Great store but i guess the manager gen leginoth im not sure how to spell her name but she was having a terrible day and took it out on me

I don't understand some of these negative reviews for such frivolous things like changing rooms being closed during covid or not being greeted at the door. My experience has almost always been positive here. Sometimes the lines get long or they don't have a lot of sizes in certain clothing items and I've never been to the bike shop (which I see a number of negative reviews for). Personally I think the people who work here are always super friendly and helpful. There's a wide selection of gear. And I snagged some really great stuff at garage sales (pre-covid). Most recently I went in to look at some running shoes due to a knee injury. The employee was super helpful, friendly and took the time to make sure I had the right fit, the right amount of comfort and gave me some tips on other gear that might help with my knee based on her own running experience. read more

Mediocre experience. First comment I had was about paying for parking. Ridiculous. No I'm not going to pay $7 to then go in and drop $500. The shoe selection is just plain overpriced, as is most of the store. $85 for nylon pants? I can get them on amazon for $20. $20 for a pair of hiking socks? 4 pair for $20 on Amazon. Keep the labels. Give me the function. read more

I moved here from Seattle and love REI stores, so I recently went to check this one out after opening -- and it just didn't meet my expectations. 1) Parking was a terrible experience. I expected validation, but once I got to the garage I learned it is $7 minimum so I turned around caused a massive backup and frustration with everyone else. The garage is a mess because it really doesn't allow traffic to go both ways. REI needs to provide validation. Biking is the only convenient way to get there (there are plenty of bike racks --bring your lock!). The metro requires walking under a bridge that I thought was pretty shady and quiet -- and I wouldn't want to do it myself especially after spending a few hundred dollars at REI. 2) I spent an hour walking around trying on snow gear and no one once asked if I needed help. And I did need help. So I ended up not buying anything. read more

Have come here twice to return some items, they always make it very easy. They also have some very friendly staff who took the time to help me find a backpack and climbing shoes. read more

I went to this REI to get hiking boots. I knew nothing about what to look for in a hiking boot. After a quick search of the internet, it seemed pretty complicated to pick out the perfect shoe. I figured I would go into the store and let them guide me to the perfect shoe. I'm glad I did. Two employees were so nice and really insightful. Also, I took a class here: backpacking for women. The woman who did it was so funny. I was feeling extremely intimidated by all the outdoorsy stuff but she really made me feel comfortable! read more

This store is AMAZING! REI did a wonderful job of transforming an old, grand venue into this beautiful, well curated sporting goods superstore. It has literally anything you may need for a trip outdoors, OR to dress like you could be hiking the AT but really you're just going to brunch with your girlfriends & want to be comfy & outdoorsy stylish. There's a giant bike area and a bike shop, a big shoe section upstairs, brand-dedicated spaces, and an adventure section permanently staffed with a Parks employee who can give advice and tips for your next hike. There's also a La Colombe store within the REI flagship co-op (see my review of La Colombe - FL ave location, on their page). They have LOTS of staff, all eagerly awaiting your questions, wearing the traditional army green super cool multipurpose vests. Great store, awesome addition to DC and NoMa. (also, to those who gave the store 1 star because you weren't one of the first 500 people to line up and therefore didn't get a water bottle & a coupon, get over yourself. This is a page for the store, not their grand opening). read more

This is one of the flagship stores, and one of the newer stores, so it is massive and decorated very well. They have a wide selection of just about anything outdoorsy/hiking/camping. Their prices are a bit higher, but you get what you pay for. I also appreciate La Colombe coffee inside, making the store smell like a Saturday morning camping trip, waking up, and having coffee by the fire. They also have a nice assortment of sales, classes, and help and tips from employees that just love the outdoors and own the gear. read more

ADIO helped me find exactly what I need! He was very informative and so incredibly helpful. Not too mention extremely friendly! Thank you Adio! read more

