manager_1 The Great. is a multi-category fashion brand founded by Meritt Elliott and Emily Current in 2015. It has now opened a store at Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice, California. The brand will rapidly expand its brick-and mortar presence by opening more than 15 new stores by 2023. Its first location will be in Los Angeles, then it will move to key markets across the U.S.
It is currently anchored at its flagship location on Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, California. This was opened in 2018. The Venice Beach branch will be the first to open its retail doors. The traditional bungalow-style shop was opened on Friday, October 29, The Great. is now home to a third. The location is in the emerging retail area of Coldwater Canyon Avenue & Ventura Blvd. Studio City will open its doors in January.
The Venice store is a historic 1200-square-foot space that was built in 1910. It can be found at 1107 Abbot Kinney Blvd. The building was built in the early 20th-century. No structural modifications were made. The structure’s original construction still bears the traces of its original construction, such as large wooden shingles and a large entrance. Brigette Romanek from Romanek Design Studio, designed the interiors of the new store. Meritt Elliott and Emily Current were first to tap Romanek for their Melrose location.
“We started our careers as stylists, and we will always believe in the value of a real shopping experience. Our greatest memories are the times we spent together looking through racks and digging through piles at the back of neighborhood boutiques. Some of our most treasured finds came from searching obscure vintage shops or finding a unique knick-knack in a corner market.” In a statement, Meritt Elliott and Emily Current, co-CEOs and founders of the company, were quoted.
Ryan Meyer, The Great.’s Chief Financial Officer, stated that he has seen the positive effects of opening retail stores where there is a high concentration of key customers. “With U.S. retail sales expected to increase by more than 4.3 trillion dollars in the US this year, and e-commerce growing nationwide, we see significant opportunities to expand our Omnichannel presence. We are determined to serve our customers in a changing market by providing real-time product information and fulfillment. This will allow us to provide a seamless shopping experience for them, regardless of whether they shop online or in-person.”
Abbot Kinney’s new location will have seasonal collections, core knits and shoes, as well as limited-edition accessories. The shop will offer a selection of accessories, jewelry, apothecary, and ceramics from women, BIPOC-owned companies, emerging talent, fair-trade artisans, and independent local artists. The brand’s lifestyle and home ranges will be displayed in the store, which will include linen napkins and aprons as well as embroidered ballet flats and bandanas.
