REI

I visited this REI location for the first time a couple days ago and had the best experience. I came in to exchange a pair of shorts I purchased online and decided to look around for some new gear for an upcoming trip. As I was roaming the hiking packs I was approached by a guy who asked if I needed assistance. He gave me some really good advice and seemed to know a fair amount about the different options based on my needs. I decided to try a few different daypacks out and put them on the table. I was greeted by a woman named Dolores who helped me size the pack, go in further depth on my options and the Bennifits of each pack. She literally knew anything and everything there was and went ABOVE and BEYOND to make sure all my needs were met. She shared personal experiences on her previous travels and even broke down other options for gear I was interested in. There was nothing she couldn’t answer nor did she try and guess on something she didn’t know, she literally knew her products inside and out. I traveled an hour to get to this location for an exchange and left buying over $300 in gear and a membership. I will 10000% be coming back in the coming weeks to continue to shop with REI because of my experience with Dolores. I’m in the customer service industry and understand what it means to take care of the customer. This type of experience unfortunately doesn’t happen often. Dolores absolutely cares and is truly passionate about her craft. I appreciate her help and the help of all the staff. This team was great to work with from the cashiers to the floor staff . I look forward to doing more business with REI and working with this team in the future.

I just stopped in to the REI in Vernon Hills to look at a rolling travel bag that I had been looking at online. I wanted to see the bag in person, so I found a sales associate to help me. His name is Paul, and right from the start I could tell he was going to be helpful. Not only did he help me find the bag I was looking for, but then when I wanted to know about camping supplies, he answered all my questions about that, too. He went so far as to tell me in detail about REI’s rental program and how it’s a great way for camping beginners to test the waters. My husband and I will be moving to Washington in a couple months, and when I told Paul this, he was eager to tell me about his experiences there. He is a camper himself, and so he was able to give me advice and recommendations based on actual experience. This is a big shout out to Paul for doing such a great job! These days I find it’s hard to find people who are knowledgeable about what they are selling, eager to help the customer, and concerned that the customer has a good experience. Paul went above and beyond, even though I didn’t buy anything in the end. Thank you Paul!

Really good staff here helped me pick out the hiking shoes that are best for me and my needs. I switched out between at least 6 pairs and the staff didn’t hesitate to continue to offer help.

Great place to look like a camper. The gear sold here looks great but it's usefulness is minimal. I'm all about a Co-op but being approached 9 times and them trying to sell me on it was a huge turn off. We couldn't even look around without being harassed to become a member. Again, this place is beautiful but the gear here is not what a person would actually need to go real camping with.

I absolutely love this place and shop here as much as I can! the staff are friendly and knowledgeable and clearly people who do things outdoors :-)