REI shutting down SoHo store, its only NYC location

REI is closing its only store in New York City — but not until late 2026, leaving co-op members with plenty of time to take advantage of the retailer’s much-loved, yearlong, no-questions-asked return policy in person.

The Washington state-based outdoors retailer announced the closure of its 35,000-square-foot SoHo flagship along with two others in Paramus and Boston.

The SoHo store, located in the historic Puck Building, represented one of the chain’s “most extensive restoration projects” when it opened in 2011, according to a company statement at the time. REI hired architecture firm Callison to redesign the space, incorporating elements from the original construction.

OpenAI reached a deal last year to lease 90,000 square feet in the building, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal at the time.

Customers at the store on Wednesday shared their disappointment at the looming closure. Queens resident Maria Null had just finished testing the zippers on all the rain jackets at the massive three-floor store when she learned the news.

“I like to come into the store and try things on and like figure out exactly what I want, ’cause everything’s always an investment,” she said.

Null had spent the morning looking for a rain jacket online before deciding to head into REI.

“To be able to leave the house and just quickly come to the store in person … this is exactly what I needed,” she said.

She described REI as “like a grocery store for outdoor people.”

Ogden Pheim, a 27-year-old who lives on the Lower East Side, had come in to the store looking for a bag to hold his skateboard decks.

“It’s not that surprising,” he said. “It’s kind of a big space. It’s probably really expensive.”

The retailer reported $3.53 billion in net sales in 2024, down from $3.85 billion in 2022. In January of this year, the company said it would lay off more than 400 employees and end its adventure tourism packages.

The SoHo and Boston locations were among 11 REI stores to unionize in recent years.

In a statement, the REI Union said it was seeking more information to understand the decision, and that it hoped a “new relationship” established with the company over the summer would help secure severance and transfer rights for affected workers.

REI instituted its yearlong return policy on most goods for co-op members more than a decade ago, replacing a lifetime guarantee on its products. Non-members have 90 days for returns. According to the company’s policy, returns can be made through the mail or at any of its retail locations. REI also has three remaining stores in New Jersey and several throughout New York state, including one in Carle Place, Nassau County.

Correction: Due to an editing error, a previous version of this story misstated REI’s net sales figures in previous years.