REI - Sporting Goods Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Outdoor store that caters to dog owners yet is does not allow dogs in store. I went to Rei's flag store opening and saw at least 10 dogs in the store. The following weekend I was told that no dogs where allowed. Their excuse was liability yet In DuPont I can bring my dog into banks, eye glass stores, and furniture stores on 14th Str offer dog biscuits at the register...so what's the real deal? This "progressive store" is not so progressive. read more

REI - Sporting Goods Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Beautiful store! Also... la Colombe inside is a definite bonus! The REI employees I've had the chance to interact with have been incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and patient. I've been in the store just before closing before and I was indecisive about which backpack I wanted to buy. They didn't rush me at all, and in fact, suggested others when I seemed to settle to make sure I was happy. They host tons of events that are either free or affordable (under $30). read more

3.5 stars. I think my expectations were too high regarding what a "flagship" store should be. I took the Metro there after work last week and since I'm an REI fan (and member) I was really looking forward to my first visit to the new flagship. I came away thinking "meh." PROS: The store is super close to the NoMa/Gallaudet station, and easy to find as a pedestrian. As others have noted, this REI has a coffee bar (much smaller than I expected), a bike repair shop, and an interesting enclosed courtyard that is open to the sky (which smelled weird - mold or mildew after the recent rain?). My favorite thing is the Adventure Station, which is basically a large table for looking at maps that has space for free map/brochures of national parks in the DC/MD/VA/WV area. I talked with the Park Service employee who was staffing it, who told me it would be staffed by a combination of NPS employees and volunteers. Pretty cool! It's obvious that this is a bid by REI to reach out to the "urban" market - city-dwellers generally, and specifically people of color. There is a prominent sign that says OUTDOORS FOR EVERYONE. It is nice but looks rather incongruous, like something that would be on a Broadway marquee than in a store focused on outdoor recreation and connecting with nature. CONS: I'm pretty sure that the early publicity for the store said it would have a climbing wall. Not that I'm a rock climber - but I was expecting a large, bright, airy space! And although there's plenty of square footage in the store, it felt cramped and low-ceilinged and dark. You can even see that in some of the other reviewers' photos! Again, a strange aesthetic given the theme of the store. There's nothing green or evocative of nature in the store, no plants or trees, except the ones painted on the concrete in the courtyard. The coffee area felt like an afterthought more than an inviting gathering space. And, as I noted above, the courtyard smelled funky. Limited and expensive parking seems like a bad idea for a place that sells large/bulky/heavy items, including bicycles. Not everyone is going to want to ride their bike to or from the store, especially if the bike is in need of repair. Mostly it was hard to find what I was looking for. There were obvious areas for winter coats and backpacks, but the rest of the clothes seemed arranged randomly on racks - not necessarily by brand OR by type of garment. So I was wandering around in the gloomy semi-dark wondering what is supposed to be so special about this store. Also, I'm just p.o'd that they closed the (very successful) College Park store after 30 years. read more

Bike repair operation is quick, startlingly cheap, and friendly. Shoe fitters are knowledgeable and helpful. For regular outdoorsy retail well they are an REI not too different from most. Glad they moved to this handy to me location. read more

This is a great store but the bike shop service is terrible. The wait time to get the bike checked out seemed pretty long, but then the service time for a tune up was 10 days and the pick up wait time is ridiculous. It's just a pickup people! Staff a cashier on that desk for the simple transactions!! Save the bike shop techs from doing paperwork and get them fixin' bikes. read more

Dreadful customer service is right. Had to wait in line for 20 minutes just to get parking validated. Ridiculous.

Everyone knows what this place is about. Insanely amazing selection of [pricey] quality, outdoor gear for every sport. It's a wonderful place to blow a huge wad of cash. Luckily there are sales often. I would say that every time I've come here (3 times), I am always trying to hunt down a salesperson. I think they need more staff on the weekends. Both in the shoes and backpacks sections, I was perusing a lot, and found that their sales associates were a little mixed in knowledge/ experience, and attitudes. Mostly friendly, but some just didn't give the same advice or have the information I was looking for. Have more staff on weeeknds, and I'd think it'll be a 5-star experience. read more

