Cult Gaia Miami This March, Los Angeles-based ready-to-wear apparel and accessories label Cult Gaia opened its fifth store, at 135 NE 40th St, in the upscale, fashion-centered Miami Design District. The 1,500-square-foot space was designed by Jess and Jonathan Nahon of Sugarhouse, a New York-based architecture and design firm, in collaboration with the brand’s founder and CEO, Jasmin Larian Hekmat. The A-frame stand-out structure draws inspiration from temple architecture and Hekmat’s Persia
Persian heritage.
The interior of the store is divided into three primary sections. The layout is punctuated by two skylight domes in the primary rooms, with each open to a seven-foot-wide frameless oculus, allowing light to flood the space.
Under one oculus stands a 12-foot-tall concrete sculpture of an elongated Giacometti-like female nude sculpted by Hekmat’s mother, artist Angela Larian, and underneath the second oculus is a 14-foot-tall Banyan tree surrounded by a serpentine sofa designed by Brandi Howe.
The Banyan tree echoes the storefront’s mural, composed of 1800 blue-and-white handmade tiles created by South African artist Michael Chandler. The tiles portray the Garden of Eden and images of nine goddesses.
“Upon entering, guests are greeted with a motto that resonates deeply with my family’s values, ‘May the doors of the world always be open to you,’ echoing my grandmother’s wisdom and welcoming spirit,” Hekmat stated in a public release.
“Central to the store’s aesthetic and spirit is a breathtaking sculpture of a woman’s abstract figure, crafted by my mother. This piece not only celebrates her unwavering support and inspiration but also stands asa beacon of matriarchy and womanhood, which continually fuels the creative essence of Cult Gaia.”
Millesima
New York City
This year, Millesima, the New York City-based fine wine retailer, opened a luxury flagship store on 1257 2nd Avenue 66th in the Upper East Side of its hometown. The 5,200-square-foot space was designed by global creative agency Malherbe and was completed by architect Angelika Adams of Angelika Adams Design and project manager Julia Feydel of Jules Hospitality and Renovation With Passion.
The expansive yet intimate design of the store’s layout invites wine enthusiasts to embark on a grape-centered journey. With over 3,000 references, from everyday wine options to archive wines sorted by country and region and collectable editions, the consumer is wowed by both the eye-catching stretch ceiling that creates a mirrored effect to reflect the entire room and the impressive product assortment.
“This flagship marks a new chapter in the successful story of Millesima,” Millesima GM Fabrizio Germano stated in a public release.
“Our goal is to create a space that is more than a neighbourhood wine shop. It’s a wine library where wine lovers can discover new references, revisit their favorites, discuss wine, have educational sessions and tastings, and meet with producers.”
Grand Seiko
New York City
This year, Grand Seiko unveiled a multi-level flagship store located at 540 Madison Avenue in New York City, its largest boutique globally.
Inside the two-storey, 6,200-square-foot boutique, customers are invited to explore Grand Seiko’s extensive collection of timepieces, including its Spring Drive, mechanical, and quartz models, with a dedicated private room that is home to the brand’s Masterpiece collection.
The design of the store’s entrance and layout derived inspiration from a traditional form of Japanese woodwork known as ‘kumiko’, a technique of assembling wooden pieces without the use of nails. The watch showcases are made out of light-coloured wood meant to show the same “commitment to craftsmanship, precision and distinctive Japanese quality” as its timepieces.
On the store’s opening, Akio Naito, president of the Seiko Watch Corporation, commented, “The United States has accelerated the growth of Grand Seiko outside of Japan, and this new boutique opens a new chapter for the brand’s further development.
Being located at such a prime location [on the corner of Madison Avenue and 55th Street], I am certain it will allow more customers and watch lovers from around the world to experience Grand Seiko’s uniquely Japanese worldview and its endless passion for perfection.”
Revo
New York City
This year, Revo, a NASA tech-inspired eyewear brand, opened its first US-based brick-and-mortar location, a 500-square-foot storefront at 436 West Broadway, after opening its first physical location inBarcelona last year.
Revo Sunglasses was founded by NASA astrophysicist and optical engineer Dr Mitch Ruda, who asked himself the question, ‘What if we used the coatings that protect satellites to shield our eyes from the sun?’
Consumers at the Broadway store are greeted by an eye-catching blue storefront with several images of the brand’s aviator sunglasses, symbolising a cooler-than-typical optometry shop.
