Originally Posted by
indyfabz
I posted a link about the REI closings. SoHo I can sort of understand. I’ve been to that store twice. My visits were during the Labor Day sale, so I am sure it was busier than normal. But Paramus, NJ, with the population density in that area? Then I got to thinking. Paramus is also home to Campmor and has been for decades. I drove up to Campmor in the fall of 1999 to get gear for my tour the following March. Just took a quick look at its website. It still seems to be closer to what REI used to be. The example I like to use is quarts of MSR White Gas. Campmor still sells them. REI no longer does, but you do have your choice of different colors of Yeti coffee mugs.
REI does appear to be more of a "lifestyle" store than a recreation equipment store these days. My city finally got one, but the shopping center where they put it (with a bunch of other high end stores selling disposable clothes to look at rather than actual high quality clothes as any store I would want to shop at left), let me know that I probably don't need to get my membership card out. I used to really like going there a decade or 2 ago.
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Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?), 1990 Concorde Aquila(hit by car while riding), others in build queue "when I get the time"