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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    N side, Terrace, BC
    Posts
    5,144

    Mountain equipment coop loses $11M last year

    You know I thought opening another store in Calgary (there's two there already) was a stupid idea, but apparently they've had a few other stupid ideas lately...

    Hope they can turn it around. Their return policy is gold, and they generally have what you need. Sort of like Canada's REI I figure.

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...o-op-1.5375846
    “I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different.”
    ― Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

    www.mymountaincoop.ca

    This is OUR mountain - come join us!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    I don't buy near as much from them as I used to , probably cuz I have 2 of everything or maybe its their product line?

    And do they really need so many stores and it would be nice if they got back to their roots which was cutting edge out door gear ?

    You meet 60-70 year old folks who were in the UBC Varsity outdoor club and they have double or triple digit membership numbers,
    now there are 5 million+ members
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    1,744
    I found it odd that they started carrying skis. Their prices are not at all competitive so I have no idea how they move them.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    2,469
    I welcome Decathlon to Canada. MEC is wack.

    This guy put it well

    http://www.voteforsteve.ca/

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    in the trench
    Posts
    15,690
    That’s too bad.theres still good deals to be had there. I just got some water bottles, nikwax and a “sweet” helmet a few days ago. So easy. I don’t think they need more brick and mortar. They have a very good website. I think that’s their strength. I use it for weights too. Likeany outdoor business these days, you really have to know your clientele and crunch your numbers really really well on what sells. The market is so saturated, there’s no room for margin errors let alone huge stock margin errors

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Access to Granlibakken
    Posts
    11,184
    Good memories of buying their house brand packs, outerwear etc many yrs ago when I lived in Seattle. Definitely good value. I remember them selling somewhat obscure ski brands from Yurp that were hard to find elsewhere, but that was before the boom in internetz retailing.

    Hope they figure shit out.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    2,767
    meh, they can't compete with Canadian Tire Corp. and win and they can't compete with individual specialty retailers anymore either if the independent knows what they are doing...
    what's orange and looks good on hippies?
    fire

    rails are for trains
    If I had a dollar for every time capitalism was blamed for problems caused by the government I'd be a rich fat film maker in a baseball hat.

    www.theguideshut.ca

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
    Posts
    4,345
    Been a member since the mid-80s. Always been more interested in the gear than the fashion they peddled. And their own brand of packs I always gave serious consideration to. My patronage has taken a serious dive over the past couple decades - too much fashion and soft goods over the hardware. And competition for my hardware dollars is greater once the other retail players adjusted to the market MEC created. That, too much brick & mortar investment, and corporate board parasitism IMO - the overhead doesn't justify the margins. I wish them luck but something has to give.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    At the North end of the Parkway
    Posts
    1,787
    Once they offered the packs and canned the Serratus brand they lost my respect. Then they started bringing in things you could by anywhere. Patagonia, etc. Next it was bikes, no point to that and Burton both of those screwed small businesses which again lost them respect. Poor choices in top of poor choices.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Rossland BC
    Posts
    1,879
    20 years ago I looked forward to my annual visit to MEC, checking out and stocking up on gear. Now I’m bombarded with incredible deals, shipped to my door, every day of the year. I don’t even buy at regular pro-deal prices anymore, as they even have regular sales. In the outdoor gear space, unless you’re providing a skilled service (ie. boot fitting or bike servicing) or impulse buying opportunities, bricks and mortar retailing seems very challenging.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    There's No 666 in Outer Space
    Posts
    666
    Green GAP sucks.


    Bring back the mountain.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Greg_o
    Posts
    2,641
    ^ I have a couple riding friends who refer to it as MEC (they say 'Mech') and it annoys me more than it probably should.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    2,767
    Many
    Empty
    Compartments

    maybe not so much anymore but back in the day, drive in to get a Victorinox Swiss army knife or something only they carried and nothing in stock
    what's orange and looks good on hippies?
    fire

    rails are for trains
    If I had a dollar for every time capitalism was blamed for problems caused by the government I'd be a rich fat film maker in a baseball hat.

    www.theguideshut.ca

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    I used to love the hard copy catalogue and when it arrived I think the ski season was right around the corner, a lot of them ended up in the John as reading material that could really move you.

    Back then they only showed really straight looking white people going into the back country,

    Some where I got the song written down called " On the cover of the MEC " about some enthusiastic outdoor types who are recreating like crazy but they can't get their picture on the cover of the MEC which is how you knew you had arrived back in the day
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Cowtown
    Posts
    352
    Quote Originally Posted by Thaleia View Post
    ^ I have a couple riding friends who refer to it as MEC (they say 'Mech') and it annoys me more than it probably should.
    Same here. Dunno why but ‘Mech’ really irritates me.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    3,723
    Quote Originally Posted by Merlyn View Post
    Same here. Dunno why but ‘Mech’ really irritates me.
    That's funny. My wife is from Calgary and "mech" is all I've ever heard it called by her family and friends. I always assumed that's what all Canadians called it.

    (typed while wearing an MEC m3 fleece hood)

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Ontario Canada eh
    Posts
    4,378
    Quote Originally Posted by Kirby View Post
    Green GAP sucks.




    Bring back the mountain.
    Absolutely.

    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    I used to love the hard copy catalogue and when it arrived I think the ski season was right around the corner, a lot of them ended up in the John as reading material that could really move you.