Worst REI I've ever been to. Although the covid protocols were well done so I felt comfortable in that regard, and they do validate for the nearby parking garage which is nice because there is really no street parking around, the customer service was just so weak for REI standards. Maybe I'm just spoiled because my REI in Colorado was incredible, but the staff here at the DC location were just by and large uninformed and unhelpful (bare minimum effort attitude, avoiding eye contact on the floor like they want nothing less than for you to ask them for help, surprising lack of knowledge like one guy not knowing what the return policy was and then a cashier sending me to the back of the store to pickup a held order after I waited in line only to be sent back to the front register **to wait in line again** and meanwhile my order was at the front register the whole time, which is apparently their procedure and he was just totally out to lunch). It was just like a twilight zone experience and I'll probably just go to the Maryland store next time in hopes of a better, 'more REI' experience. I will say that a really nice lady (a manager maybe?) finally helped me out in the end because I approached her and told her how long I'd been there just trying to pickup an order and how frustrating and 'dead end' all my staff interactions had been. She apologized and personally took me to a register to get me on my way and even applied a small discount for the headache, so she was great (what you expect of REI), but other than that I was just really surprised at the poor customer service there. Bummer because I was excited to see a REI in DC itself but it's just not well run, there just isn't that positive engaging helpful staff attitude that I'm used to seeing at other REIs. Usually you 'feel' an awesome energy in REIs, but this one was just kind of a vibe kill and I could not get out of there fast enough. read more

I've been an REI member for years and have generally loved shopping at other locations, however this store has that annoying IKEA-esque feel of forcing you to wander through the entire store to find what you're looking for, rather than centrally locating related items. Camping cookware? Let's put it in three different places. Tents? There's no reason anyone would want to compare them all next to one another instead of walking to multiple stations? Clothing? Best experienced as a labyrinth, complete with salesfolks who are, sadly, not much more helpful than a Minotaur. Probably because they don't know where things are, either! I get it. You lay out stores like this so that your customers experience the maximum amount of square footage and will thus (theoretically) spend more money on all the amazing things they find. But at least for me, when I go in to REI, it's usually for a specific thing and then I'll browse in addition to that. In the case of my trip to this "flagship," I ended up leaving frustrated, not buying what I had come there for, and planning to stick to the Bailey's Crossroads store, the REI website, or, indeed, other outdoor outfitters. I wanted to love it, but it was not so lovable, alas. read more

Inventory is pretty good. At least you can treat it like an Amazon locker for your online REI purchases. Customer service is awful. On the floor and at register service swings between avoiding eye contact and smothering you with an actively combatting loss prevention vibe. The other day, a floor associate was very concerned because I had cycled to the location. read more

I love this REI. I may be biased because I live one block away but it's in an awesome building and I would go in there occasionally just to walk around. It's not the biggest REI I've seen/been to but it gives me my REI fix. I have never been disappointed by the items in the store and the service is always great. It's always clean with everything in its place. The staff does a wonderful job at keeping things orderly. This location offers quite of few classes that are free throughout the week and they're great for those looking to gain more knowledge about the great outdoors. I attended a beginner mid Atlantic backpacking class and I learned A TON. I highly recommend if you want to try something new. They give you the knowledge and tools to plan an awesome trip. Prices are just as any other REI... a tad pricey but I've never been disappointed in the quality of any item purchased from here. read more

I've been a REI member for several years and visited this store a few times. The store is conveniently located within walking distance of Union Station (or just 1 metro station away). I love the collection of shoes and socks they have at the back and have purchased several pairs of shoes here. I've also purchased clothing here with satisfactory results; however there was one time when I wanted to purchase several pairs of the same pants with different colors, and they were short on supply, so I had to go back home and order online. Also you will find the restroom and drinking water tab useful after some shopping. Both the cashier and customer service counter staffs are cheerful and friendly, yet I think the overall attentiveness of sales staff needs to be improved (despite several enthusiastic members I've encountered). read more

Fitting rooms are still closed. I called to ask about shopping for clothes, and they didn't bother to tell me. If I had known that, I wouldn't have come -- I would have shopped online or elsewhere. read more

