Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) is bringing a “new kind of store” to B.C. this fall, but it won’t be in Metro Vancouver.
Daily Hive has learned from MEC that Whistler is getting a new store, with a soft launch planned for this Halloween. MEC says the store is “designed for the Sea to Sky.”
What makes this store different is that it will be a small-format location at just 2,200 sq. ft.
The new location is actually where the old Arc’teryx store used to be, and MEC is taking over the space.
“The smaller-format store will pair a highly curated, locally relevant assortment with expert staff and access to MEC’s full product offering through mec.ca,” the company told Daily Hive.
The store will be located at 104 – 4338 Main St., right in Whistler Village.
MEC says that the location represents a “deliberate evolution of MEC’s retail model and continued investment in its Canadian store network.”
This location is “built around how people live and shop in a resort community.”
According to the MEC website, there are currently six locations across B.C., including one in Vancouver, one in North Vancouver, Langley, Victoria, Nanaimo and Kelowna.
MEC also has a head office in Vancouver and a distribution centre in Surrey.
Whistler seems like the perfect city for an MEC store, due to the wide variety of outdoor activities available for visitors. MEC calls Whistler a “natural place” to introduce the new format.
MEC CEO Peter Hlynsky says that Whistler is where his own connection to the outdoors was shaped.
“We’ve heard consistently that people in the corridor want an MEC closer to home, and now they’ll have it. MEC Whistler will combine well-curated products with local expertise. Our priority is to earn our place here and become a trusted local outdoor resource for years to come.”
He added that while the store itself is intentionally small, access to MEC is not.
“We can focus on what makes sense for Whistler while connecting people to the full breadth of MEC when they need something we don’t have on the floor. It’s a model built around local relevance, expertise, and giving people more choice.”
This new store also means an opportunity for Whistler job seekers.
MEC is going to be holding a recruitment fair in Whistler on Sept. 29 and wants enthusiasts to join the team. If you love to ski, run, bike, climb, camp, or get outside in general, MEC wants you at their job fair. You can learn about working at MEC, what roles are available, and what it’s like to “turn your outside time into expertise you can share with others.”
The fair will take place between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., and will be located at #201 – 4230 Gateway Dr. in Whistler. It’s located right above the Whistler Visitor Centre in the taxi loop.
If you can’t make it, you can check out the MEC careers page.
Following its acquisition by an American company in 2020, many rejoiced when it was announced that MEC was a Canadian company again in 2025.