This Thursday October 6th there is an opening of a new storefront/space — Blackbox here in Portland, Oregon. Located in a strangely dead zone that until rather recently was most referred to as either “that weird corner with the American Apparel” or “you know, where the Zoo-Bomb sculpture hangs out.” There are a couple notable shops (actually they are all notable) contained within the Blackbox space including – Blackbird, Dunderdon, Isaac Hers, Solestruck and Tanner Goods.

It is interesting to see something like Blackbox spring to life in Portland, not surprising, but interesting. This one is great because it is so close to having everything…shoes, leather goods, glasses-collaborations and clothes (for men) with that “rough male” exterior that is wont to be associated with Portland right there on Skid Row. The only thing lacking here is the media department (and maybe a bar with a bartender that wears suspenders) by the way of an international magazine stand or a Bookmarc-esque shop (can we not get Diana from Stand up Comedy on the job?) Sure, sure, argue that Powell’s is right down the street, go that route, I understand why you say that. But, I would not mind taking a break from that madhouse to shop for foreign/strange magazines and old sports photographs (can we get Myles from Ampersand AND Diana together somewhere?) in a quiet locale where I can think. Ok, sorry, I shouldn’t push my own agendas on anyone here. I was really just there to see Dunderdon.

I stopped by Dunderdon about a month ago to check out what they have going on over there. This is their first brick and mortar representation in the town that they call home-base for their US operations.

The store and space itself is great. It is sporty enough for the sportsmen in all of us and rugged enough to appeal to the bearded guys that come in off the street looking for tall lace up leather boots (I hadn’t shaved in a few days and found myself strangely drawn to the blue ones pictured below.) Everything was perfectly placed neatly on their shelves and hung high above our heads. That is just the thing though, I asked if I could take pictures (I always do this) but I felt like I was doing it a bit more because it felt more like a library (and I LOVE libraries) than a Sunday afternoon shopping. Am I am just bringing my own personal set of somethings into this too much?

Dunderdon clothing is Fan-fucking-tastic. At least what I have seen of it. My co-worker swears by their pants, and you know what? For black pants that are something like 3 or 4 years old, they still look pretty damn black. Also, while we are going that route, my pal Greg Johnson, who was one of the guys to help this this brand get a foothold in the US. Does anyone else remember when they did those profiles of people around Portland that were making their own goods? Well, Greg has this Dunderdon hooded sweatshirt that I try to steal from him every time he wears it near me, it looks comfortable and like it is going to hold together for ever (which it already has, since it isn’t something new.) The only problem is with me again. Are Dunderdon still making everything for what once was their target demographic (was it?) burly Swedish River Loggers. Apparently. So, I am going to have to beef up for the winter, because you know what, I still want it.

Anyway, the place looks great — the whole setup was designed by Portland’s own OMFG, so it has that going for them as well. Everything that those guys touch turns to gold and no one here is complaining so, carry on with the Midas touchy feely all over everything guys.

See the rest of you Thursday.

Blackbox Party – Thursday, October 6th, 6-9pm – W Burnside and 13th

The one brief moment that I had to step out into the rainy London weather a couple months ago and check out some shops we went straight for FOLK. A couple years ago (or was it seasons?) I had seen their clothing at the Capsule show in NYC which had sparked an instant liking for this company. It helps (I thought to myself) that my tour guide for the day, Ben, is friends with Cathall one of the people behind FOLK, but no matter how excited I got about the prospect of meeting him, he wasn’t there. That fact didn’t stop me from touching, fondling and trying on every sweatshirt in the shop.

The shop itself is nearly perfect. In fact I cannot imagine a better place for a man to shop (the women’s store is next door – which seems to work well). What was the most interesting is the connection to the American Southwest. The influence is undeniable here and for an American in London the connection makes for an incredible amount of humorous connections. A small native looking piece of embroidery took me zooming straight into my grandparents living room. Their time spent each winter in the dry heat of Arizona had also apparently left them with a penchant for Native artifacts. Although here, outside the Midwest, none of the choices were gaudy or over the top in any way shape or form. With this resurgence (or is it just a ’surgence’ at that point?) of worker-wear and Americana that has permeated everything new these days it is nice to find a brand that can walk those lines not only tastefully, but also with a sense of humor. (See their Skynard and Joplin belts.) It is almost as if they have taken that whole genre, updated some of the fabrics, gave it a touch of class, spun it around once, and then sent it back out (maybe with a pat on its bum.) This is one company, collection and clothing that I was genuinely excited to spend my money on — Curses on you British Sterling!

