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REI is closing on Black Friday and paying its employees to ‘be outside’ – Metro US

REI is closing on Black Friday and paying its employees to ‘be outside’

REI is closing on Black Friday and paying its employees to ‘be outside’
Virginia State Parks/Reuters

Black Friday has become the day for stores to cash in on the bargain hunters, with many businesses opening their doors before Thanksgiving dinner has even been served.

But one retailer has decided to forgo profits to do “something different” this year.

Outdoor gear retailer REIis closing all its 143 stores on Friday topay”our employees to do what we love most — be outside,” an email said.

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“We’re passionate about bringing you great gear, but we’re even more passionate about the experiences it unlocks for all of us. Perhaps John Muir said it best back in 1901: ‘thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home.’

We think Black Friday is the perfect day to remind people of this essential truth.”

The same email, which ensured shoppers that REI would still be offering deals throughout the holiday season, urged its customers to join them and#OptOutsideinstead of taking part in the typical shopping frenzy.

Supporters took to Twitter to show support of the retailer’s decision. The question now is, will other stores follow suit?