pic via Bodega
Source: In Conversation w/ Kacey Lynch of Bricks & Wood
I’ve been a fan of Bodega for a very long time. As one of the indie sneaker boutiques I see doing a variety of projects to inform and engage their fans, I often use them as an example of what larger retailers should mimic to do a better job of creating an experience. I don’t know Bodega’s financial standing, but what I do know is that in March 2021 the site was at 590,000 visits per month and today the site is hitting 758,000 per month. The retailer has two locations, Los Angeles and Boston, but their footprint is large enough that they often find themselves on the collaborative end of a brands they carry in their shops.
This post on Bricks & Wood, is only one of the items of content the team has under their Editorial section on the site. While I chose to link to this article, the content there is extensive and serves to highlight the brands they carry. This is important. In search, when a site shares a link to another site, the Google algorithm likes that and will rate that site higher in search. While the majority of mainstream retail pours money into influencers and social media, Bodega has long poured their resources into their site first and then they share OUT to social.
Consider this post I wrote in 2017:
Series by Bodega: A New Way of Retailing | What Retail Can Learn From Bodega
Bodega’s content creation informs the layout of their site. The same attention to detail found in their editorial, check out this quote from the B&W interview:
Has there been a history of giving back to the community in South Central. When people were getting big in the 90s, in hip hop and what have you, did they give back, was it more like a get big and move away type of relationship?
You give back by building opportunity & you build opportunity by doing what YOU need to do in order to obtain that level of success & access. I give back to South Central everyday. I work on a new project for Bricks & Wood because the goals & plans I have for the future are all within these processes.
What are some other labels from South Central?
URLA, Wckd Thoughts, ENIAS, PRTND Studio, Harun Intl, By Gustavough, Little Africa, Peaces LA, Supervsn, Neighbors Skate Shop, Black Artist Party, Crenshaw Skate Club, the list goes on.
Bodega’s creative team realizes that understanding the story around the brand they carry will empower the people on the floor speaking with consumers. In the quote above Bricks & Wood, was able to share the name of other brands that could become a part of the product mix at Bodega. Bodega unselfishly introduces readers to other companies with links to those sites. While DTC is an ongoing growth segment and it seems that sharing sites would hurt a retailer, the exact opposite happens.
Many brands fail to create content and rely solely on word of mouth, and IG. Those are key components, but the ability to reach more people beyond your region allows for scalability. This is another important factor about how Bodega treats the brands the carry, the same focus on learning appears in the product descriptions on the website. The site itself functions as a curated space that doesn’t simply sell, it informs and as the consumer becomes more informed this style of site will endear itself to fans of both the brands being carried and the retail outlet.
Use the links throughout to check out the interview.
