PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland's only REI, located downtown in the Pearl District, is closing Feb. 1.
After first making the announcement last spring, the store will close permanently next week, citing a year-long battle of high numbers of break-ins and thefts. REI also said it had outgrown the location, and as a result, is not able to provide the level of customer and employee experience it strives for.
Aidan Elmore, who just moved to Portland, said REI is one of the most affordable places where he can get his bike tires changed.
"You get a lifetime membership for $30, and you get free tire changes after you buy the tube," Elmore said. "It takes your cost down from going to a local bike shop from $25 to $6."
But he'll have to find a new place to work on his bike, along with Stacie Howard.
Howard hikes, kayaks and skis, so she's at the downtown REI about twice a month. She said this is a big loss for many people like her who use a bike to get around and appreciate the central location.
"I know a lot of businesses have had to bar up their windows. I know a lot of businesses have had to hire more security guards or a different system to stop the majority of the theft," Howard said. "I don't know what the solution is here for them."
Walter Weyler from the Downtown Neighborhood Association said that customers can't expect retailers to pay for lost goods, plus additional security.
"It's endemic right now — it's not just REI; it's several other stores, and it has to do with the nature of the city. Right now, our city allows it much more than is comfortable," he said.
Weyler said the city can slow down theft but thinks it will take time.
While this location is closing, other local REI stores will remain open. The company announced they'll be opening a new location in Beaverton this spring.