REI to close its Santa Monica store, the retailer's second move out of a bustling city center this month

Key Facts

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press) REI will close up shop in Santa Monica at the end of the month, marking the second move out of a busy downtown area this month for the outdoor retail giant.
The closure of the Santa Monica outlet, which opened in 2006, marks the latest blow for one of the coastal city’s key shopping districts, which has lately begun to build back some momentum after struggling to regain its footing in recent years.
Representatives for REI didn’t immediately respond to questions about why they’re leaving the Santa Monica location, which officially closes at 6 p.m. on Feb. 29, or about the January closure of a store in Fremont, Calif.
The company previously put out a statement about leaving Portland, saying that the store had in the last year experienced “its highest number of break-ins and thefts in two decades, despite actions to provide extra security.”