REI — Attraction in Milford

I remember going here when they first opened, and I was like wow look at all that kayaking gear, real great paddles etc... then I recall going a second time not that long ago, and I felt kind of let down as far as selection went but still felt it was a nice enough store. Yesterday i went and finally bought something as i finally needed something which turned out to be a kayak cart. I was again hoping for a better selection of carts but perhaps the kayaking fad is dying down or maybe it's a more season thing. Either way i got a cart which i can make work and the quality of the product is exceptional. For everything else besides kayaking this store seems first rate. The staff was very friendly and had no problem with me taking my time to think about my purchase so i could get what i need and not come back. Now, normally I used to go to the LL Bean outlet store that was just up the road some but since that got closed down by the powers that be at LL Bean, I'll now be checking out REI from here on in for my outdoor needs as I'd rather go to a real store than buy on line. Good place,...

There are so many positives to REI that I couldn't realistically condense them down to a review short enough for people to read it

However, a few highlights are:

• R.E.I. is a consumer co-operative. This allows them to - among other things - sell brand-name merchandise at reduced prices.

• Their membership is unparalleled in value. To join, it is a one-time fee of just $20.00 (really, absolutely no strings attached!). As a member, not only do you get access to even greater sales, but you'll also receive an annual dividend.

• Their employee culture truly stands out in a retail environment e.g. they approach you with an authentic interest about your needs, and zero sales pressure (the employees are not incentivized to make a sale, and generally speaking the employees have the sort of beliefs that wouldn't allow them to mindlessly push product)

• The employees are both truly passionate and...

I bought a mountain bike from here and brought a couple friends in to have the same experience, the staff here at this REI have been some of the best that I’ve encountered. Today I somehow managed to get two flats, I brought it in to see if they can help me find out how since it wasn’t obvious what caused the two flats. I met with Neil who very meticulously inspected to tire and rim who couldn’t turn up anything either. He suggested that I leave it for his team of bike mechanics the next day but that didn’t suit my needs for today, I had some trouble finding the right tube as well so not only did he find my tube but he gave me two for not being able to solve my problem right away, that’s his business practice, no problems only solutions. Thank you Neil for this pleasurable experience, this is definitely my...