MEC opens Outpost to serve student members in expanded UBC Bookstore

Shop-within-shop will house MEC lifestyle apparel; clothing for cycling, running, hiking and yoga

VANCOUVER, March 28, 2014 /CNW/ - In the first of its kind for Canada's leading outdoor retailer, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) will today open an Outpost location at the expanded and newly renovated UBC Bookstore. The shop-within-a-shop will provide students and the larger UBC community with a convenient location to purchase more than 100 popular MEC-brand products.

In addition to a selection of lifestyle apparel, the 850-square-foot MEC Outpost will feature clothing for cycling, running, hiking and yoga. The products will sell at regular MEC prices, with UBC Bookstore receiving a portion of the monthly sales.

"With the Outpost, MEC has come full circle," said Gary Faryon, Chief Retail Operations Officer. "A handful of UBC students started the co-op in 1971, and forty-three years later we are excited to be back with a new MEC store format that will serve students and the wider university community right on campus."

UBC's Managing Director of University Community Services Debbie Harvie said, "We are delighted to welcome MEC to UBC. Its high-quality products, sustainability practices and community engagement are in line with the UBC Bookstore's values. The Bookstore continues to evolve its products and services to meet the needs of the UBC community, including students, staff, faculty and campus visitors."

As a co-operative, MEC only sells to its members. Existing members will be able to shop at the UBC Outpost, and new members will be able to join the co-op. In either case, UBC Bookstore staff will be available to assist people with membership inquiries and purchases.

The opening of the Outpost store also marks the start of monthly activity clinics that MEC staff will provide to the campus community. Today, for example, students can join MEC employees for a Spin Class, or they can take in an Introduction to Backpacking. Both events are part of the larger celebration taking place now as part of the bookstore's reopening.

Upcoming MEC activity clinics at UBC will include outdoor yoga classes, a stand-up paddling seminar and running clinics. The clinics are designed to make it easy for students to access MEC's activity expertise.

Research shows that activity levels among young adults decline when they leave high school. The activity clinics are a step toward reversing that trend, by inspiring and enabling young adults to be active outdoors.

More information about the Outpost at UBC, including hours of operation, is available at www.mec.ca.

About MEC
A retail co-operative, MEC exists to encourage, enable and inspire Canadians to live active outdoor lifestyles. From backcountry trails to city streets, MEC supports a range of outdoor activities, including climbing, hiking, camping, snowsports, watersports, cycling, running and yoga. Well known for selling high-quality well-designed products that offer great value, MEC employs outdoor enthusiasts who possess a strong service ethic to provide its members with an authentic and accessible customer experience. MEC has more than 3.5 million members across Canada, whom it serves through 17 stores in 6 provinces as well as www.mec.ca and the Shop MEC iPhone® app. Anyone can join MEC by purchasing a $5 individual lifetime membership.

SOURCE: Mountain Equipment Co-op

Tim Southam
MEC Public Affairs
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604.561.4528 (mobile)
604.707.4480 (office)

Johnny Santilly
Media Profile
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416.895.2199 (mobile)

Rebecca Irani
Marketing and Communications Manager
University Community Services
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604.822.0587 (office)
778.928.6033 (mobile)