REI’s Black Friday Shutdown Meets With Reddit Reproach

News that outdoor goods retailer REI would close its doors on Black Friday in an effort to allow workers to “go outside and play instead” has generally been well-received. If it was a mere marketing stroke, people said, it was a masterful one. But REI lost its footing when it tried to spread the message to the social network Reddit. CEO Jerry Strizke hosted a Reddit “AMA,” short for “ask me anything,” on Tuesday night. Strizke clearly went in with the intent of promoting REI’s decision to close its doors on Black Friday.