Shoes were the one thing that sort of blew my mind. I had seen their foray into this world as well with the Capsule show, but the current collection was even better than what I had seen in NY and I found myself coveting more than one pair. In fact, I’m sure that Ben has been back there since to pick up this pair pictured. Previously I had associated FOLK solely with chunky sweaters and shirts with strange collars (no one wears a button up with a henley neck here) so it was great to see that they have successfully expanded into other arenas as well. Fuck! These guys are on it.

There were some great brands represented in the shop as well as their own collection. This seems to be the bane of some shops that are run entirely by one brand, but that was not the case here. Each other company represented had its own place and complimented everything else that was going on. Others: The Hillside (of course), Field Notes County Fair Editions (interesting) and a new one to me Aesop (fancy.)

Visit FOLK for yourself: 49 Lamb’s Conduit Street, LONDON WC1N 3NG

Seems like I have been on the road a bit lately. One thing that I am always looking for, especially in a place like Los Angeles are new shops to visit. Maybe you’re sensing a theme here? Maybe not. Well, a few weeks ago I found myself in a van driving around Los Angeles looking for a bike shop so that we could find some new cleats for our man who desperately needed his replaced. If you have ever waited too long to replace your cleats you know what I’m talking about (and who doesn’t wait until the last possible minute.)

Now, bike shops? That is another story entirely and it does not take much to coax me into a local bike shop anywhere. Except this time, because about a block before we landed at our bike shop Cole pointed out the right side of the van and said casually “There’s the Rising Sun Denim Company.” If you have not seen the first episode of Put This On, go and watch that right now. Jesse Thorn (the host of The Sound of Young America) also has a pretty damn cool fashunz website called Put This On and Rising Sun Denim Co. was the very first post of the site. So, naturally I was more than excited to check this place out, even if it meant not being able to check out a new bike shop.

As luck would have it, they were closed. We waited around for a little while, hoping they would be right back. They were not. So, after creeping out the locals by trying to take spy photos through the windows (it didn’t work very well.) We left with our tails between our legs, I mean, when am I going to be in Pasadena again?

We walked across the street back towards the bike shop and stopped outside what looked to be some new Vintage/Americana/Heritage shop, but was actually the Pasadena Fire Department. They invited us in for a look and this is what we saw and made us feel better about not seeing the interior of Rising Sun (which I’m betting they haven’t either.) Then they fulfilled Cole’s childhood dream of becoming a fireman by letting him sit in the driver seat. Apparently real Americana is the new Heritage. What?

But in all seriousness. Rising Sun looked pretty awesome from what I could see by cupping my face to the glass and the Fire Department? Well, they have a ping-pong table in the back, so they have to be cool. With that being said, if anyone has any interesting shops in the Portland area, that they would like to see reviewed here, let me know as I would love to check them out.

If you’re wondering who that handsome man that I travel with, that is Cole Maness, you probably saw him here on Selectism a few weeks back. We were riding around California for the Rapha Continental. This next week will see the launch of new photos and video from this very trip.

Last year our booth at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) was our take on a convenience store. We styled everything in it to look and feel like an amalgamation of the all the stores we have come across while riding our bicycles on the backroads of North America.

This year we decided to switch the focus a bit. Class it up and turn all eyes toward the Rapha Bicycle Collection that we unveiled earlier this year. The four bikes were on display. Er..well, three of the bikes were on display. The fourth wasn’t allowed in the show (still not sure why exactly) but no matter, it was being proudly shown nearby at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, which would prove to be a center for all things NAHBS related throughout the weekend.

The booth was a hit if only for the fact that it allowed people to touch and feel the clothing, make a connection to what we have to offer on the site and talk with the builders that we love to hang around. With only 17 dealers around the country it leaves a bit of void when it comes to trying on articles of clothing. The pink V-Neck baselayer was definitely a hit and launched this weekend on the site. People tried to buy is straight off the mannequin, which is usually a good sign. Although when they casually walk away with it, not so much.

The four bicycles in the collection (Cinelli, Ira Ryan + Tony Periera, Independent Fabrication, and Beloved) were the perfect addition to the clothing. Since all of them (besides the aforementioned Beloved) were there showing (Cinelli’s booth was directly adjacent) it allowed the conversations of the weekend to naturally progress to the other builders that we have partnered with. Tony Pereira (who was not showing individually, but was there to check out the show) was on hand to talk about the bike that he is building with fellow Portland, Oregon framebuilder Ira Ryan.

