Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) — Queen St. West

There’s never been a better time to get outside and start exploring the great outdoors.

And one of the best places to grab gear is the 35,000-square-foot MEC flagship store on Queen St. West in Toronto.

This two-level mega store isn’t just the go-to spot for quality hiking gear.

The new flagship will also serve as a community space, offering various events, member services, and spaces for local outdoor groups and organizations to reserve and use.

There’s also a community room that seats 12 people and will be used as a meeting space that’s available for use by local outdoor groups and environmental organizations.

MEC is also mindful of the environment and that includes making sure its stores are up to par with its beliefs.

MEC Queen Street uses renewable energy and is carbon neutral. Also, the wood elements seen throughout the store is all British Columbia pine.

Passionate about inclusivity, MEC Queen Street can be easily reached by foot, transit, bike, and car. There are also three levels of underground parking with spaces available for disabled parking.

MEC wants to make sure that everyone feels welcome in this space. There are fully accessible, universal change rooms on each floor as well as a gender neutral bathroom on the second floor.

There is also a land acknowledgement at the store’s main entrance that recognizes the Indigenous land that the building is located on.

In addition, there is an installation that highlights local Indigenous community partner, Outdoor Reconcili-Action.

The new space also features a 1,000-square-foot bouldering wall for in-store climbing and an open concept full service bike and ski repair shop.

MEC Queen Street uses renewable energy and is carbon neutral. Also, the wood elements seen throughout the store is all British Columbia pine.

Passionate about inclusivity, MEC Queen Street can be easily reached by foot, transit, bike, and car. There are also three levels of underground parking with spaces available for disabled parking.

MEC wants to make sure that everyone feels welcome in this space. There are fully accessible, universal change rooms on each floor as well as a gender neutral bathroom on the second floor.

There is also a land acknowledgement at the store’s main entrance that recognizes the Indigenous land that the building is located on.

In addition, there is an installation that highlights local Indigenous community partner, Outdoor Reconcili-Action.

The new space also features a 1,000-square-foot bouldering wall for in-store climbing and an open concept full service bike and ski repair shop.

MEC doesn’t want anyone to walk away feeling unsatisfied with their purchase. That’s why in-store, there are so many opportunities to test out whatever you’re thinking of buying.

If you’re not quite sure how your new potential footwear purchase will perform while you’re out on the trails, hop in the treadmill in-store and give it all you’ve got. You can even race face-to-face with a friend for a little friendly competition.

Think it couldn’t get any cooler? Prepare to be wowed by MEC’s virtual reality tent technology.

Upstairs, shoppers can use tablets that are programmed with virtual reality technology to virtually experience tents before purchasing. This technology was developed by Finger Food Studios, and it isn’t only seriously cool but it saves space in the store as tents can get pretty large.

It’s pretty safe to say that if you’re looking to spend the summer taking on some hiking and camping trips, then MEC is definitely the place to grab all the essentials!

Take a peek inside MEC Queen Street below.

MEC Queen St. West photos by StyleDemocracy