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Outdoor outfitter and gear distributer REI will be closed on Black Friday for the first time in history. Translation: There won’t be any promotions, hourly sales or doorbusters—nada. Revolutionary! Instead, the business is endorsing a campaign, which will (hopefully) inspire shoppers and employees to spend the biggest shopping day of the year outdoors.
The social initiative dubbed #OptOutside is a pretty groundbreaking stand against the typical commercial madness, and you know what? We like the sound of it. Sure, we appreciate a good sale just as much as the next bargain hunter. But let’s face it: You can find better deals at one of the many sales happening in NYC right now than you will find on Black Friday. Discounts are everywhere—all the time! We just choose to pay attention to the deals and the freebies the day after Thanksgiving because the promotions run rampant on our newsfeed and television sets.
So let’s take a moment to appreciate REI for not only showing respect to their employees (they will actually get paid to spend time with their friends and families on Black Friday), but for upholding the brand’s values, which for once, do not include dollar signs.