Rudy’s Williamsburg Outpost
The Seattle-born barbershop sets up a retail and coffee shop in Brooklyn
After landing in NYC earlier this summer at the Ace Hotel, Seattle’s Rudy’s Barbershop today opens their second city location across the East River in Brooklyn. Currently running as a retail pop-up, the enterprising chop shop teamed up with Portland’s Stumptown coffee roasters to set up in a historic building in Williamsburg. Once a federal bank and, a few years ago, an A.P.C. outpost, the enchanting space lends itself perfectly to the multidisciplinary venture boasting free wi-fi, good coffee, superior hair cuts and an impressive selection of menswear.
“We found this amazing space and said ‘hey how can we fit into the community with our aesthetic?’ So instead of us coming and kind of re-doing the neighborhood, we’re coming in and hoping to add to the great culture and everything that’s already happening here,” says Cale Margol (previously of Gap 1969), who led the merchandising team on the project. By working with Brooklyn’s own WRK Design, the Rudy’s team was able to subtly incorporate their DIY punk-rock mentality into the shop, which happens to fit right in with the neighborhood’s already established vibe. To appeal to vintage seeking Brooklynites, the pop-up is also peppered with a few kitschy old signs and products for sale.
Williamsburg seems to have plenty of coffee shops, but by letting the barbershop take center stage alongside a comfortable place hang out, Rudy’s Williamsburg offers something a bit different than, say, Toby’s Estate or Tomcats. “We want to bring the community in, as well as be a part of the community,” says Margol. “How do we do that? We do it with haircuts, coffee, lounge and retail. It’s a little center where people can come and knock out three things at once.”
Rudy’s Williamsburg will run as a pop-up through the end of January, at which point the space will expand into two floors as a permanent barber shop and retail space with a more substantial Stumptown presence. For a closer look at the current pop-up see the slideshow.
Images by Graham Hiemstra
