Outdoor Specialists REI, Opening First Store in Maine

It makes sense that REI would be in Maine. They are all about the outdoors and well, so is Maine.

The Portland Press Herald reports that REI (Recreational Equipement Inc. out of Seattle) is planning to open its first store in Maine at Rock Row in Westbrook this fall. It will be almost 25,000 square feet and will be home base for the co-op's 47,000 members in Maine. They are hoping to hire about 50 workers in Westbrook.

GoogleMaps

They've been in New England since 1987 when they opened their store in Massachusetts. Their regional director said they are excited to be in Maine, since we are pretty much outside year-round.

The new Westbrook REI will have a bike shop, ski and snowboard shop and will continue curbside pickup for online purchases. They are a member-owned co-op. That means that REI shares annual profits with its members and also invests in the communities they are in! They have about 165 stores in 39 states with around 15,000 workers and annual sales of over 3 billion dollars.

Well, welcome to Maine REI.

LOOK: Full List of the Best Places to Live in Maine

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Maine using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com. On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks.

Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.