While everyone else in America is busy elbowing and punching their way through massive crowds of tweaking holiday shoppers this fatefulBlack Friday, REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) employees will be busy doing anything else. The Washington-based company, most noted for draping 33 states in outdoor-ready clothes and related paraphernalia, has announced that all their stores will be closed on that most-dreaded of days as part of a larger campaign they've dubbed #OptOutside. In an act of digital generosity, the company even reached out to noted hand-injurerTrippy Fallon to inform him of the good news:
Trippy hasn't responded, but plenty of others have expressed their approval for the decidedly bold stance against rabid consumerism:
"For 76 years, our co-op has been dedicated to one thing and one thing only: a life outdoors," REI CEO Jerry Stritzke said in a statement. "We believe that being outside makes our lives better. And Black Friday is the perfect time to remind ourselves of this essential truth. We're a different kind of company—and while the rest of the world is fighting it out in the aisles, we’ll be spending our day a little differently." For those fortunate enough to have never suffered through a career in retail, just take these ringing endorsements at their word: Shit sucks. Hats off to Jerry and the rest of REI for this bold, if temporarily lonely, move.
