REI flagship NYC store announces official closing date

A beloved haven for outdoor enthusiasts is going toes up.

REI’s flagship Soho store, located within the sprawling Puck Building at Lafayette Street and Houston, will officially close its doors on July 23, according to Crain’s New York.

The soon-to-be shuttered Soho location is the only REI store within the city limits of New York.

A new state Department of Labor filing revealed the closure will eliminate 72 jobs and leave city-dwelling nature lovers without an expansive space to buy tents, water bottles, and the promise of wilderness beyond the five boroughs.

The Soho location is among 11 REI locations that have unionized in the past few years.

Last year, the sidewalk outside the store was the site of a Union Rally, where store employees and supporters protested against REI’s alleged union-busting and bad-faith bargaining.

REI announced the closure of the Soho location last fall.

“After thoughtful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our SoHo store in late 2026,” a REI spokesperson said in an official statement, Crain’s reported.. “Since opening in 2011, this location has held a special place for us, and we are grateful to our team, our members and customers, and the broader community for their support over the past 15 years.”

However, “late 2026” turned out to be mid-year.

This closure is the latest in a series of downsizing efforts by the box chain, which reported $3.53 billion in net sales in 2024, down from $3.85 billion in 2022.

In January 2025, REI announced it was laying off more than 400 staffers as it shut down its entire “Experiences” division, which offered low-cost, entry-level hiking and activity courses. 

While REI begins its hunt for a new tent in Manhattan, fresh tenants are allegedly lining up to snag the covetable storefront.

“There will be another retailer right behind them,” assured Ripco Real Estate Vice Chairman Richard Skulnik, who reps the Puck Building.

Skulnik told Crain’s New York Business last year that his firm intends to maintain the existing multilevel configuration of the retail space, which is being offered at just under $6.3 million in annual rent, or roughly $158 per square foot.

“We’re not required to divide the space up because we have a lot of interest for the whole space as it stands,” he said. “We haven’t picked a horse just yet. We’re deciding between a lot of great concepts.”

Skulnik shared that his firm is in discussions with a number of interested “horses,” ranging from the luxury world to the experiential world to big-box retailers.