Cover Story: REI Treks Ahead

The 71-year-old story of Kent, Wash.-based Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), which sells camping and hiking equipment through catalogs, stores and the Web to customers who have the option to join its co-op, has taken a deliberate turn into the modern age.

Although the company has and will continue to mail print catalogs while operating its 104 stores and extensive Web business, like many companies rooted in catalogs, REI has spent the past few years changing its thinking about just what kind of company it is.