Imagine planning a last-minute holiday shopping trip to your favorite outdoor gear store, only to find it abruptly closed with no clear explanation. That’s exactly what happened to Bay Area shoppers who flocked to the REI in Berkeley, hoping to snag those final gifts. But here’s where it gets controversial—while the retailer cited safety concerns as the reason for the indefinite closure, the city of Berkeley confirmed the building hadn’t been red-tagged, and nearby stores remained open. So, what’s the real story behind this unexpected shutdown?
Passersby gathered outside the San Pablo Avenue location were met with a vague sign taped to the door: “We’ve shut the store out of an abundance of caution and will only reopen once we receive approval deeming it safe to enter.” Customers with pending pickup orders were left in limbo, promised notifications when their items would be available. The notice ended with a brief apology for the inconvenience, leaving many more questions than answers.
The Berkeley Scanner broke the news, highlighting the discrepancy between REI’s safety claims and the city’s lack of official closure orders. While the store had been shut since Saturday, some customers were later allowed to collect their orders from the back entrance. And this is the part most people miss—REI’s emailed statement to SFGATE on Tuesday revealed the issue was a reported roof problem, requiring additional structural assessments before reopening. A structural engineer is set to evaluate the building, but no timeline has been provided.
“REI’s top priority is the safety of our employees, customers, and members,” the statement emphasized. Yet, the sudden closure during the busiest shopping season has left many wondering if there’s more to the story. Could this be a precautionary measure gone overboard, or is there a deeper structural issue at play? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
For now, shoppers are advised to visit REI’s other Bay Area locations in San Francisco, Concord, Corte Madera, Dublin, San Carlos, Sunnyvale, Santa Rosa, or Saratoga. As we await more details, one thing is clear: this holiday season just got a little more complicated for outdoor enthusiasts.
Dec 23, 2025
By Amanda Bartlett, Assistant Local Editor
Amanda Bartlett is an award-winning writer and the assistant local editor for SFGATE, covering culture, history, science, and breaking news. Before joining SFGATE in 2019, she worked with the Roxie Theater, Noise Pop, and Frameline Film Festival. Outside the newsroom, she hosts movie nights with Cinema SF as part of “SFGATE Screens” and has appeared on podcasts like Midnight Mass and Western Neighborhoods Project. She lives in Oakland with her fiancé and their rescue rabbit, Alberta Einstein. Reach her at amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com.