I watched nearby, with a sly grin on my face I’m sure, as he explained mitering tubesets, how they chose the steel and how the duo would actually tackle the process of welding of the frame. Fortunately, this is exactly why we go to the NAHBS, to meet these people, find out what they have to offer and how they got into their particular craft. To have something to say, or at the very least to help facilitate these conversations means that we are, in the immortal words of Charlie Sheen “Winning.”

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to visit and everyone who made the 2011 North American Handmade Bicycle Show a wild success.

I love workspaces. All kinds.

Last March I had the good fortune to be able to be allowed a peak into the spot where a company called Cielo manufactures their bicycles. Neatly tucked away within the Chris King Precision Components factory is a little section where they operate. My friend Daisuke was in town and we had the extreme pleasure of visiting this little nook where great things happen. Daisuke was in town from Japan and more than excited to see what the King family had cooked up with Cielo. I was also happy to use this as my in to see what went on behind what were normally closed doors.

I took a few photos and we milled around trying to look important, when really I was in awe (admittedly this is how I feel every time I get a glimpse of bicycle builders spaces anywhere) and then we went on our way. I wrote about it on the Rapha Blog and chalked it up as just another amazing workshop that I was fortunate enough to experience. There it would sit, in the memory bank with a tag on it titled “awesome” until it was again something that needed talking about.

This little trip became relevant once again when, recently, Chris King decided to start making the bikes for another company based here in Portland called Beloved Cycles. The bikes being produced are pretty much anything and everything you could ever hope for in the City Riding department of cycles. And hopefully you hope for the world when it comes to riding your bicycle in your city. Because you should. My high school basketball coach left me with the best fashion tip that anyone could hope for. Even thought it was his way of trying to help us get our shit together on the court, I think it applies to most aspects of life. It went like this:

“If you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you play good. And when you play good, you win.”

We won with these bikes. They look good, feel good, and this is the bike that I want to be cruising around the city on.

So, our bike launch last week was even more exciting than your usual bike launch. I mean all new bike launches are exciting and spectacular, but this one a bit more so. The Rapha Bicycle Collection was something that we have been working on for a while now. A collection of some of our favorite people to work with, and both Chris King and Beloved fall into that segment of the population. Plus, it gave me the perfect chance to go back and revisit my day with the Chris King family of bicycles. And just so you know, this is going to become even more interesting when we (and by we I mean The World) has a chance to see the Every Day in person at the 2011 North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Austin, Texas next month. So, stay tuned for that as well.

I was recently in the Los Angeles area and was recommended a visit to Mohawk General Store. “Check that place out, I think you’ll dig it,” is what the text message read. “A General Store?” I thought to myself.  The images that instantly come to mind are the Cracker Barrel restaurants that dot the landscape throughout the midwest. My grandparents insisted every time we came to town that we take in the great atmosphere and indelible flavors that the Cracker Barrel had to offer. Mohawk General Store, for the record, is nothing like that place.

In fact, it could be said that this place is a pretty great place to spend a few minutes. Peruse their great collection of “goods,” if you will. I only say “goods” to stay in keeping with the General Store theme, and though I did try to purchase a sack of grain and 40 pounds of hard candies, I could do no such thing here. This place is more dedicated to fashionable styling for men and women alike.

The fashion selections within the place were impeccable, but at the same time there were no real surprises as to what was found inside. Wood Wood belt. Retrosuperfuture glasses. Some pants, some shoes, that stuff. However, the two things that help to set this place apart from other shops of the same ilk were the Antiques and the Sound Equipment that were for sale, but also expertly displayed to give the whole place a sort of travel/expedition feel. Not really sure what the musical connection relates to (check out the Mohawk Blog which contains more than a few musical refs as well) but all the pieces that were positioned throughout the shop worked well with the overall decor. Oh yes — I was also excited to see copies of It’s Nice That #4 resting smartly near the entrance — love those guys.

So, if you happen to be on West Sunset sometime soon and feel a hankering for your old days of lounging creepily in the gift shop area of Cracker Barrel, well, then go next door to Circus of Books. If you are in the mood for something a bit more tasteful and interesting, then I suggest the stylish interior of the Mohawk General Store.

