Allbirds to open first physical store

By

Kate Dingwall

Published
Apr 11, 2017

Despite launching just over a year ago, direct-to-consumer footwear startup Allbirds is rapidly expanding, announcing last week its first major expansion and retail location.

After a successful first year, the brand is poised to expand. Firstly, the brand will expand its product offerings. Currently, the brand only offers one product, a sneaker. This expansion will launch a line of slip-on shoes, made of the same construction as the brand’s signature sneaker. Founder Joey Zwillinger said that this expansion will allow the brand to see sales grow five times over the next year. 

Allbirds has built its brand off a $95 sneaker made of sustainable merino wool, that has received acclaim from the fashion press, as well as gained a sizeable social media following. 

The second phase of the expansion will find Allbirds launching its first retail store, located in the same space as the brand’s San Francisco headquarters. While many brands separate their headquarters and their retail spaces, this is a strategic move by the brand.

Allbirds hopes that having customers in the same vicinity as their headquarters will allow the brand to interact with shoppers and in turn, see how the customers interact with the product.

Currently, Allbirds' products are only available via the brand’s e-commerce site.