Forget about shopping on Black Friday: This retailer wants you to go outside
To give people this opportunity to be outdoors on Black Friday, REI shuts down its nearly 200 retail locations, distribution centers and website on that day.
Expert hacks to survive holiday travel delays
The Point Guy Managing Editor Clint Henderson joined FOX Weather to give his expert tips to weather the holiday delays. He also explains how to find travel deals for 2024.
Black Friday is usually when hoards of shoppers descend on their favorite stores in hopes of snagging the perfect gifts. While it can be a time of excitement, it can also be a time of chaos and stress.
REI decided to set the trend toward something more peaceful on this often chaotic day.
Through its initiative "Opt Outside," the company is encouraging both shoppers and its employees to forget about being part of the commercial frenzy on Black Friday and to instead opt for a more peaceful experience in nature.
"As an organization, we often say ‘A life outdoors is a life well lived’," said Andy Frey, general manager, REI Denver Flagship.
A man and woman on a snowy hike.
(REI Co-op / FOX Weather)
To give people this opportunity to be outdoors on Black Friday, REI shuts down its nearly 200 retail locations, distribution centers and website on that day. The company's more than 15,000 employees also get Black Friday as a paid day off.
HOW TO DRESS WARMLY FOR WINTER WEATHER ADVENTURES
"The fact that we took what was ultimately our core being a retailer and said, ‘No, we're going to reprioritize things,’ I think is just really special and shows the commitment to Opt Outside as a movement," Frey said.
For Frey, Black Friday no longer involves waking up early to prepare a store for the holiday shoppers. Rather, he wakes up that day to make cinnamon buns for his children, go for a run or bike ride and then go for a family hike in the afternoon.
A pup leads the way on a family hike.
(REI Co-op / FOX Weather)
"When you're outside, you feel the warmth of the sun, you feel that nice breeze, you catch that snowflake. There's just something special and energizing about that," he said. "I think when you think about physical and mental health, there's no better place to be than outside."
REI launched Opt Outside nearly a decade ago in 2015. At the time, no other large retailer had ever closed its stores on both Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to REI.
Two people enjoying the view.
(REI Co-op / FOX Weather)
After the first Opt Outside, however, the company learned that it had set a trend in that more than 1.4 million people and 170 outdoor companies, nonprofits and organizations also began to shut their doors on Black Friday.
"To see it become more than just an employee experience piece and see it become something that is truly societal and bigger than us is really impactful," Frey said.