Timbuk2 is getting ready to open the doors on its downtown retail store May 4, the company’s first store outside its hometown San Francisco. It is also their first store in a downtown location anywhere.
“Being our first store outside San Francisco, we wanted to expose ourselves to a wider market,” said Retail Manager Bryan Shawley.
The store is also something of a big step for Seattle bike-inspired retail. After all, here’s a company that got its start making bags for people on bikes opening a shop in the city’s most mainstream downtown retail center.
And Shawley is confident the store will do well in Seattle.
“We’ve thought a lot about how our bags perform in this climate,” he said. The company has expanded well beyond products aimed at people cycling, but rainy-weather needs are still a big part of their designs.
So why else pick Seattle?
“Through our wholesale partners and website, we know that a lot of Timbuk2 customers live here,” he said. Both cities have similar big cycling scenes, which was a factor in their choice.
The story’s grand opening party will be May 4. Adult beverages, cotton candy, sandwiches, a DJ and more are in the works (see details on the SBB calendar).
For more in the opening, see our original story and this recent post by Fifth Avenue Seattle.
More photos from the under-construction store:
A bit of company history, this is the sewing machine that made the first Timbuk2 bags:
Comments
11 responses to “A sneak peek inside the downtown Timbuk2 store”
I still have both of my Timbuk2 bags — M and XXL. Though I have long since abandoned them — and all backpack-like bags — for daily use (sweaty back! Sore back! Ugh!) they come in handy for sme things.
I might check this store out.
I had a Timbuk2 bag until it wore out, since then there have been much better messenger bags made for cyclists. But I too do not use mine for riding. At 14 miles its too hot, and with weight up high less stable, and it “ahem” makes my butt more sore because there is more weight on those bones on the seat. So I’ve switched to paniers.
If I had a bus/bike commute the messenger bag is the way to go, easier to switch back and forth. I do use my messenger bag for my car/bus commute though.
Anyway ReLoad used to have a store up on Capital hill. I thought I read somewhere that the local person doing the sewing moved on and so the store closed.
http://www.reloadbags.com
And my current favorites are http://www.seagullbags.com and missionworkshop.com
Still though I see a lot of Timbuk2 bags on bus commuters.
I have had the same Timbuk2 bag for 15 years and dragged it across continents. How on earth did you wear one out?
Messenger bags are one part of bike culture that I’ve never understood. The combination backpack/pannier seems much more useful, and yet they’re quite difficult to find.
Probably because “backpacks” sold at places like Target, and Fred Meyer are sooo cheap in cost in comparison to a “backpack” designed and built for bicyclists.
Even going to REI, you can get a very reasonably priced back pack that will do the job even if it isn’t what is really best for bicyclists.
Otherwise you are looking at Orlieb, or SeaLine for waterproof backpacks. And they are so much more expensive, and they haven’t reached the “cool” status yet so the numbers of buyers are much lower.
Right, I ended up with an Ortlieb Vario. I love it, but it’s super expensive. I would’ve happily taken a cheaper, non-waterproof bag, but that was the only combination pannier/backpack that I could find. Even local bike shops that carry Ortlieb often don’t have the Vario (I checked two shops that carry Ortlieb before finding it at a third).
My problem with paniers is that they get coated in road grime. Not something I really want against my clothing. So a backpack which is also a panier is not going to work for me.
At my old job they had a place to wash out the garbage cans which had hot water and a giant “bathtub” like place where I could hose my bike and everything down after a particularly grimey ride. That helped but unless I scrub with detergent and a brush the black stuff (looks like tire latex, road oil, and dirt) gets on everything and does not come out in the wash.
I love my Timbuk2 waterproof pannier. Super fast and easy on and off hooks, completely waterproof and very expandable. It came with a strap to make it a messenger bag, but I just carry it like a computer case. I’ve used it daily for about four years, and it still looks new. Love it!
I went over to the opening of the store on Saturday. It was pretty cool. Having had a Timbuk2 Command Messenger bag for a couple years now, I wasn’t really in the market for a new bag, but the friends I was with BOTH got command messengers.
The store itself has a very cool vibe. Well lit, well laid out. Very designed and upscale without feeling stodgy. Feels kind of handmade in its own way…wood walls and a very cool custom section where you can design your own bag.
The staff were super friendly and very helpful (one guy even filled up a Manny’s Pale for me).
Nice addition to downtown for sure.
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