Friends & Neighbors WeekendIt’s almost November which means Thanksgiving is on its way, and along with Black Friday comes all of those crazed shoppers looking to get the best deal. Generally during this time, the public is bombarded with advertisements about all the great discounts being offered on Black Friday and Thanksgiving. However, there is one store that is doing things differently this year, and that’s REI. REI has every type of gear you could ever need for any adventure you are planning for the outdoors.

This year, instead of being open on Black Friday and trying to drive profits, they are closing all 143 stores they have and are paying their employees to enjoy the outdoors. REI has even created a hashtag, #OptOutside, to build awareness about their campaign, and its creating a huge buzz in the outdoor community. The purpose of this campaign, as you can probably guess, is to get more people in the outdoors. REI said, “While the rest of the world is fighting it out in the aisles, we hope to see you in the great outdoors.” Their plan is smart because it really resonates with their audience.

I am curious to know, what do you think about their strategy?

If you agree and want to #OptOutside those days, join us out on the mountain! We are having a Thanksgiving Dinner on the 26th as well as a Race Camp from Nov. 26th-29th. The holidays are a great time at Ski Brule and there is nothing greater than having fun in the outdoors with friends and family.

Thinking of Snow,

Justin P.