Stepping inside, the eyewear buyer gets an immediate sense of the sportsmanship that is a main driver behind the brand’s designs, with photos of snowboarders and other high-intensity athletes.
Although the space is on the smaller side, it’s spacious enough to showcase Revo’s entire collection of lifestyle-and sports performance-centered eyewear, in addition to brand-related artifacts and vintage pieces.
In addition to the SoHo location, Revo Sunglasses CEO Cliff Robinson told Inside Retail, the company hopes to open up to 10 new stores across the US and internationally in the next two years.
Yeti
New York City
This April, the leading premium outdoor brand debuted its 20th brick-and-mortar location, a two-storey, 6,614-foot storefront, at 200 Fifth Avenue in the bustling Midtown South district of New York City.
While its latest store is in the Big Apple, Yeti is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and is a global designer, retailer and distributor of innovative outdoor products, best known for its coolers, drinkware and outdoor equipment.
The space sits directly across the street from Madison Square Park and is home to the largest custom shop for the brand’s Rambler Drinkware customisation and Tundra trim kit personalisation. Additional elements of the unique space include onsite cooler education, ambassador spotlights, and a hand-painted mural by Texas artist Jon Fleming to remind the consumer of the brand’s homegrown roots.
“There’s no wilder place than New York City. And whether it’s taking the subway with our drinkware, heading upstate with our luggage or trekking East to the beaches with our coolers, New Yorkers have always been major fans of Yeti,” Paulie Dery, Yeti’s chief marketing officer, said of the new location.
“Finally, we have a basecamp in the region where locals can gear up and plan their next adventure.”
Pop Mart
Los Angeles
This year, China-based toy and entertainment company Pop Mart, known for its iconic designer toycharacters like Molly, Hirono, The Monsters, SKULLPANDA and many others, opened a brick-and-mortar location in Westfield Century City, an outdoor shopping mall. Adult and child toy enthusiasts are greeted by an army of toy soldiers standing at attention, ready to welcome in consumers for an extensive range of store-exclusive releases and limited-edition items.
The design concept of the 2,131-square-foot space is centered on a film set, with the repeated use of film reel and vinyl record motifs throughout the space to enhance its cinematic feel. The digital mega wall by the window uses mirrored stainless steel, with bottom stretch film light boxes shaped to echo the form of vinyl records, complementing the ceiling’s stretch film light box.
The brand operates more than 450 stores in over 30 countries, with 2,300 Robo Shops (blind box vending machines), and is constantly revealing new collaborations with brands like Uniqlo, Crocs and more.
Sunspel
Los Angeles
This year, Sunspel opened its second US West Coast storefront, on 3312 West Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, California.
The Los Angeles area location follows the successful opening of its first West Coast store, at the Marin Country Mart north of San Francisco last November, and marks the next step in the English luxury clothing brand’s longer-term US expansion plans.
On the brand’s latest opening, Sunspel CEO Raul Verdicchi remarked, “Silver Lake, renowned for its sophisticated yet relaxed ambiance, provides the ideal setting to showcase our British timeless luxury style and iconic pieces to LA.”
The 850-square-foot space is inside an old Art Deco-style brick building and offers consumers the opportunity to browse the label’s full menswear range, including its Riviera Polo Shirt, as worn by Daniel Craig in the James Bond movie Casino Royale.
Stepping inside the store, the shopper gets the perfect blend of English sophistication – from the neutral, but smartly cut luxury casualwear, underwear and swimwear – with the California-style casualness of the well-lighted, white-painted brick walls and open-air ceiling.
Established in 1860, the leading British luxury label has eight locations scattered throughout London and four in the US, including two East Coast shops, in SoHo and the Upper East Side of New York City.
REI Co-Op
Beaverton, Oregon
This April, Seattle-based specialty outdoor retailer REI Co-op opened a new location, its largest store inOregon.
Walking into the brick-and-mortar location is like walking into an adult playground built specifically for the athletic and adventurous consumer.
The 39,512-square-foot space, located at Walker Center in Beaverton, features a wide assortment of gear and apparel for camping, hiking, cycling, running, fitness, paddling and more. Inside the co-op, there is also a specialty bike shop, which will be staffed with certified mechanics who will tune or repair equipment to help cyclists ride trails and streets year-round.
The retail chain operates 181 locations in 42 states and the District of Columbia. REI says it has over 23 million members, making it the nation’s largest consumer co-op.
This story first appeared in the June 2024 issue of Inside Retail US magazine.