On October 7th, 2017 Kith closed it’s doors to the beloved 644 Broadway location – home for over 5 years. A closed door always opens up to new beginnings, as we say farewell to our first home we
Source: A Look Inside Our New Flagship Store in SoHo
A year ago I took a moment to contemplate who the next brand to become a household name would be. I knew it would derive from street culture. I had no idea that Supreme would gain a billion dollar valuation. I did know that a company that aligned itself with Bergdorf Goodman, successfully launched two of the dopest NYFW campaigns and has such an engrained relationship with fashion and sports that they can bring Scottie Pippen to a fashion week and not make it awkward, could really be the next big thing… if it wanted to be.
Last year I made the above analysis and it didn’t feel like a guess. It felt like a prediction. Now with Supreme crossing over, Kith is beginning to look like a brand that could save retail if attention to the merchandising details of the company is studied. It really looks that way when the store has made a move into Soho to compete directly with the big three of Nike, adidas and Under Armour who have all set up shop there.
The space is split into three levels and each section is given gallery styled displays to enhance the shopping experience.
The New Kith Description:
On October 7th, 2017 Kith closed it’s doors to the beloved 644 Broadway location – home for over 5 years. A closed door always opens up to new beginnings, as we say farewell to our first home we say hello to our new one – 337 Lafayette Street. Our all-new flagship houses three floors catering to not only men but women as well. The first floor features an array of men’s Kith apparel, multi-brand apparel, and accessories. The second floor spotlights a full-length display of footwear, Kith Treats, and an interactive activation space. Also, featured on this floor is the Arsham-Fieg Gallery where new artists will be showing their works of art which will be available for purchase upon request. The third floor is home to Kith Women’s featuring the Kith Women’s line, the Kith Sport Activewear line, women’s multi-brand, accessories, vintage jewelry, as well as vintage Chanel and Louis Vuitton bags. Lastly, two pillars can be found on either side of each floor creating an endless view of the notorious Snarkitecture Air Jordan 1 casts. To all those who shopped with us at 644 Broadway, we thank you and look forward to new beginnings at 337 Lafayette St.
In a move similar to what adidas has been doing the inclusion of an art gallery creates an interactive space that utilizes every square foot in the store. There are over 15 pictures available on the Kith website on the source link above. Take a moment to look at how retail should be done and then understand why walking into a Foot Locker no longer inspires brand loyalty.
Supreme made a mistake I think. Kith however has organically created a retail experience that reinforces the likelihood that we will begin to see a Kith private label footwear line that would immediately rival many of the smaller brands out there. Their apparel is already highly coveted; it just feels like someone is organizing the paperwork to be submitted for an initial public offering.
Note: Kith is not going public. This is speculative.