Rei Store Features Tower And Shower

OK, it fits. But will it repel a rain shower and withstand a mountain climb?

Shoppers at the $30 million Recreational Equipment Inc. store may be able to get those questions answered when REI opens a retail outlet off Interstate 5 near downtown.

The store, which opens Sept. 13, offers a 65-foot, glass-enclosed climbing tower and a shower booth for shoppers to check if rain gear is really waterproof.

The grounds around the building feature a 580-foot trail for buyers to test mountain bikes and a waterfall that recirculates rainwater from the roof.