    Back then they only showed really straight looking white people going into the back country,

    Some where I got the song written down called " On the cover of the MEC " about some enthusiastic outdoor types who are recreating like crazy but they can't get their picture on the cover of the MEC which is how you knew you had arrived back in the day
    Used love seeing the red leaf showing what was made in Canada.

    Quote Originally Posted by Thaleia View Post
    ^ I have a couple riding friends who refer to it as MEC (they say 'Mech') and it annoys me more than it probably should.

    Quote Originally Posted by Merlyn View Post
    Same here. Dunno why but ‘Mech’ really irritates me.

    Quote Originally Posted by phatty View Post
    That's funny. My wife is from Calgary and "mech" is all I've ever heard it called by her family and friends. I always assumed that's what all Canadians called it.

    (typed while wearing an MEC m3 fleece hood)
    In Quebec it's Le Mec. Not as annoying as in English.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    N side, Terrace, BC
    Posts
    5,144
    I've called it, and heard it called mec (mech) as long as I've known about mec. Since about '83 or so. Having said that, I'm not very hip. Man.
    “I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different.”
    ― Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

    www.mymountaincoop.ca

    This is OUR mountain - come join us!

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Matchbox 20
    Posts
    2,313
    I love the parking spot next to the front door signed (for Electric/Hybrid or low emissions vehicles). There is NEVER a car parked there.
    Virtue signalling at its finest.

    And shopping bags, even if your hands are full, it is raining outside, and you spent $500, no bag for you.
    Not even a paper bag.
    More awesome virtue signalling.

    Fuckers.

    The logo move was a stupid move. They are now the KFC of outdoor stuff. Kinda a race to the bottom as far as branding is concerned.
    MEC is meaningless. It lacks any identity and means whatever you want.
    OH, MY GAWD! ―John Hillerman  Big Billie Eilish fan.
    But that's a quibble to what PG posted (at first, anyway, I haven't read his latest book) ―jono
    we are not arguing about ski boots or fashionable clothing or spageheti O's which mean nothing in the grand scheme ― XXX-er

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Matchbox 20
    Posts
    2,313
    ""When you think about backcountry tents or snowshoes, we are in a very strong position. I worry that [we are] trying to compete in other categories such as jean jackets and running shoes," he said."

    Yup. Try and find a real hiking boot there.
    Pffft.

    It's still a great place to shop.

    They should have a $25 membership fee like Costco, give members real perks, make COOP mean something more that just being a number, and get rid of FASHION and focus on awesome.
    And bikes. Frig.
    They aren't a bike store and it detracts from the core focus.

    "Union organizers stand outside the Victoria MEC store. (Alex Charron)"

    Does MEC need a union? Are they that bad a place to work???
    OH, MY GAWD! ―John Hillerman  Big Billie Eilish fan.
    But that's a quibble to what PG posted (at first, anyway, I haven't read his latest book) ―jono
    we are not arguing about ski boots or fashionable clothing or spageheti O's which mean nothing in the grand scheme ― XXX-er

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    probably the heyday of Mech was back-in-the-day when they were in that big yellow building on maybe 6th/Cambie in Vangroovy, there was the Taiga store right across the street with their free parking lot inbetween and that was probably also the heyday for Taiga

    Yeah not too sure about them doing biking, but its probably the cheapest place to buy Shimano SPD's

    they brought back the Radpants a 20yr old design

    Unions are/were big in B.C. for a lot of years, anybody who works at a Mech level job in Vancover can barely afford rent,
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Greg_o
    Posts
    2,641
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    I used to love the hard copy catalogue and when it arrived I think the ski season was right around the corner, a lot of them ended up in the John as reading material that could really move you.

    Back then they only showed really straight looking white people going into the back country,

    Some where I got the song written down called " On the cover of the MEC " about some enthusiastic outdoor types who are recreating like crazy but they can't get their picture on the cover of the MEC which is how you knew you had arrived back in the day
    Oh man I completely forgot about that. I noticed it as well. Like every shot with their models were a white guy and gal.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    yeah that ^^ came up fairly recently but I can't say I ever noticed, probably because I have always self-identifyed as a white kid from Burnaby having grown up in that formerly white Vangroovy suburb now over run with my people

    I think the reason MEC changed to the mountain-free logo is to be more inclusive

    you know of people who don't identify with mountains ?
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  24. #24
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
    Posts
    3,807
    I used to love the catalog. If I was ever in vangroovy I'd make sure I spent some time in the store. It was so easy to blow my bank account in that place. Although for down and goretex I'd go across the street to Taiga. I was in the Victoria and kelowna stores recently, there is nothing special about them. There was a time when it was the Mecca for outdoor gear in BC but no longer even though it's Mec.ca

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    Yeah I used to call it Mecca

    I would always make the shopping list & schedule 2 or 3 hrs in the Broadway store to stock up on shit, the north Van store is not bad, there is also a store at the surrey/langley border which is rather lackluster so that makes for 3 stores in the GVRD so I gotta wonder if the smaller stores pay ?

    I had friends who would describe anywhere in Vancover by its relationship to the MEC store

    instead of having to go to a store I just make the 50$ minimum for free shipping with stuff I might not need and take it all back every year or 2
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

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