Months after its original planned spring opening, the new Billings, Mont., REI store opened this past weekend at the corner of Shiloh Road and King Avenue West. The Billings store joins three other Montana locations in Missoula, Bozeman and Kalispell, which all reopened in May.
REI did not hold grand opening events, such as guests, giveaways or raffles. The co-op did pledge to donate $10,000 to a local outdoor nonprofit, said manager Caryn Youngholm.
According to REI, there are more than 147,000 lifetime members in the state.
COVID-19 restrictions will be in effect in REI, including mandating people 2 years old or older wear masks, limiting the number of customers in the store and heightening cleaning of high-touch areas.
Queues have been set up to socially distance near the bike shop and the footwear department. There are Plexiglas shields on the cash registers, face coverings available at the door and hand sanitizer dispensers dispersed throughout the store. Fitting rooms are also closed.
