The American outdoor recreation retailer founded in 1938 in Seattle as a consumer cooperative is REI.
REI was created by Lloyd and Mary Anderson to help fellow climbers obtain reliable equipment at reasonable prices. On June 23, 1938, five members of The Mountaineers joined the new Recreational Equipment Cooperative, each paying one dollar. The founders’ inspiration included an Austrian Akadem Pickel ice axe that was difficult to obtain in the United States.
In its first year, REI operated from a shelf inside the Puget Sound Cooperative Store near Seattle’s Pike Place Market. It later moved into its own space, and Jim Whittaker became the company’s first full-time employee in 1955. The retailer eventually expanded from climbing equipment into camping, cycling, running, travel and other outdoor activities.
REI differs structurally from ordinary investor-owned chains. Its members are customers who pay for membership and receive cooperative benefits, historically including annual dividends tied to eligible purchases. L.L.Bean, Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops are outdoor retailers, but they are not the consumer cooperative identified by this question.