Three weeks ago, Rew the Store, a new luxury designer concept boutique in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, quietly opened its doors at 115 Grand Street ahead of Thursday night’s grand opening celebration.
The company was founded by Rebecca Weisberg, who cut her teeth as head of buying for Shopbop, Intermix and Saks Fifth Avenue. During her 11-year tenure at Saks, Weisberg said she predominantly bought and helped grow the company’s advanced designer ready-to-wear business both online and in-store with brands including The Row, Celine, Sacai, Loewe and Prada. Then she moved to Intermix as the divisional merchandise manager of its advanced contemporary sportswear category before taking the same role at Shopbop, where she led accessories before creating the concept store.
Tired of buying for other companies and yearning for her own space to give customers the experience of discovering new brands, Weisberg told WWD she seriously toyed with the idea of opening her own store for around a year. She spent time exploring each of Brooklyn’s neighborhoods to find the right space before landing in Williamsburg, where her grandparents also were born and raised.
Following a renovation of the roomy space, her store was designed and built by Mikhail Budhai of Studio Liguanea, who built its custom desk and daybed, as well as Anna Gale of Mostly Objects, and features rich wooden fixtures, elevated furnishings and natural light.
The company does not have e-commerce as it is solely focusing on providing a sense of discovery. Although Williamsburg has become a hot spot for brands ranging from Hermès to The North Face for new retail locations, Rew the Store is carving out a niche for its conceptual design and strong portfolio of brands. Since opening, Weisberg has already seen strong traction and sales in the neighborhood.
“Over the course of my career, I’ve bought almost every brand except Chanel and Louis Vuitton. So I think I had a very defined idea of what I wanted the matrix to look like, and it’s still an evolution. What I like about the neighborhood is I think it’s weirder than South Brooklyn, and I like the weird stuff,” she said of bringing an array of newer luxury brands into the space. “It’s very much a reflection of me, including no stretch denim, because I don’t wear them.
“At a bigger store, I think the point of view gets diluted even if it’s a strong point of view. That’s my favorite thing, but you have to think about 100 different types of customers and be everything to everyone, and I’m not. If you’re not into it, there’s many other wonderful places you can go — there’s no problem,” she continued, adding the beauty of the space was her ability to be able to experiment with new styles and designs.
Upon opening, Rew the Store features ready-to-wear, accessories and footwear brands including Comme Si, High Sport, Jeanerica, Lisa Yang, Maria McManus, Jamie Haller, Marni, Rohe, Ruadh, Stoffa, Yvonne Leon jewelry and Toteme. Weisberg plans to slowly introduce additional brands and new categories.
“Ruadh’s denim has been really good — I like that it feels different from a lot of the denim out there, but is very flattering,” she said of the brand’s range of denim and ready-to-wear within the store.
Prices start at $35 for Comme Si socks and go up to $11,000 for a wavy gray shearling Marni coat; median prices sit around $895. Rew the Store is open by appointment on Monday and Tuesday, and open regular business hours Wednesday to Sunday.