The Hill is Home | Celebrate the Outdoors with REI!

Today is the day! REI’s fifth flagship store opens in the historic Uline Arena at 10am this morning. Their 100 days of events are culminating in a giant block party this weekend. With three days of activities, it’s hard to not find something for you!

I really a ove some of the local touches, like the vintage posters, seats and the floor, from the Washington Arena, and merchandise that celebrates the DC area.

Keep scrolling for pictures and the full schedule below!

A few fun facts:

The site chosen was by President Eisenhower for his inaugural ball and by the Beatles for their first concert in the U.S.

The 51,000 square foot store will be the fifth flagship location for the co-op, and eighth store in the greater D.C. and Baltimore area. The building is LEED® Gold-certified.

The store brings 150 new jobs to the local community. The co-op has recruited employees with a passion for the outdoors who will serve as experts for connecting our members with the right gear, advice, and local places: rei.com/jobs.

The co-op will invest nearly $500,000 in 2016 to local and national partners to enhance local outdoor places in and around DC. This includes investing in WABA over the next three years to support a connected bike system to allow for easier and safer bike commuting.
- Community Partners: REI is investing $240,000 in 14 DC-area nonprofits, including Rails to Trails, Trust for Public Land, Rock Creek Conservancy, Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region and the Shenandoah National Park Trust.
- Vote for the Outdoors: REI is investing an additional $100,000 in five nonprofits, including C&O Canal Trust, WABA, Anacostia Watershed Society and the Outdoor Foundation—where REI helped send every 4th grader in Washington, D.C. to a national park. Participants of any of the 100 United Outside events will decide how the funds are allocated across these five partners.

With architecturally significant features that include a concrete barrel vault roof and structural concrete arches, the building earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

The store design features original basketball court flooring and arena seating as well as the exposed patina of the original building.

Each day, complimentary bites begin one hour before doors open, and there will also be a bunch of food trucks, including Lemongrass food truck, Swizzler food truck, Westray’s ice cream, Carnivore food truck, DC slices, and Captain Cookie.

REI DC GRAND OPENING SCHEDULE

Friday October, 21^st – REI DC Flagship

9:30 // Ballou Majestic Marching Band
9:55 – 10: 00 am Ribbon Cutting
10:00 // Store Opens
10:30am – 9:00pm
- Store Stage // Popular Local DJ’s Little Bacon, DJ Adrien Loving, DJ Stylus
  - 9:00p // Store Closes

Saturday October, 22^nd – REI DC Flagship

10 – 11 am // Dupont Brass Band
10:00 // Store Opens
11:00am – 9:00pm
- Store Stage // Popular Local DJ’s Jahsonic, DJ Smudge, Gavin Holland
- Wundergarten 12pm – 11pm
  - REI Educational State
    - 3 Essential Knots 12:00 PM
    - Ultimate Cup of Camp Coffee with La Colombe 1:00 PM
    - Backcountry Weather 2:00 PM
    - How to Fix a Flat 3:00 PM
    - How to Read to Topo Map 4:00 pm
    - Smartphone Photography 5:00 PM
  - Storey Park 10am – 9pm (all activities)
    - Main Stage
      - 10:00 am // Rock N Romp
      - 12:00 pm // Jahsonic (DJ)
      - 1:00pm // Yellow Dubmarine
      - 3:00pm // Biz Markie
      - 5:00pm // Team Familiar
      - 6:30pm // Little Bacon Bear (DJ)
    - REI Village (all activities)
    - Beer Garden
    - Climbing Wall
    - Food Trucks
    - Vendors
      - Patagonia Worn Wearn Tour
      - Oboz Plant a Tree
      - Yeti Food Demos
      - Hydro Flask Happy Hour
    - Vote For The Outdoors
    - Bike Valet
  - 9:00p // Store Closes

Sunday October, 23^rd

11 – 11:30 am – Batala Marching Band
11:00 am– Store Opens
11:00am – 7:00pm
- Store Stage // Popular Local DJ’s
- Wundergarten – 12pm – 10pm
  - REI Educational State
    - Take your Toddlers with You: Adventure Tips for Families 12:00 PM
    - Find Your Park: Rock Creek Park 1:00 PM
    - How to Pack your Backpack for the Trail 2:00 PM
    - DC’s Best Outdoor Dates 3:00 PM
    - Smartphone Photography 4:00 PM
    - How to Fix a Flat5:00 PM
  - Storey Park 11:00 – 5 pm Main Stage
    - 11:00 am // Herb & Hanson
    - 12:00 pm // Ampersand
    - 1:00 pm // The Honey Dewdrops
    - 2:00 pm // Banana Express
    - 3:00 pm // War & Treaty
    - 4:00 pm // The Rondo Rigs
  - REI Village (all activities)
  - Beer Garden
  - Climbing Wall
  - Food Trucks
  - Vendors
    - Patagonia Worn Wearn Tour
    - Oboz Plant a Tree
    - Yeti Food Demos
    - Hydro Flask Happy Hour
  - Vote For The Outdoors
  - Bike Valet
- 7:00p // Store Closes

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