The outdoor gear co-op occupied the ground floor of 1405 N.W. Johnson St. in Portland for two decades before packing out last year, citing ongoing problems with retail theft and break-ins. An REI spokesperson at the time said the company spent hundreds of thousands on security measures and was unsuccessful in working with its landlord to address issues at the store.

The co-op opened a large new store in Beaverton last April.

Lance Sasser, Kidder Mathews senior vice president, said owner Brolin-PDX Real Estate Holdings LLC has been seeking a new tenant or buyer for the space for a few months. But putting it up for auction is a way to add a sense of urgency to the marketing strategy, Sasser said.

With its floor-to-ceiling windows, a new occupant could easily split the space into a downstairs showroom and upstairs offices, he said.

“It’s a blank slate for somebody to put their touches on,” Sasser said.

The auction is on the online Ten-X platform and ends June 11.