4011 West Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, Ca. 90029

Open Monday – Saturday 11-7PM Sunday 12-6PM

“Interesting things from Interesting Places”

The signage to Kiosk is a little hidden to the untrained eye. My eye would definitely be one of said “untrained eyes” as every time I am in New York City I find myself wandering aimlessly, just hoping something cool will jump out and punch me in the face. Otherwise, there is a good chance that I will miss it.  Fortunately, when I saw the sign hanging above the sidewalk on spring street the other day my brain actually registered something. Kiosk? Haven’t I been hearing about this shop for a little while now? Brian from Coolhunting mentioned it was worth checking out, adding “Don’t be thrown off by the strange trip up the front stairs, that place is awesome.” More importantly Miss Oh, who could arguably out-hunt the coolest of cool hunters casually mentioned it on one of my previous trips to NYC. You can bet if she has told you to see something, no matter how casual her assertions come across — it will be good.

So, when I turned the corner and almost sprinted up the steep stairwell to the space that is Kiosk it was because I was excited to see what lay in store. So to speak.

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. And when traveling, finding new things, or rather, products that are native to the region of travel tend to be the ones that are the most fun. For instance, a fully used tube of Belgian toothpaste is in my drawer at the moment. The Flemish written on the backside makes absolutely no sense to me, but damn if it does not look cool. A fish shaped bottle opener from Uruguay was only one of the surviving highlights of a trip to South America. Belgian Cycling Supporters hats and diaries from the local frites shops. Even the foreign  design on a 10 year old Mars Bar wrapper from London was something that I could not bare to throw out. Which is why it remains where it is — smashed between the pages of a notebook somewhere.

So, you can see why I was excited to check out Kiosk. The concept being that the purveyors of the shop travel around the globe for me, finding new products to stock their shelves. New trinkets to entice me up their ragged stairs and into what looks to be their apartment. Their display and delivery is a little kooky at best, but charming and right in line with their business model on the whole. Which is why I could not help but to ask them to start filling a bag for me. I quite literally wanted something from each of the collections.

This time around the three collections are “Groundhogs Day,” “Iceland”- which is a collection of Icelandic candies, and “Portugual,” by far the most comprehensive of the three. Each one of their collections walks the perfect line between curated art flavored niceties and extremely affordable/functional pieces you want to own. I bought a Kaweco Sport Pen from Germany.

What is nice about this place is that with each product smart bits of copy are included. Each one a personalized short tale from whence the piece came, the city or country of origin and possible uses directly from the owners. When finding trinkets like this, out in the wild, the allure comes from actually finding them yourself. Then being able to craft and build your own stories around them. But the copy on each of these pieces is what broke down this buying barrier. Knowing from whence they came from, and why they were added to the collection did the trick. And the range is incredible, from backyard, back-alley camping —Audubon Bird Call — to new uses for a ratchet and even the elusive and hilarious Citra Sipper . It is these little stories that hammered home the pieces in my mind. I had not gone out and found these things for myself, but somehow knowing a little bit more about them gave them just the little bit extra that I needed to make the connection.

Kiosk can be found on the second floor of 95 Spring Street, NY, NY

Before a recent trip back East I had the good fortune to pick up a Chester Wallace tote bag straight from its creator Patrick Long at his studio in Portland, OR. The Pdx cache of cool was apparent when running into the bags while traipsing about New York City. One with a red bottom stood out nicely against the green shelving in the Project No. 8 shop connected to the Ace Hotel. And once in Boston someone liked mine so much that they straight up tried to take it from me without me noticing. Which was a bit awkward, because I did.

I was after a specific one. Waxed Cotton has been a fabric that I have been aware of for a few years now. When I worked at a bicycle shop in West Newton, MA the older gentlemen there came looking for it by the way of Gilles Berthoud and Carradice bags that were popular among the Bicycle Touring crowd. Initially, I could not stand them, the bags. The rough, slightly greasy feeling texture of the bags was a bit of a turnoff. To the touch, maybe, but mostly because of the crowd that these bags ran with. I also could not wrap my head around the way that they called everything “cotton duck.” No idea why they couldn’t say “cordura” or “canvas” like the rest of us?

I might be a bit older and wiser now (probably not the latter) and for some reason I have a hankering for Waxed Cotton. So, when Patrick was telling me that he was starting to make his bags out of this material I wanted one. And more than that I wanted to see where they came from.

The sign on the door says “Illustrator” and if you ask Patrick (or see him featured on the Nau website) that might be what he tells you is his profession. But when you get him going you might think that he is a baker by trade, or maybe a silk scarf maker, and quite possibly he might be teaming up with a perfume manufacturer in the near future. And if you are very lucky (which at that moment, wide-eyed, I considered myself) he might tell you about his run-ins with J.D. Salinger back in the day.

