 23,400-square-foot store is located in the Arrowhead Promenade shopping center at 6040 W. Behrend Dr., near the 101 freeway and 59th Avenue. This marks REI’s sixth location in Arizona.
The Glendale store offers a wide selection of outdoor gear and apparel, including equipment for camping, hiking, cycling, running, fitness, and paddling. Given the area’s active community, the store places a special emphasis on cycling, running, and fitness gear.
REI has hired 50 employees for the new location. The Glendale space, a former retail location, perfectly suits REI’s needs, according to a company spokesperson, noting that the layout is ideal without any awkward spaces.
Strategically located close to REI’s distribution center in Goodyear, the Glendale store will benefit from efficient restocking, especially during peak seasons like the holidays.
The new store features a specialty bike shop staffed with certified mechanics ready to assist cyclists with repairs and maintenance, ensuring they can enjoy year-round riding on local trails and streets.
“We are a team of over 50 experts passionate about our community and ready to share our love for an active lifestyle in a wide range of activities,” says Leah Taylor, manager of the Glendale REI store. “There are already 14,200 co-op members in Glendale, and we look forward to serving the broader outdoor community.”
REI Glendale joins the ranks of Arizona’s other locations: Paradise Valley, Chandler, Flagstaff, Prescott, and Tucson. The Paradise Valley store, the closest at 12 miles away, opened in 1996.
REI also operates an adventure center in Scottsdale, offering day tours and gear rentals for cycling, paddling, and camping. This center serves as the operational base for guides who lead adventure travel trips throughout the Southwest.
As the largest consumer co-op in the United States, REI welcomes all shoppers, though members enjoy numerous benefits. Arizona boasts nearly 655,000 co-op members. Membership, which requires a one-time $30 fee, provides discounts on services, rentals, and experiences, early access to special products, and the Re/Supply program for lightly used gear. Members also receive an annual Co-op Member Reward, typically 10% back on eligible purchases from the previous year.
New members join a community dedicated to outdoor living and equity. Each new membership results in a $5 donation to the REI Cooperative Action Fund, supporting nonprofits that work to make the outdoors more accessible for everyone. In celebration of the Glendale store opening, REI donated $10,000 to a local nonprofit working towards this goal.
Store hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit rei.com/stores/glendale.
