REI SoHo Closing In July, 72 Jobs Affected

REI plans to close its SoHo flagship in July, eliminating roughly 72 roles tied to the store in the Puck Building. The closure ends the co-op’s only Manhattan retail outpost in a neighborhood where the store has operated since 2011. REI has begun notifying employees and local officials about the fallout. The shutdown timeline has been pulled forward from a previously described late-2026 plan, potentially tightening the period for internal transfers and severance discussions. Union leaders and worker advocates are seeking details on transfer options, recall rights, and severance packages. The store has a history of union activity, strikes, and labor complaints involving safety, scheduling, and pay. REI is also reducing operations, including winding down its Experiences business and changing pay and benefits effective July.

"REI is pulling the plug on its SoHo flagship this July, and about 72 employees at the store are expected to lose their jobs, according to a new report. The closure wipes out the co-op's only Manhattan retail outpost in a neighborhood where the store has anchored the Puck Building since 2011. Workers and union advocates say the sped-up timeline is already fueling questions about transfers, severance and what happens to in-store services."

"According to Crain's New York Business, REI informed staff that the SoHo location will close in July and that roughly 72 roles tied to the store will be eliminated. The report, by C.J. Hughes, identifies the Puck Building site as the affected location and notes that REI has started notifying employees and local officials about the fallout."

"When REI first announced that its SoHo and Boston stores would close, it described the move as a late 2026 shutdown, coverage that appeared in outlets such as Gothamist. The newer Crain's reporting indicates that the SoHo schedule has been pulled forward, a shift that could tighten the window for internal transfers and severance talks that many expected to stretch through the end of 2026."

"Union leaders told reporters they are pressing REI for specifics on transfer options, recall rights and any severance packages for employees who are out of a job once the store closes. Advocates note that earlier actions at the store highlighted concerns about safety, scheduling and pay, issues they say will be central as the shutdown proceeds."

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