REI Co-op to hold grand opening celebration in Amherst, New York on April 11-12

REI Co-op officially opens its new Amherst store on Friday, April 11 and invites the community to a two-day celebration filled with giveaways, brand activations, an afternoon social, music, and more. 

The new store is at The Boulevard on Niagara Falls Blvd. The 25,300 square foot space will offer a wide assortment of apparel and gear for camping, cycling, snow sports, hiking, running, fitness, paddling, and more. For those that love cycling and snow sports, certified mechanics will be available to help tune and repair gear at the full-service bike, ski, and snowboard shop. 

"We are so excited to welcome the Western New York community to our new REI store. Since moving here, I have been truly inspired by the strong sense of community in Buffalo,” says REI Amherst store manager Kevin Murray. “REI is excited to become a part of it and help everyone connect with their favorite outdoor activities. Whether it’s time on the water, snowshoeing, or enjoying time outside with friends and family, REI Amherst is ready to be your go-to destination for all things outdoors.” 

For the grand opening celebration, REI’s doors open at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday. An outdoor social is scheduled for Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring music, nonprofit and vendor activations, and more. Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy will be at the grand opening sharing their work in preserving, restoring and enhancing Buffalo’s historic Olmsted park system. There will be free coffee for members who join the morning activities. Exclusive camp mugs will also be available with a donation to a local nonprofit being announced soon. Brands attending the weekend’s events include AeroPress, Altra, Arbor, Dragon, Igloo, Saxx, Black Diamond Equipment, Brooks Running, Fjällräven, GORE-TEX, Gregory Mountain Products, HOKA, Hydro Flask and OXO Outdoor, Mammut, NEMO Equipment, Nikwax, Nuun, Oboz Footwear, OOFOS, Osprey, Saucony, Smartwool, Tailwind Nutrition and more.  Daily giveaways will be available, while supplies last. 

REI is the country’s largest consumer co-op. Everyone is welcome to shop, participate in classes, and learn from REI’s expertise. Co-op members enjoy an even wider range of benefits, including free U.S. standard shipping, member coupons and discounts, free machine ski wax services, a used gear trade-in program, an annual member reward of 10% back on eligible purchases, and more.  

The Amherst-Buffalo area already has over 28,000 co-op members, with approximately 787,000 in New York. The Amherst store is REI’s seventh in the state. The closest store is REI Rochester (70 miles away). Additional New York stores include Manhattan/SoHo (392 miles away), Carle Place (423 miles away), and Huntington Station (433 miles away). REI Ithaca (149 mile away) and REI Albany (279 miles away) both opened in 2024. 

New members join a growing community that fights for a life outside.  With each new membership purchased, the co-op donates $5 to support the REI Cooperative Action Fund, a community-driven nonprofit that supports nonprofits across the country doing essential work to create a more equitable outdoors for everyone and research nature’s impact on health. Launched in 2021, the community-supported nonprofit is fueled by donations from REI members, customers, employees, foundations, and corporate partners – including REI Co-op. As part of the grand opening, the REI Cooperative Action Fund in partnership with the REI Amherst store team will award $10,000 to local nonprofits working to create a more equitable outdoors.  

About the REI Co-op