REI's Tacoma store is dusting off one of the co-op's oldest traditions this Saturday, Oct. 24, hosting a member-only Garage Sale that offers discounted used gear, trade-ins and a shot at reconnecting with a shopping ritual many longtime members thought was gone for good. Tacoma is one of only 10 stores nationwide chosen for the one-day pilot, which REI says will help determine whether the old-school event still has a place alongside its newer resale model.
REI Co-op announced the pilot would bring its Garage Sale tradition back in 10 U.S. cities, with the member-only events taking place at 10 stores across the country on Oct. 24, according to a statement from REI Co-op. The events will feature discounted used gear, clearance products, gear trade-ins and opportunities for members to connect, the co-op says. Tacoma's selection as one of the pilot cities comes as REI Tacoma has a strong Re/Supply business, according to Brigette Pence, REI's senior membership manager, as reported by the Tacoma News Tribune.
Why REI Is Testing a Throwback Format
The Garage Sale isn't new — REI sold used gear through members-only Garage Sales for more than 60 years, per Adweek. Those periodic events paused in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and REI shifted toward its year-round Re/Supply resale program instead. Re/Supply is a secondhand and trade-in program that lets members buy and sell used outdoor gear and apparel any time, and it's now built into all 174 REI stores nationwide and the company's website, the outlet notes.
Clay Walton-House, REI's vice president of Co-op Membership, said the pilot gives the company a chance to reintroduce more members to Re/Supply and figure out which parts of the Garage Sale experience matter most today. Pence told the News Tribune the event is meant to revive the old treasure-hunt feeling of digging through racks for a deal, while also introducing newer customers who may not know Re/Supply exists. REI says it will assess member response, store operations, Re/Supply participation, employee experience and business performance across the pilot events before deciding what comes next, and the co-op has set no dates for future Garage Sales beyond this one-weekend run.
What Shoppers Can Expect at the Tacoma Store
Pence said the Tacoma event will include a 20% off coupon, gifts for some attendees, refreshments, treats and deals. Attendees may also win a gift or tote bag, though REI's own materials describe the giveaway two ways: its newsroom statement promises a free tote with a qualifying Re/Supply or clearance purchase while supplies last, while the event listing on REI's site says the tote comes with any Garage Sale purchase while supplies last. Either way, the offer is capped at one tote per member while supplies last.
Shoppers will also be able to claim 20% off one Re/Supply apparel or footwear item during the event, and past Garage Sales have featured outdoor brands including Arc'teryx, Patagonia and Hoka. REI's Garage Sales have traditionally included returned merchandise brought back under the co-op's one-year return policy — a mix of items that, per Backpackers.com, are hand-inspected and discounted before resale. That outlet also notes REI runs two standalone flagship Re/Supply stores, in Manhattan Beach, California, and Clackamas, Oregon, as a permanent version of the resale concept.
Membership, Trade-Ins and Signing Up
The Garage Sale remains a members-only affair, but nonmembers aren't shut out entirely — they can purchase a $30 lifetime REI membership at the event to participate, according to REI's newsroom statement. People interested in attending can sign up for limited space through REI Co-op's website ahead of Saturday. Shoppers can also trade in eligible used gear during the event in exchange for an REI gift card, per the co-op's event page.
REI's broader push into resale fits a wider industry trend of brands trying to make secondhand shopping a bigger part of their business model, Adweek reports, with REI treating resale expansion as one way to grow revenue without a matching rise in environmental impact. Whether Saturday's Garage Sale reboot becomes a regular fixture again or stays a one-off test will depend on what REI learns from the 10-city pilot — and for now, the co-op isn't saying when, or if, the next one will happen.
