A new reason I'm pleased to be an REI member.

[Mr Kleb]

REI is closing on Black Friday. They are paying all of their employees to head outside.

[katALlabs]

I saw that this morning, Hopefully it'll start a trend.

[Sir Winston]

That is awesome. Given how consumer habits and attitudes about the virtues of Black Friday are changing, I think there will be continued momentum in this direction.

[Mr Kleb]

I saw that this morning, Hopefully it'll start a trend.

That is awesome. Given how consumer habits and attitudes about the virtues of Black Friday are changing, I think there will be continued momentum in this direction.

Indeed, let's hope so.
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When I lived in the States I celebrated Black Friday by staying home, turning football on as background noise, and putting up Christmas lights and other decorations.

[POPTOP]

Hopefully more stores will follow their lead.

[barry581]

I refuse to shop on black friday, it's all made up crap if you ask me. There is nothing you can buy on black friday that you can't get before Christmas, at or near the same price. Not to mention you can sit at home in your pajamas with your laptop or Ipad and order any of that same crap.

[JC001]

When I got the email REI sent to their membership (around the same thine as the public announcement), I thought it was a joke and spam email. After doing an online search, I found it was for real.

I worked retail part time while in college (a long time ago) and it was enough to turn me off shopping on Black Friday ever since. Back then stores had good sales that day, no door busters, were only open normal hours, no lines waiting for us to open and no pushing or shoving. It was just a very busy day with a steady stream of customers from open to close, nothing like the insanity it is now. Since then, I've been to a retail store on Black Friday exactly once.

Kudos to REI for taking a stand to do business their own way...and especially for paying their employees for the day. Also kudos to the other retailers who refuse to open their doors on Thanksgiving Day.

[Macy]

Good for REI. I personally enjoy shopping on Black Friday but hate that it's turned into Thanksgiving mayhem. My father was firefighter so he often had to work on holidays and it's difficult on families. I'm old enough to remember when stores and gas stations were closed on Sunday's and holidays. I applaud REI for their stand and hope more retailers close on Thanksgiving.