Herschel Supply is opening its first US store as it plans to expand

A quick dive:

• Herschel Supply, known for its handbags, opened a store in New York’s Flatiron neighborhood on Friday, marking its first stand-alone location in the U.S.
• The store — measuring 2,500 square feet — will combine both old and new design elements, such as LED screens, reclaimed oak tables and vintage furniture, according to a press release sent to Retail Dive.
• The venue will also feature a space dedicated to rotating artists to showcase their work, as well as an area to host community events throughout the year.

Dive Insight:

Herschel Supply was founded in Canada more than 10 years ago, but its new store in New York is helping to strengthen its position in the American market.

The new store is the first of several locations the brand is planning in the coming years, including Los Angeles, and adds to the list of four stores already operating in Canada.

As with other locations, the New York store will host social events that have in the past included live podcasts, musical performances and a sound bath, co-founder Lyndon Cormack told Retail Dive.

But Cormack is keen to make it clear that the brand is not moving away from its wholesale partners, which include Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Urban Outfitters.

“We have some of the most amazing wholesale partners. … For people who want to experience a bunch of brands in one space, there’s nothing better in the world than wholesale. We love the fact that we have neighbors in these stores that help complement the entire offering that people are looking for. We’re going to double down and work with our wholesale partners to figure out how we can continue to grow with them,” Cormack said. “This is not a move away from wholesale.”

But standalone stores, Cormack said, will enhance the brand experience by showcasing even more of the brand’s range rather than a curated selection, and will help strengthen its marketing by serving as a “shoppable billboard”.

“If you have a great retail store, that’s really the best marketing you can do for brands,” Cormack said.

By this time next year, the brand will have 16 stores operating across North America, according to Cormack, who added that the potential for even more locations continues to grow.