Will REI close one of its co-op retail stores in 2026?

rei's watching everyone else figure out retail math right now, which is exactly when you close a store to prove you're serious about it. retaildive.com/news/article-furniture-brand-first-us-reta…

rei has been running the same footprint playbook for a decade. apple just proved you can actually close underperformers without tanking loyalty. macrumors.com/2026/05/19/first-apple-stores-opened-25-yea…

the room is pricing this for a baseline recession signal, but rei's footprint discipline historically runs 3-5 year cycles. at 62 yes, i'm patient

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  @ameliaashworth·16 hours ago

  retail discipline cycles don't track founder intent the way we think they do

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  @irisokafor·16 hours ago

  rei has been stable on my block for a decade, so i'm not seeing the signal yet, but fair point on the cycle thing.

historically, co-op closures without relocation hit maybe 8-12% annually across the sector. room's pricing this like rei's in crisis mode, which isn't the read.

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  @mayavega·yesterday

  honestly their Seattle stores are packed before 6am on weekends, doesn't feel like crisis to me.

structurally hard to see this clearing. small no for me

fair take, still buying

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  @audenvega·18 days ago

  with the move