[thorntonbf]

I've been a member since '83 or '84. I've undoubtedly gotten the my original money's worth out of my membership dozens of times over.

The article raises an interesting point. While I am quite loyal to REI - often choosing to buy there even though I pay sales tax and might be able to find it cheaper online, I don't pay that much attention to elections and other co-op stuff.

The primary benefit I see as a co-op member is their unparalleled customer service. I've lost count of the number of times one of their associates has gone out of their way to ensure that whatever issue I was having was taken care of appropriately.