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Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Portland / Fashion Brooklyn Industries Does PDX

Posted by Marjorie Skinner on Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 3:43 PM

I just got back from a pleasant chat with Vahap Funk, who along with his partner (and wife) Lexy Funk, runs Brooklyn Industries, the clothing store that caters to young, artistically leaning consumers in New York, where there are nine stores (the original is in Williamsburg). They have also have an outpost in Chicago, and as of a week from tomorrow, we will have one right here in Portland, across the street from the former NW Music Millennium at 735 NW 23rd. Funk is super likable, a Turkish immigrant who struggled as an artist in New York until one project he made—a messenger bag constructed of old billboards—sparked enough interest that the Funks got into the bag business almost unintentionally, with the idea that it would be a way to get by financially while pursuing their art careers. Obviously things didn't work out that way, and the bags begat a lifestyle brand which begat stores, and so forth and on to Portland.

The Portland store is the company's first foray onto the West Coast. Although Funk's first visit to Portland was just eight months ago, and he's never spent time outside the Northwest quadrant, he appears to be authentically enthusiastic about the city, even saying he would move here were it not for his base of operations being in NYC (don't they all say that?). It's good to see a mid-sized business run by nice people that's able to continue expansion these days. But how well it will do in Portland is what I'm curious about. After all, their identity is closely rooted in Brooklyn, and Funk is clearly fond of having been able to reach out to pre-gentrification neighborhoods inhabited by young artistic types—something they are at least 10 years late to the party for on NW 23rd.

So what do you think? Will Brooklyn Industries' wide range of hip, competitively priced, almost Top Shop-esque clothing and accessories for men and women fill a void in your life, and besides you just moved from/are about to move to Brooklyn anyway? Or is this just another big-money invader with outsourced manufacturing trampling all over Portland's ideals, and aren't you people sick of being condescendingly referred to as Brooklyn West yet?

All I know is that as we sat talking at a sidewalk cafe table today, at least one person walked by wearning a Brooklyn Industries messenger bag.

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Comments (9) RSS

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1
Considering the number of Merc personals that begin with "I just moved here!", who cares if they're too late for the hip artistes of several cycles ago? fresh meat arriving daily, roped in by the hype n' tripe.

Not that they're even trying to appeal to those folks, it would seem. I swear to god the only people I've seen "shopping" on 23rd are out-of-towners presumably looking for boutique brands. so yeah, 10+ stores, expanding to Portland....sounds like a chip off the ol' American Apparel block. 23rd sounds perfect. thank god it's not on Mississippi or (god forbid) Alberta.
Posted by Chunty McHutchence on February 4, 2009 at 3:57 PM · Report
2
edgeycrombie?

Posted by miguelaron on February 4, 2009 at 4:04 PM · Report
3
From their website, "Portland's up-and-coming Nob Hill neighborhood"

up-and-coming? Nob Hill? I guess... if they want to think so.
Posted by Graham on February 4, 2009 at 4:10 PM · Report
4
What's sad is that they're probably the most affordable clothing stop on the block.
Posted by jriley on February 4, 2009 at 4:49 PM · Report
5
Not to be late to the party, but fucking snore...
Posted by A cat on February 4, 2009 at 11:15 PM · Report
6
It's about time somebody committed some reinvestment dollars to the shabby underbelly that is Nob Hill. Now that Brooklyn Industries is chasing out the crackheads and gangbangers and two-bit hustlers, perhaps NW 23rd will finally get a coffee shop, or a brew pub, or even a bistro or two... Bravo, Brooklyn Industries, for leading the charge to reinvigorate this long-neglected avenue!
Posted by Tommy on February 5, 2009 at 7:58 AM · Report
7
I think Tommy wins this round.
Posted by Graham on February 5, 2009 at 8:32 AM · Report
8
Awwww... Thanks, Graham!
Posted by Tommy on February 5, 2009 at 10:46 PM · Report
9
yah, the shop here in Chicago is on the right street (thrift store turned designer denim row) but I'm not sure it's doing all that well. as mentioned, the identity is very Bklyn, and as such it has a very poser feel here. especially when the "L" rumbles by.

I should be proud or something that my neighborhood has a few of the "our first store outside NYC" chains, but honestly it makes me feel dirty.
Posted by pcc on February 5, 2009 at 11:55 PM · Report

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