Ibex Outdoor Clothing will open a brick-and-mortar retail store in Seattle next month, it's second since opening a flagship store in Boston two years ago.
Opening in mid November, Ibex’s new 1,250-square-foot retail location will be located in University Village, an open-air lifestyle shopping center comprising locally-owned boutiques and signature national retailers. The Ibex store will be located at 2627 NE University Village St., directly next to Tazo Tea.
“Opening in Seattle is a natural fit for Ibex,” said John Fernsell, co-founder and CEO of Ibex. “The Pacific Northwest is a strong market for us, which made expansion to Seattle an easy decision.”
The Seattle store will showcase Ibex’s fall 2012 collection including a new collection of Wool Aire insulated outerwear (made in Vancouver Canada), men’s and women’s lifestyle apparel, Merino wool cycling gear, and wool accessories. The store will also carry Ibex’s collection of ‘field to factory’ garments sourced and made entirely in the USA from the wool that comes from Montana to the finished garments that are cut and sewn in California.
The store will have a warm, inviting atmosphere with design elements evocative of the company’s Vermont roots and sustainable ethos. The walls will be made from exposed boards taken from a Vermont barn. Ibex is working with local Seattle company Myer Wells to design the store’s cashwrap with reclaimed steel and a reclaimed wood countertop.
Ingratiating itself in the Seattle community is also a top priority for Ibex. “We are thrilled to be in Seattle and be part of the community of University Village,” said Ibex Seattle store manager Jenny Demetrio. “We look forward to getting involved with Seattle-area organizations by participating in local events and by hosting community-building opportunities at the store.”
Ibex’s new retail store complements Ibex’s multi-channel approach of wholesale, web and brick-and-mortar retail. The Vermont-based wool clothing company opened its flagship retail location in Boston in September 2010. Ibex was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in White River Junction, VT.