Nice store. I was able to find the "turtle tube" neck gaiter I was looking for. My only advice to the prospective shopper is that if you drive .... park on the street. The garage is $7 for the first hour and REI does not validate. read more

I was at this REI location on opening day and have been there countless times since for special events and to shop. Every time I've gone, I have always easily been able to find a staff member whenever I needed assistance. Also, staff members come up and ask you if you need help, but without being annoying or pushy like you'll find at other stores because the REI sales people genuinely want to help you. My sister purchased a backpack and REI has a great backpack fitting station where they have different sized weights you can put in the packs so you can try the pack on with the equivalent of how much the water bladder would weigh along with other things in the pack and then REI will help you to adjust your pack to ensure you are getting the best fit and know how to properly adjust all the straps. Toward the back of the store there is a great education room where I attended a talk on family hiking, which was fantastic. I really enjoyed that the store had a spot with chairs separated from the rest of the store so you can easily hear the speaker. Toward the middle of the store, about halfway down, there is a great spot that can open up to the outside with a small courtyard area. It is always a popular area when REI has events and they've had everything from an inflatable snowboarding challenge to mini campfires to roast marshmallows over, it's a great space. As you can tell the store was really well-thought out and is in a great location only steps from the NoMa metro station and has really knowledgeable staff members who are more than willing to offer friendly assistance! read more

This store in DC is a real asset to the city and community. While I try to shop locally independently owned DC stores whenever possible, REI has certain hiking/workout clothing brands that I can't otherwise find at local stores. Occasionally the store doesn't have the right size or color of athletic gear that I want, however they are always helpful in searching other store inventory and offer to ship it. A couple times a year the sales help me re-stock basics, which is great. Weekends are busy here! If you can make it during the week, you'll find more staff who are less frenzied and more available to help find an item or a size off the floor. The in-store La Colombe coffee bar is a plus, as you can grab an excellent coffee or quick snack while running this errand. read more

Love the store and recognize they are doing their best under COVID conditions. This is my second trip here to pick up an online order. On both occasions, I was greeted at the door by two young ladies who essentially asked what I was looking for and upon being told I had an online order, they took the information and told me to stand outside. I had intended on both occasions to go inside to physically shop while I waited, but was made to feel as though you could not go inside without an absolute purpose. I could understand this posture if they were overwhelmingly busy, but on both occasions they were very slow inside the store... maybe because they make people feel unwelcome. read more

Andie (sp?) was so fantastic! My friend and I are going to Costa Rica this Fall, and we're both absolutely clueless about hiking. Andie greeted us by the hiking boots and was so welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable. She gave her honest opinion about the different products from personal experience. She answered our hundreds of questions and made us feel so much more comfortable with our new activity. We were also greeted in every department (women's clothing, backpacks, shoes). The only drawback was the parking, but I would definitely return to this location. read more

Happy Anniversary (almost) REI DC! REI has been here one year and it is time to give the DC flagship store the 5-star review they deserve. Pretty good selection across the board for anything you expect REI to carrry (but I wish they realized that not everyone who like the outdoors is under 30 yo). Bike repair? Check! Very knowledgeable and helpful bike department (a little slow sometimes but that is because they are thorough). Kayak gear? Check! I found the perfect Werner paddle this summer - on sale :-). Just about everything for camping? Check! We bought an awesome kingdome tent and got many questions about it and compliments on our last trip to Shendoah. I could go on but you get the idea. We have been to this store at least once a month and still find something new and fun each time. High marks for selection and for being friendly and helpful. And then we go and have a cup of coffee on site. Nice. read more

When I first walked in it was a lot to handle because it was a massive store. I walked in with no knowledge of bikes one bit, but the staff were so friendly and patient with me they schooled me up on what I needed to know. I was there for maybe and hour at tops that was including them looking over the bike and installing the parts I requested. It was such a smooth transaction that I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. I also wanted to give a huge thanks to Bob the staff that helped me out with the purchase. read more

