Skip to main contentThe reality is that a new Portland is coming, and the West End is in the splash zone.
Union Way, the West End strip mall that's become as much a symbol of gentrification as the polarizing and pricey apartment Burnside 26, is getting another shot of high-end retail from the son of Lululemon founder CHip WIlson.
JJ Wilson's Kit and Ace opened it's first location last year, garnering the title "an athleisure followup to Lululemon" from Fashionista. Now they are planning a rapid expansion, opening 30 to 50 stores by the end of this year. The Portland store on West Burnside opened on August 6.
The clothes themselves are mostly all solid and monochromatic textiles, plain t-shirts with a few speciality products thrown in. It's perfect for your average transplant graphic designer or a new iPhone app techpreneur, hoping to look like a walking display of AmericanApparel meets Anthropologie. Lest it be slated as an outsider, the Kit and Ace shop will feature "hyper-local elements," like a "supper club" table created by a local designer and a gallery that will show local photographers's work.
WW: Portland is a city focused on local goods. With the rapid expansion, are you afraid Portlanders won't react positively?
JJ Wilson: We stopped in Portland back in May with The Copper Studio – a custom copper-clad Airstream touring across North America – to start real conversations with locals and introduce the brand to the market. During the few days we were in town we got a lot of positive feedback on our brand concept and the way we engage with the creative class. We think that Portlanders will really love the shop.
What made you chose the West End of the city for Kit and Ace?
We put a lot of time and consideration into our designs and fabrications, and place the same effort in scouting our retail locations. The Union Way shopping arcade has an eclectic mix of shops and fantastic architecture, and with its proximity to creative hubs like the Ace Hotel and Powell City Books, it's hard not to love the location. We think Union Way is great and hope that the shop will be a place of inspiration for passersby where creative conversations can take place.
What do you think you will bring to the Union Way shopping center?
We want the shop to be a space where real conversations can take place, where locals can experience the brand in a way that values their time. The Union Way location will be a t-shirt shop – a smaller space where you'll find our core styles and foundational t-shirts – but the shop concept itself, with its hyper-local elements, is designed to drive creative dialogue.
Who is the ideal Portlander who will shop at your store?
We design for the creative class – people like artists, architects and other creatives who are driven by the impact they have on the world around them. Portland is a market that really speaks to our brand because of its burgeoning arts scene and the importance placed on local artisans and contractors. In reality, we believe that our product can be admired and appreciated by anyone in search of effortless luxury, but recognize Portland is filled of individuals who possess the traits of our target consumer.
WWeek 2015