REI to open new, 2-story store along banks of Chicago River

CHICAGO (AP) - Outdoor retailer REI plans to open a new 40,000-square-foot (3,716-square-meter) store along the Chicago River that will offer kayak and paddleboard rentals, giving customers direct access to the water.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and REI Co-op announced the plans Wednesday. They say REI will be relocating its current store in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood to a new 2-story location on the banks of the river’s north branch.

The store is expected to open early next year.

Emanuel says the store is part of Chicago’s effort to transform the riverfront into “the city’s next recreational frontier.”