REI

It's a great place to shop for outdoor "stuff" of pretty much every kind you can imagine.

But, the location by the water, the building itself (outside and inside), and the way the merchandise is displayed, make this a tourist attraction too.

Very friendly and well-trained staff. Starbucks (separate entrance) is in same building.

Too bad there's only the ability for 5 Stars on Yelp, because the REI Flagship Store would definitely get more.

REI in general has a great selection of outdoor gear, good prices, and excellent customer service, but the Denver Flagship is even better. Their staff is knowledgeable, friendly, patient, and super helpful. I bought a pair of men's hiking boots and can't say enough about the experience. My partner bought a new outdoor coat and was equally pleased.

The atmosphere at the Flagship is also awesome - a historic space along the South Platte River near downtown with an open and airy space and natural light streaming in.

Whatever you're looking for it's probably there, and even when busy doesn't seem crowded. If you're visiting Denver, it's definitely worth a visit.

What once was The Denver Tramway Power Co. is now the REI Co-Op flagship space. HOLY MOLY, you must check out this MASSIVE place for all outdoor lovers! This building is three stories full of merchandise, including a wall climb, previously worn gears, massive clearance space, and anything related to outdoor merchandise. This store is a true gem for the city of Denver.

Parking was free with validation. However, we came on a holiday, and the gate was wide open.

After scouring through the area, I did not want to leave empty-handed, so we purchased a multi-colored fanny pack I had not seen in my area. The cashier was amicable as I did not know my REI number, so he looked up my information. He asked where my area code was from, and I told him Burbank. He then told me he once lived in Thousand Oaks but moved to Denver several years back. I enjoyed the small chat we had and seeing a Cali outplant.

Great place but beware the parking fees. 90 minutes free, next 30 minutes $5 at 2 hrs it jumps to a flat fee of $20 a bit usury in my view yes it's posted but really could be incremental

Bought a hard hat to tackle Mt. Sneffles this summer but finding out that I needed a larger size and had to return it. Since I bought using the REI Co-op Membership, return was breeze with just a phone number and the person helping me made it super easy. This location do have two parking areas. One closer that has 1st floor and the underground parking. The second one is across the street at the west side of the building.

Did you know that this Flagship location might be the biggest REI in US? It is registered as National Register of Historic Places with 90,000-square-foot REI flagship store includes a 45-foot indoor climbing wall. When I Googled it, it says the Flagship store in Seattle was the biggest but my finding says it is only 80,000. Hmmm. Interesting.

Here is the details from https://renewdenver.org/
" Incorporated in 1886, the Denver Tramway Company (DTC) obtained an exclusive city franchise to build electric streetcar lines in Denver. The Denver Tramway Powerhouse was built in 1901 to house the boilers and engines used to generate electricity for the DTC rail system that spread throughout the Denver metropolitan area. The powerhouse location was chosen for its proximity to the South Platte River (which provided cooling for the turbines), easy access to coal from the adjacent rail lines, and its central location to the DTC's main terminal and downtown Denver.

As the automobile gained popularity, electric rail lines were removed and the Denver Tramway Powerhouse closed in 1950. Past tenants included a warehouse for The International Harvester Company and the Forney Museum of Transportation. In 1998, the building was sold to Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) in 1998 for redevelopment into its Denver flagship store.

Envisioned as a catalyst for development in the Central Platte Valley, REI chose the site for its visibility from the highway and downtown, regional access, historic character of the building and proximity to the river and bike paths. The high cost of historic preservation, life-safety upgrades and environmental abatement rendered the plan financially infeasible. DURA provided approximately $6.3 million in sales tax TIF reimbursement to REI to make the project possible.

Renovations began in 1998 and were completed in April 2000. In 2001, the renovated building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The approximately 90,000-square-foot REI flagship store includes a 45-foot indoor climbing wall, outdoor climbing features, mountain bike trails and scenic walking/jogging trails that wind through native plants and water features.

The building is adjacent to Confluence Park, where Cherry Creek meets the South Platte River. Denver's premier kayak water park and Confluence Park attracts visitors for concerts and gatherings along the river's edge. The REI flagship store is a prime example of public and private sectors coming together to adapt and reuse a significant part of Denver's history. The development also helped fulfill the city's vision for the Central Platte Valley as the entertainment spine of an expanding downtown."

Now I have a better understanding of historical importance of this location and the partnership REI and City of Denver made to make this store special part of Denver.

We were staying at the hotel in Union Station and did a self-guided walking tour, with REI being one of the stops. We stopped in on a Saturday and they were having an event for kids with different exhibitors and vendors. Yes, this is the OG REI location and has several floors and a wider selection of gear. We were looking for a very specific item -- wooden hicking sticks -- and didn't find exactly what we were looking for. Still kind of neat to stop in as an attraction anyway.

Always love me a flagship REI! It is a grand store with many levels, so expect to get a little lost (fret not, the signs will guide you).

My intentions were to find a specific hiking pant from a brand I enjoy, and with thorough inspection of the store it seemed they did not carry it. My second course of action was to purchase a similar pant, different brand. Pleased to say it ended up being a great purchase, 20% off (membership) coupon included!

A few notes - BIG fan of their Clearance section, as it is a plentiful one. Employees were also very kind. Parking can get busy depending on time of day and the first 90 minutes are free!

Overall, great experience(s).

Bottom Line: REI's huge flagship store filled with clothing and gear for outdoor adventures housed in a historical building.

My husband and I went to REI on a Sunday mid-day and it was busy! I didn't need anything so I was really just tagging along with him and being open to some impulse shopping. Shoes, women's clothing, bikes, water bottles, puzzles, gadgets, etc. - I checked it all out as I made my way through this multi-level building. The amount of merchandise in here was quite impressive and everything seemed pretty well organized. I figure they must have an army of elves that come in at night to clean up and organize the place. Just kidding but having worked retail I'm thinking its got to be quite the effort to get everything organized at the end of a busy day.

The store was a tad awkward to navigate. We didn't end up buying anything, in part because we didn't have much room in our luggage. When it was time to leave I wasn't sure how to bypass the line of 20 plus people at the checkout to get outside. Utilizing a compass we were able to make it out alive.

When we visited the bathrooms were under construction and they had nice portable bathrooms on site but unfortunately their scent was lingering in the air. That incentivized us to get in the building quickly!

What I liked most about the experience was the building itself. The huge brick building was built just after the turn of the century and served as the Denver Tramway Power Company building that provided power to the Denver streetcar system. The voluminous building has lovely brick work and interesting windows . I recall seeing a streetcar on the way to the parking garage and now I know why.

Enjoyed our trip to REI for winter weather gear; great selection and found some GREAT deals in the clearance section!

A staff berated me regarding a shoe return that was never worn. There staff member pointed out a tiny bit of climbing chalk that came from my hand and said they could not go back on the shelf. Love REI but some of the staff has some attitude issues. I have heard similar stories about this REI...