REI North Conway Grand Opening coming Soon!

[skiguy]

REI has already been making their presence known in the Mount Washington Valley. Lots of guided trips have already been offered and filling up. They have also been a major contributor to the restoration of the Crawford Path. Their Grand opening will be happening September 27-28, 2019.

https://www.rei.com/stores/north-conway.html

https://www.conwaydailysun.com/news...cle_1aac0852-c9c5-11e9-97de-733be930dba3.html

 

[Breeze]

That weekend is opening weekend for the Fryeburg Fair-- fair warning offered.

 

[egilbe]

That just means all tourists will be at the fair, haha.

The recent construction on 302 in Fryeburg finally forced me to find a way around it. I can take ME160 and get on US302 again in Conway. Hopefully the traffic isn't backed up that far. I made the mistake once of leaving Evans Notch through Fryeburg during fair week. 2 hours. I should have gone home via Bethel.

 

[Breeze]

I did my best to let you know.

 

[ChrisB]

REI has already been making their presence known in the Mount Washington Valley. Lots of guided trips have already been offered and filling up. They have also been a major contributor to the restoration of the Crawford Path. Their Grand opening will be happening September 27-28, 2019.

https://www.rei.com/stores/north-conway.html

https://www.conwaydailysun.com/news...cle_1aac0852-c9c5-11e9-97de-733be930dba3.html

Wow, that's cool. As EMS fades into the sunset under the "leadership" of private equity firm Versa Capital Management , REI rises.

It's great the Valley will retain an engaged and equipped retail outdoor outlet.

Question: Have many of the EMS guides flipped to REI?

cb

 

[DayTrip]

Bit of thread drift but I recently stopped at the EMS in Marlborough MA to get some JetBoil fuel and I was shocked and at how full and flush it was with gear, clothing, etc. I was particularly astonished by the massive footwear selection, which had previously become pretty sparse on prior stops. I was immediately greeted by the staff and walked to what I was looking for. I stop at this location somewhat frequently because I drive right by it often and it was getting pretty lean and poorly staffed (in terms of knowledge not so much lack of people). I was pleasantly surprised by the change. Got me wondering if the turnaround effort is a serious one. Anyone else been to an EMS location recently and notice a change?

 

[JToll]

My last stop at EMS in Concord NH found the store full of merchandise, but very understaffed. I hope EMS survives.

 

[peakbagger]

For the last ten years I have ramped down on gear acquisition. I used to update on occasion while sectioning the AT but since then I mostly am recycling gear purchased in the past. I don't think I am target audience for REI at this point. I did stop by the North Conway EMS in its prior premier location a few times and usually left turned off by the staffs attitude which seemed to me to be like it was commission based. I was usually looking for replacement parts and the normal response was "we don't stock it, can we show you an entire new piece of gear ?" I expect most of the revenue was weekend warriors with disposable income who forget something or decided they needed the latest piece of gear no matter what the price so I switched to online and really haven't looked back.

 

[Stan]

REI is building a new store outside of Manchester, NH, Bedford. It will be in the same center as Trader Joe's ... now there's a twofer for ya.

 

[skiguy]

Question: Have many of the EMS guides flipped to REI?

cb

Don't know about climbing guides but some of the retail staff have. The new space EMS has moved into is a lot smaller and dingy. Their customer service is sporadic at best. The employees that remain seem as if their balloon has popped. EMS has been in the MWV for a long time. I do hope they find their niche. It's going to take a lot of work.

 

[LarryD]

Looking forward to the opening. That they are moving right next door to the Black Cap Grille is a bonus! I. do hope EMS survives, and that the other locally-owned places (Ragged, IME) also hang in there. It is good for all of us hikers and outdoor-oriented folks.

 

[sierra]

REI is building a new store outside of Manchester, NH, Bedford. It will be in the same center as Trader Joe's ... now there's a twofer for ya.

About 8 minutes from my house. I like REI, looking forward to having a good store nearby. I have been done with EMS for many years.

 

[briarpatch]

We also have a REI coming to Williston, VT that is opening a couple of months later in November. Only a few minute walk from my work. Maybe that why my spouse gave me new credit cards that just happen to expire before they open.

 

[Stan]

About 8 minutes from my house. I like REI, looking forward to having a good store nearby. I have been done with EMS for many years.

We also have a REI coming to Williston, VT that is opening a couple of months later in November. Only a few minute walk from my work. Maybe that why my spouse gave me new credit cards that just happen to expire before they open.

You might as well get a job there and at least get paid for the time you spend in the store!

 

[Remix]

Just askin', if an REI store is built in North Conway, can a Whole Foods be far behind? Maybe some Uber Eats to the trailhead?

I like REI. They make good stuff and honor their warranties. The suburban brand shopping experience...not so much....

 

[NHClimber]

I'm with Peakbagger. 20 years ago REI was a great place to shop. Reasonable prices, decent store brand clothes and of course good selection of name brand. But then went on to target the suburban crowd and I feel that they are all about selling the highest margin, highest cost merchandise they can get away with. I prefer the smaller, local shops (e.g., Stan and Dan, Ragged, IME). Granted, everything is expensive these days, but I like the overall vibe of the small owner places better. But I suppose the fact that REI thinks they can sustain a shop in N. Conway means the economy is doing well. I do worry about the effect on the smaller shops. I suspect REI will pull in a lot of the transient vacationers, particularly at the height of the summer and winter vacation schedules, so expect a lot of MA plates on higher end vehicles that will bounce from REI to Starbucks

 

[peakbagger]

Lots of money getting poured into North Conway these days. Cranmore just announced a new hotel, there is another one announced for Settlers Green area and at least one other. There are also a lot of investors buying private homes for Air B&B purposes. Plenty of well paid professionals in southern NH and Mass willing to come up and spend money.

 

[NHClimber]

Lots of money getting poured into North Conway these days. Cranmore just announced a new hotel, there is another one announced for Settlers Green area and at least one other. There are also a lot of investors buying private homes for Air B&B purposes. Plenty of well paid professionals in southern NH and Mass willing to come up and spend money.

Yup, plus Market Basket too over near the Home Depot. There is also a debate raging, particularly in the Kearsage area, regarding whether an old zoning bylaw should be enforced in that area (but the debate has spread more generally). The bylaw prohibits renting a home unless it is owner-occupied. So the people who regularly rent, including through Airbnb, are fighting against locals who are seeking to enforce the bylaw. The locals argue that the law is the law and that the non-resident renters are destroying the local character, while the non-res renters argue that the bylaw was not being enforced, that they purchased their property with that understanding, and that property values will decline if the bylaw is enforced. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[skiguy]

Meanwhile back to the OP. One of the positive things I have heard about REI is their Customer Service being very good. More specifically their product knowledge gained through proficient training. While hiking in Washington State last month I was fortunate to have had a rather lengthy discussion with a local whom worked in REI's anchor store in Seattle. When I mentioned to him that the perception was that their employee training and knowledge was positive his face lit up. He was glad to hear it because ironically he was involved in training. Another benefit IMO will be the Coop aspect of REI.

 

[NHClimber]

Meanwhile back to the OP. One of the positive things I have heard about REI is their Customer Service being very good. More specifically their product knowledge gained through proficient training. While hiking in Washington State last month I was fortunate to have had a rather lengthy discussion with a local whom worked in REI's anchor store in Seattle. When I mentioned to him that the perception was that their employee training and knowledge was positive his face lit up. He was glad to hear it because ironically he was involved in training. Another benefit IMO will be the Coop aspect of REI.

Yes, I do hear that anecdotally as well. At least better than most big box retailers.