HISTORY

Lloyd and Mary Anderson (northwest mountaineers) founded REI in Seattle, Washington in 1938. The Andersons imported an Academ Pickel ice axe from Austria for themselves. Lloyd wanted a reliable tool at a reasonable price but had no success in finding one locally. He eventually found a high-quality model in an Austrian alpine gear catalog for a mere $3.50, shipping included. Through the 1970s it identified itself prominently as REI CO-op, focusing primarily on equipment for serious climbers, backpackers and mountaineering expeditions. However, in the 1980s, with changes to its Board of Directors, the emphasis shifted toward family camping and branched out into kayaking, bicycling, and other outdoor sports. Since 1998, FORTUNE magazine has ranked REI as one of the 100 best companies to work for in America. In 2005, REI placed number 9 on the list, and were inducted into the "Hall of Fame."