Grateful patrons greet REI

Fifteen to 20 people waited for the doors to open, followed by a steady stream of customers, store manager Jen Cook-Karr said. About 200 people had visited the store by Friday afternoon, she said.

“ We’ ve heard a lot of ‘ thanks yous’ and ‘ thank you for coming to Olympia, ’   ” Cook-Karr said, adding that before the store opened, it had received about five to 10 phone calls a day from customers curious about the opening.

Friday was a soft opening; grand-opening activities are set for next Friday through May 22. Those activities include product giveaways, pastries and coffee in the morning, and bicycle valet services.

The new location is a two-story, 25,000-square-foot store in the west end of Westfield Capital mall, in the building that formerly housed Mervyns department store. Clothier Forever 21 also occupies part of the former Mervyns space.

When REI, a co-op, announced last year that it would open a store in Olympia, it generated plenty of interest among job seekers, .

Heather Lenox, 34, was one of those hired. Lenox previously worked in Texas for a nonprofit and decided to “ deliberately choose” another career. She moved back to Olympia and heard from a friend that REI was hiring.

“ Like a lot of people, I was eager for one to move to the area, ” she said of REI, which also has a store in Tacoma.

Customers, too, said they were pleased that REI had come to Olympia, including Tom Bosinski of Tumwater and Allen Taylor of Lacey.

Bosinski said he had been waiting for the store to open and was most interested in its camping gear. He said he likes to go camping several times during the summer, visiting Washington’ s state parks.

Taylor was busy examining the store’ s supply of mountain bikes and said he was thinking about getting back into biking. He also said he enjoys hiking at Mount Rainier.

“ I’ m glad it’ s here, ” he said about the store.

- - -

Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403 rboone@theolympian.com www.theolympian.com/bizblog

421 applicants for about 50 jobs: REI's hiring event in Olympia draws a crowd

More than 400 job seekers attended a hiring event Thursday for Recreational Equipment Inc., the outdoors store better known as REI that plans to hire about 50 people for a new store at Westfield Capital mall. The store is under construction and is expected to open this spring.

Grateful patrons greet REI - Business - The Olympian - Olympia ...

Fifteen to 20 people waited for the doors to open, followed by a steady stream of customers, store manager Jen Cook-Karr said. About 200 people had visited the store by Friday afternoon, she said.

“ We’ ve heard a lot of ‘ thanks yous’ and ‘ thank you for coming to Olympia, ’   ” Cook-Karr said, adding that before the store opened, it had received about five to 10 phone calls a day from customers curious about the opening.

Friday was a soft opening; grand-opening activities are set for next Friday through May 22. Those activities include product giveaways, pastries and coffee in the morning, and bicycle valet services.

The new location is a two-story, 25,000-square-foot store in the west end of Westfield Capital mall, in the building that formerly housed Mervyns department store. Clothier Forever 21 also occupies part of the former Mervyns space.

When REI, a co-op, announced last year that it would open a store in Olympia, it generated plenty of interest among job seekers, .

Heather Lenox, 34, was one of those hired. Lenox previously worked in Texas for a nonprofit and decided to “ deliberately choose” another career. She moved back to Olympia and heard from a friend that REI was hiring.

“ Like a lot of people, I was eager for one to move to the area, ” she said of REI, which also has a store in Tacoma.

Customers, too, said they were pleased that REI had come to Olympia, including Tom Bosinski of Tumwater and Allen Taylor of Lacey.

Bosinski said he had been waiting for the store to open and was most interested in its camping gear. He said he likes to go camping several times during the summer, visiting Washington’ s state parks.

Taylor was busy examining the store’ s supply of mountain bikes and said he was thinking about getting back into biking. He also said he enjoys hiking at Mount Rainier.

“ I’ m glad it’ s here, ” he said about the store.

- - -

Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403 rboone@theolympian.com www.theolympian.com/bizblog

421 applicants for about 50 jobs: REI's hiring event in Olympia draws a crowd

More than 400 job seekers attended a hiring event Thursday for Recreational Equipment Inc., the outdoors store better known as REI that plans to hire about 50 people for a new store at Westfield Capital mall. The store is under construction and is expected to open this spring.

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