The first REI store will rise at the Rainier Place shopping center at South 38th Street and Interstate 5. The second facility will be located at the corner of Andover Park West and Strander Boulevard, across the street from the Westfield Shoppingtown Southcenter, which was known as Southcenter Mall up until last week.

Both of the new facilities will feature a 9-foot lateral climbing structure, a new feature for REI stores. The Seattle REI store has a 65-foot-tall climbing structure. The smaller-scale structures is set up for those who are more into bouldering.

REI was founded in 1938 by Lloyd and Mary Anderson and 23 fellow climbers. REI currently has seven stores in Washington state in Seattle, Bellingham, Lynwood, Redmond, Federal Way, Spokane and Kennewick. Two new stores opening in Northern California this month, in Santa Rosa and Roseville (near Sacramento), plus the two stores in Puget Sound will bring the total number of REI stores this fall to 63.