About MER
Outdoor gear with a greater cause
Outdoor Gear Store in Colorado Springs
Mountain Equipment Recyclers, Inc. (MER) is a retail and consignment outdoor gear store selling new and used high-quality outdoor equipment located in Colorado Springs, CO. Gear includes camping, backpacking, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, cycling, running, climbing, fly fishing, canoes/kayaks, and many other outdoor activities associated with beautiful Colorado.
Mission
Mountain Equipment Recyclers is a used outdoor gear shop committed to helping the local community through accessibility and donations to local non-profits.
100% of MER’s net profits are contributed to various non-profits in the Colorado Springs areas.
Values
We have three core values:
#1 We strive to offer high-quality gear at discounted prices.
#2 We support the local community.
#3 One-hundred percent of profits go toward charitable causes.
History of MER Outdoor Gear Store
Founded in 2010, MER began as a consignment gear shop with the added goal of giving back to relief programs that assisted PTSD-affected soldiers returning from combat. In a short time, various nonprofits and advocacy groups were added to the charitable partner’s list. Adding these groups connected the MER outdoor gear store to some incredible people and organizations in the Colorado Springs community, including trails and open areas that our staff and customers were actively utilizing.
Following a unique collaboration in 2016, MER moved under the ownership of the Beanstalk Foundation, a nonprofit based in Denver, CO. Operating as a social business, 100% of MER net profits are now used for charitable causes. Beginning in 2017, MER partnered with local nonprofit Kids on Bikes to bring in the Pedal Station Community Bike Center. With the newly forged partnerships, MER outdoor gear store is now home to the largest selection of quality used and refurbished bikes in the area.
Some Of The Outdoor Organizations We Support
Each month MER selects one charity as our Non-Profit of the Month.
Friends of El Paso County Nature Centers- Non-Profit of the Month for October 2024
MER is proud to support our Non-Profit for the month for October 2024- Friends of El Paso County Nature Centers: "...connect people to their natural and cultural resources and inspire them to become stewards for our parks and the environment." Ways to support: 1....
Food To Power- Non-Profit of the Month for September 2024
MER is proud to support our Non-Profit for the month of September 2024- Food To Power: "We envision a world where communities heal and thrive in relationship with food, land, and each other. " "We know that food is an essential source of everyone’s power to work,...
UpaDowna- Non-Profit of the Month for August 2024
MER is proud to support our Non-Profit for the month of August 2024- UpaDowna: "...geared towards individuals who are new to the outdoors, looking to develop their current skillset, facing uphill battles getting outdoors, and those who simply want to find camaraderie...