I really love REI and actually worked at one in Dallas for a short stint back in the 90s. I would consider myself a pretty outdoorsy person and my love of gear (get the gear) keeps me shopping at REI often.
Over the years I've gotten a little more urbanfied and look less like the hiker/camper woman of yesteryear, but I still love my gear nonetheless. Unfortunately, when I have visited this location several times in the recent past I have always felt that because I'm not a happy hiker lady and I sometimes go to REI in business attire, I get treated differently. The customer service at this location has always been lacking in my opinion.
That is until my most recent visit to buy some Merrell running shoes right after the Christmas holiday. I knew the exact shoes that I wanted, so I went directly to the shoe department and was greeted by John. Whoa! This guy was amazing! He actually treated me like a customer and assisted me in trying on several pairs of shoes with great explanations of the pros/cons of each pair. He wasn't dismissive of me, as I had been treated in the past by a couple of other REI employees at this location. He was genuine, kind, informative and extremely helpful.
I haven't had this kind of customer service in a long time at any retail store. Thank you, John, for such a great customer experience and for instilling hope in me for future REI visits. I especially appreciated your non-judgmental attitude even though I might have been sporting mom jeans that day. My money spent just as well as the Johnny hikers who were also there.
By the way, the shoes you recommended are spot on. Thanks!