FROM OUR JANUARY ISSUE: DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENTS, WEST COAST
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This second part of our Retail Radar report from our January issue focuses on a few stores to the west of the Mississippi River. (See the first part, focusing on the East, posted yesterday.)
It’s been a while since we’ve done a roundup of contemporary stores, but we’re happy to report we’ve found some that should definitely be on your retail radar. To come up with the list we divided the country at the Mississippi into East and West, then we excluded the major markets, and all the stores you already know. We also looked for retailers who had a point of view and who used it to present their assortments. Customer engagement and social media interaction were also important. Finally, we sought stores that carried labels that we had not heard of because we love discovering new brands. If you think your store should be in the next roundup, please email us at john.jones@wainscotmedia.com or michael.macko@wainscotmedia.com, or drop a comment below.
JAXEN GREY
226 N WASHINGTON AVE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55401
(612) 399-9973
JAXENGRAY.COM
OWNER: MICHAEL DRUSKIN
When did you open your store?
We opened in August of 2019.
Why open a new store?
I have been in retail my whole life. After taking a pause for a few years I was inspired by so many brands that I was able to discover online but not in-store, that I decided to create a concept for guys focusing on brands that are harder to find or not yet in brick and mortar.
How do you choose the brands you carry?
At first, we mostly focused on primarily direct-to-consumer brands. Today we look for passion, perseverance, and purpose. We seek out brands that are really dedicated to creating great products that are both wearable and approachable.
How do you find/discover new brands?
It’s a combination of listening to what customers are asking for, checking out other really passionate retailers, attending trade shows in different areas, and having a generally curious personality.
What is your best-selling category?
That can really vary seasonally. In fall it’s pants, in spring it’s short sleeve woven shirts.
How do you do you identify your store?
We are that place in the Venn Diagram where the circles intersect. We believe we bring the best of each category for our customer at an aspirational price range.
Do you do more business in-store or online?
Our online business is just a year old, and we recently switched to the Shopify platform, which is really exciting, but brick-and-mortar will always be the heart of our business.
How involved are you and your store in the local community?
We strive to be part of our communities and we contribute to charities throughout the year on top of donating 5% of profits each year to a local charity.
What is the biggest challenge and the advantages of being an independent retailer?
The challenge is competing with the brands themselves, which operate at a much higher margin. The advantage is that we can be nimbler, we have relationships with our customers, and we can curate our product mix.
Anything else you would like to add?
We took a risk in 2019, focusing on brands that did not want to do wholesale business and tipping the first few to sell us, which was not easy. What is cool is to see that so many of these brands today not only do wholesale but are looking to expand it and see the value in creating a more omni-channel experience for the stores and the customers. We have broken down some barriers in the last few years and are energized to keep it going and continue to be a leader in the marketplace.
Image, top: Michael Druskin keeping things focused at Jaxen Grey.
SHOP BOSWELL
729 SE MORRISON STREET
PORTLAND, OR 97214
SHOPBOSWELL.US
OWNER: BROOKES BOSWELL
When did you open your store?
Shop Boswell opened in 2016 as a womenswear and lifestyle store in Portland, Oregon. We added a small menswear section in 2018/19 and it’s grown steadily ever since.
Why open a new store?
I have a business designing and making hand-blocked hats under the line Brookes Boswell. I was already working in the industry and interacting with small boutique owners and apparel designers. I thought that I could add a unique perspective to the retail scene in Portland.
How do you choose the brands you carry?
Part of it is knowing our customers and following trends, but most of my decisions are instinctive. A brand has to have a certain blend of quality, and wearability while also being unique. It’s hard to get that mix just right and when I see it, I know it.
How do you find/discover new brands?
It depends. When I first opened the store, I reached out to friends and folks I knew who were designers. As the store has grown and our assortment has expanded, it’s been a mix of my own discovery (mostly through social media) or designers reaching out to me directly. I usually go into each buying season with a plan and already know who I’m going to work with that season.
What is your best-selling category?
Our own line of hats, then jackets, pants, and dresses. Our collections sell across gender lines, so we don’t track menswear separately from womenswear.
How do you identify your store?
That’s a hard question to answer. I try to stay true to our vision of quality/ wearability/uniqueness and I’m willing to buy from designers of any category, but we mostly focus on small, independent designers.
Do you do more business in-store or online?
About 50/50.
How involved are you and your store in the local community?
I’m an introverted store owner, so we’re not overly involved in the community. We try to do a few events every year, host designers in the shop and do pop-ups.
What is the biggest challenge and the advantages of being an independent retailer?
Right now, it’s trying to not compete with the big e-comm retailers. We just can’t match their markdown schedules and discounting. Folks have to support the small shops if they want to see us stick around.
The advantage of being small is that we’re flexible. I can redirect our buying budget to different categories as well as redirect my attention to different areas of the business as needed.
Images, above: A mix of men’s and women’s fashions (and hats, of course) keeps things sunny and bright at Shop Boswell.