[marzsit]

so i go down to the tukwila rei store tonight to pick up a snow peak giga power for my brother... and they don't have any in stock. so, i order one. i'm told it'll be at the store in a week. what? then i ask a really dumb question- how many do you guys normally keep in stock? "oh, we order them as we need them"..... ? so after i order my stove i take a walk over to the stove section, they have all of the pretty-but-heavy crap on display. then i look around at the rest of the junk in the store. same thing, all the pretty junk, none of the popular stuff..... i really miss the old capitol hill store.............

[polarbear]

So what became of the capitol store?

[peppersteak'n'ale]

Didn't that turn into Value Village?

[sarbar]

Well yer first mistake was to even go into the Tukwila , oh I mean The South Center REI (talk about wankers! They aren't allowed to call it Tukwila!) LOL! I personally fumed when they closed the Federal Way one-the Tukwila store has the suckiest and slowest service-and they won't haggle on the last day of the garage sales...wankers! Seriously, I wait now and drive into the downtown store.

[peppersteak'n'ale]

I hear there's a sale on Friday, does that only apply to the downtown store?

[Allison]

Didn't the Tukwila store just open like a year ago?

[hikerjo]

[Duncan]

I went down to the downtown store a few weeks ago to buy a Snow Peak stove. They do not stock them there either, they had to order it for me as they do not normally stock them in the stores anymore according to the "stove person" I talked to. Oh well.....

[Hiker Boy]

I feel your pain! Could there possibly be a REI which sucks more than the one in Bellingham?

[kleet]

I was at the Southcenter store about three weeks ago, looking at cookware sets. After looking over and comparing all the display stuff, I decided on an MSR set. Of course, there were none on the shelf. I tracked down a clerk who told me that if it wasn't on the shelf, they were out of stock and would have some in next week, maybe (what...is that the first thing they're taught to say at REI staff training?). I gathered up my other items and headed toward the checkout - but had to go around the little "stockroom" built in the middle of the store. I decided to go inside it. Sure as hell, there were about 4 sets of the cookware sitting on the shelf. Being the dumbass I am, I went ahead and bought the stuff, knowing full well I should have thrown it down and stomped out.

[Backpacker Joe]

REI was good before there were specialty stores to go to. I only shop there now if I am accidentally around one. I go to Marmot, Pro Mountain or shop on line. Sometimes I buy food there. They have a pretty good freeze dried selection. TB

[Lead Dog]

I have everything 2 or 3 times over so I don't have to shop anymore. I use my stuff until it dies and the things I have are middle aged so I'm ok for another 10 years or so. I do have to buy food every year so I usually start in Jan. buying a little here a little there, only the best mind you, so by June I'm all stocked up. That's only for freeze dried food, for most of the rest I go to Trader Joes which has THE best hiker munchies anywhere. Every year I'm the envy of camp when the stuffed olives, fudge cookies, canned smoked fish, cheese, Italian sausage, natcho corn chips, fresh pita bread, Belgian milk chocolate, and later in the evening 2 Buck Chuck are brought out to enjoy. And yes I do share sometimes.

[sarbar]

Mmmm..Trader Joe's! Nummy! I live on the salmon jerky, the 3pack chocolate bars in all 4 flavors, the fruit leather, the soy chips, the dried fruit, nuts, flatbread.....

[jenjen]

I hear ya on the Bellingham store! After living in Seattle, I almost cried when I walked into the B'ham REI. They have a whole bunch of clothes, and nice looking shoes, and no gear selection to speak of. Guess I'll be spending a lot of time (and $) at MEC.

[#19]