Have not been to the new store yet but may attempt this afternoon to make some returns. This review is more about my discontent about having to pay sales taxes for online purchased made at REI.com a good 8 to 12 months before the store even opened! I call BS on this move; no store presence in DC no DC sales tax! Same goes for Sierra Trading Post which also use to not change sales taxes because there were no stores in DC. Ever since Marshels bough Sierra Trading Post I have been hit with the lovely D.C. Sales taxes again even though there is no physical store presence in DC. If I'm going to have to pay sales tax I want the ability to take my online purchase back to the local store and not get gouged for a return shipping fee. read more

This REI is very big but maddeningly organized. I wanted to buy hiking pants and it was totally unclear where the womens section started and ended. The clothes were in disarray, with styles and sizes all a mix. I ended up buying pants that turned out were not a fit for hiking. So I went to Amazon instead and found the same hiking pants in the same brand for much cheaper. Every aisle is askew so if you want something simple, you just wander from aisle to aisle til you find it. Would be nice to have big signs to know what section one is in. I wandered for 10 min looking for a carbineer!! I was going to ask someone but they were all busy. Anyway, aesthically it is a beautiful store but it is extremely expensive as well so not very worth it read more

Nice new store near the NOMA metro and it has a La Colombe coffee joint. It's spacious enough to accommodate a stroller. Though there were steps the store also had ramps for bikes, strollers or wheelchairs. Nice variety of biking, camping and outdoor equipment as well as clothings. read more

What's not to like? It's a giant REI store which offers most anything you'd need for the outdoors, with free validated parking for 2 hours. It's not as cheap as some outdoor resellers online, but you can't beat the ability to check out an item in the store, and even return it within a year (even used). read more

I LOVE THIS STORE! I made my first trip last week, and have already returned for a second visit. The space is gorgeous (with such a great history), the stock is impressive, and the staff are all very helpful. I spoke with Kathleen for probably ten minutes on my last visit, talking about the history of the building, store layout, stock, etc. She was extremely kind and helpful, and remembered me on my next visit! The La Colombe in the store is an added bonus. I'm glad to have this store close to my neighborhood! read more

REI - Sporting Goods Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Everyone is insanely helpful. EVERYONE. It's...kind of crazy (amazing-crazy). It made meeee want to work there just because everyone seemed so genuinely friendly and happy to help; also extremely knowledgeable about products. FYI the floor members Dana and Chuck are awesome. Very helpful in helping me to find the right jacket for winter. Thanks, guys!! read more

Donna in shoes was infinitely patient with us and answered all of our complicated questions about footware. She and the other highly skilled REI employees are reason I go back to the store again and again. read more

I've always enjoyed my experience with the team here. Tonight I care in w a bike issue. While I could not fix the issues for two weeks, the team here was able to diagnose this issues and make a quick fix! Great team in the bike shop. read more

REI did a great job renovating an abandoned building. Great history here now coupled with the best of outdoor gear. read more

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Took an order over the phone during the crazy holiday shopping season and got me a killer buy on some hiking boots and mailed them right to my door, no extra charge! Helps to be an REI member, I guess. :) Highly recommend. Very customer oriented. They deliver, even under stress. Thanks, REI! And, happy new year! read more

I love REI. But not this one. Oh was I excited to hear that REI is now in DC with a huge new store. I have been a member for years and was happy to finally have a store nearby. And then I went. First of all there is no free parking so if you are buying something bigger - a tent, a kayak, camping equipment - be prepared to pay $7. There are lots of bike racks in front and the N.Y. Ave metro down the block but only street parking. The store is huge but there was no staff to be found to help you find stuff or explain anything. (I once bought a hiking backpack at an REI in Denver and the REI explained the pros and cons down to the zipper!) The cashier team was hyper cheerful but did not ask if one wanted the dividend applied. And if I was not disappointed enough, they do not allow dogs. I also thought "Of course I can bring my dog to REI" but was turned away with my dog and when I returned without her saw several other people get turned away as well. So, my excitement to now have REI in DC has turned to MEH. It is just retail. Sad! read more