A little round-up of some of our favorite outdoor industry retail spaces that provide high-quality products, engaging merchandise design and a strong sense of community.
Best Made Co. / New York, NY
Inspired by a love of making unique items with his own two hands, Peter Buchanan-Smith started Best Made Co. to celebrate handmade, useful and high-quality products that help his customers explore, learn and accomplish great things. Located in Tribeca, Best Made’s New York City location offers apparel, tools and gear for your home and campsite, and makes sure to include something for your furry best friend with their Beast Made line of bowls, leashes and beds. The store also hosts a rotating roster of both free public and paid private workshops on key topics like axe restoration and foraged cocktails, while their regular weekly Blade Hour event focuses on knife sharpening skills taught by the friendly Best Made staff.
Days / Los Angeles, CA
Days is a unique retail-meets-community space curated by Hiking Club LA co-founder Nora Beckman. Similar to a gallery space, the Los Feliz storefront is an ever-changing assortment of special pieces such as Male Glaze, a new local
handmade collection of ceramics from Alex Miller, hardwood jewelry by Portland-based Formina or the wild-foraged tinctures, powders and oils of Zizia Botanicals, whose sales help fund a free monthly herb clinic for the Skid Row community. Questioning the limits of what a retail store can actually be, Days brings in new collections and hosts events organized around a different theme every three months. Keep an eye on their website for more details on the next iteration launching mid-February.
Wayward / Seattle, WA
Wayward was founded as a gathering place for dreamers, seekers and adventurers to access high quality products and join a like-minded community within the walls of their retail shops. Expanding this past September, Wayward has put down new roots just a few blocks away from Westlake Park in Seattle. This one-stop shop for all your outdoor needs is full of RANGE favorites, including Filson outerwear and bags, Parks Project tees, Red Wing boots and YETI coolers, as well as film and cameras from Lomography to document your excursions.
YOWIE / Philadelphia, PA
Have you ever visited a perfectly decorated home and wanted to grab everything for your own abode? Then you should stop by YOWIE in Philly’s Queen Village because you can pretty much do just that. A home and lifestyle shop founded by native Philadelphian and designer Shannon Maldonado, YOWIE sells a curated collection of handmade and unique objects made by her independent artists and designer friends. After a shopping trip to YOWIE, you’ll be the one whose space is highly coveted by all who step foot inside.
Images courtesy of Best Made Co., Days, Jake Hanson and YOWIE.
xx Alex
This article was originally published in RANGE Magazine Issue Eight.