Sustainable apparel company Nau (pronounced: now) opened a flagship store in its hometown of Portland, OR. Marking the brand’s anticipated return into brick-and-mortar retail, the new store stands “as a physical expression of the Nau brand,” with a sustainable, modern space that complements the design and aesthetic of their products. The Nau flagship store is now open in Portland’s Pearl District at 304 NW 11th Avenue.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer our consumers a physical brand experience to engage with our products,” said Mark Galbraith, General Manager at Nau.

Photos courtesy Nau

“The new store is the right complement to our online business, and our location among design companies and restaurants in the cultural hub of the Pearl District is a natural fit for our brand and fans.” – Mark Galbraith, Nau GM

Nau teamed with Portland-based design agency ENGIN Creative to create a retail concept that matched the brand’s modern aesthetic. True to how Nau designs its collections, the store blends innovative building processes and materials for a palette that balances raw materials and minimal treatments.

The brand believes its store captures an essence of sustainability through both materials and presentation. FSC certified white oak was used as lead build material, while surrounding fixtures were designed with 100-percent recyclable hot rolled steel. Additional sustainable design details include use of FSC certified white laminate, low VOC paints and water based finishes, and programmable LED lighting for reduced energy consumption.

Materials recovered from the original space were donated for reuse or recycle. GBD and Colas served as architects and contractors, respectively, and all build partners were chosen based on locality and resourcing capabilities.

Nau marked the grand opening on December 3, 2015, where cocktails, music and hors d’oeuvres accompanied a special photography exhibit featuring work shot by Nau ambassadors during their recent adventures in Norway.