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| - There's nothing I like more than a store with heart, and MEC has it.
You will read here that MEC is a stand-out in both brands and selection; that the service here is wonderful; that it is a mecca for any outdoor gear that you will need; ALL of these things are true.
If you like to do anything outside, from whistles to kayaks, you will find what you need at MEC.
MEC stands for Mountain Equipment Co-Op and although I should be reviewing the things you can find at the store and the service blah blah blah, there is enough talk of that here. I'm going to talk about what I've learned about the store behind these great products.
When you purchase anything from MEC they will charge you a one-time $5 membership fee and this little $5 makes you a member of the Co-Op, you are now officially a voting member of the store!
Members can vote on, and run for, the board of directors; who directly effect store operations; essentially it's a store of the people for the people.
This Co-Op also makes it difficult to sell the store to a larger conglomerate as they need the members to say 'yes' to consider a sale (and it's a big ass number of members). This keeps MEC local.
Besides offering a collaborative experience for its customers, MEC does an amazing job with customer feedback and actually integrates that feedback into their product design. They also have a killer return policy; if your pack, shoe, sleeping bag or rope breaks, even after YEARS, they will take it back and give you new stuff.
They are also a leader in sustainability and conservation and have some of the highest proportion of sustainable products available at their store that I have seen to date; PLUS each store does something neat to help our environment (Calgary is wind powered, Winnipeg powers their store with bio fuel etc.)
I sound like a real champion for MEC, but let's be fair, they've got great gear, great service, great selection, decent prices and are overall a cool store. So next time you need a waterproof first aid kit or a day-pack, hit MEC and know that your $5 membership fee goes a long way in keeping this store one-of-a-kind!
T.
ps. My MEC education is courtesy of an excellent friend of mine who works there; she also tells me that if you want extra cool benefits like product testing and classes, get a job at MEC.
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