Patrick’s studio is filled with inspiration. From the illustrated posters that he created for the Oregon Lottery during the Holidays, to a cheese list scribbled on a piece of paper. Even the handwritten type of a project for a Condom company, everywhere you look the creative process is apparent. I am used to the musings of bicycle related ephemera, but here is different. The clutter is almost bookish, with scraps of paper taking precedent over inner tubes. Where type becomes a conscious decision instead of an afterthought. And the feeling is very used, and very comfortable.

So, Illustrator? Certainly. Designer? Definitely. Bag maker? Yes, that works too, but, step into his office and you will see that there is more to Patrick (and his bags) than could ever be contained with any one of those titles. However, Chester Wallace is a title that seems to fit nicely.

I really love that each new season gives companies the chance to put out a new catalog, or at the very least a look-book (as they say) of sorts. For the past two seasons we have put together these really nice looking portrayals of the shoots that brought them to life. The first one was in Norway and the photography was fittingly bleak and gray. But, at the same time so vast and awe inspiring as to make me want to go there and ride my bicycle.

From the onset it is apparent that there is something different happening here by the way of a female figure gracing the opening pages of the book. A new venture for the line, as this is the first foray into Women’s clothing. Photographer Ben Ingham does a good job of teasing us (mystically, she only appears once at the beginning, and again hidden in the final pages) into what we will surely see more of as the line grows.

This season the entire line was shot in Siricusa, Italy. And while no one actually set fire to anything the engraving on the cover piece does the job of not only invoking a keen sense of art direction, but does its job of bringing the viewer back to it again and again. On the inside: “Cover Illustration: Title page of the Thesaurus Opticus, a Latin edition of the Book of Optics, by the 10th-century Arabic scholar Alhazen. The image depicts Achimedes setting fire to advancing Roman ships using a ‘parabolic mirror’, during the siege of Siracusa, 214-212 BC.” An essay aptly titled “The Vanity of Conquest” appears within the pages.

Everything about this little publication has been taken into account. Ben’s photography is stunning, Designer Ultan Coyle does an amazing job with the layout and design as well. Check out his website and note some of the interesting things that he does in his spare time. 19 Tide Drawings should get you going. The collaboration of these two, photographer and designer, has been happening for some time now, and it never disappoints.

Even the paper stock has a nice heavy feel to it. Not heavy enough to prevent the pages from blowing about as I tried to photograph them. Yet, at 17 pages it still has the slight feeling of a book, or a possibly a packet of documents. But, one of the things that goes unnoticed upon first glance, but that actually drew a smile to my unwavering lips was the thin pink thread used to hold it all together.

To view the entire Spring-Summer line go to Rapha.cc

There have been more than a few book shops in my life. Growing up in rural Wisconsin does not give you too many options for the savvy book reader (which I was certainly not I just like them). But it put the book shop on a pedestal for which other shops did not qualify. When my family would make the two-hour venture from our hometown to the State Capital of Madison, a trip to the book store was in order. Possibly even more than one book store. And the bookstores that I pushed for were either second-hand ones involving countless stacks of musty beauties, or comic books for miles.

Which is why having a shop like Ampersand nearby is exciting, but also a bit daunting. Every time I go in to this shop I try hard not to think too much about it. You see, everything in this shop is that good. So good, in fact that I have taken to using an age old technique that they teach in the back woods of good ol’ Wisco. Some call it Splatter Vision. This is a trick that hunter’s use to visually spot game that may be camouflaging oneself. You sort of unfocus your eyes to a point where everything is just a big blur, then, when something moves your eyes can focus on it and track its movements.

The way that it works with books is less complicated than finding a rabbit hidden beneath a brier patch. It usually involves bright colors and text on a spine that catches ones eye from a distance. The term could then be used for pretty much anything that jumps out, or catches your fancy when hidden in a sea of others.

This is what I do when I am in Ampersand. Some of the things that I have found this way are awesome (a pamphlet on narcotic use and a tattooed sailor book stick out), but one that keeps jumping out at me is Edward Burtynsky’s book Oil. This is the second time that this book stood out like this so I snapped a few photos of the photos, as it were. We threw a party here this past weekend so I got a good solid 6 hours of trying not to look at this thing. The book is too big and gorgeous to handle at a party though. So, I went back the next day.

Each page contains stunningly beautiful depictions of landscapes completely ravaged by the excess of the Industrial Revolution. They are intense and insightful, but at the same time totally unbelievable in the sheer magnitude of their pollution of the landscape. They in fact create their own massively rotten landscape is entirely too gross in both size and nature (no pun intended) to turn away from.

However, the action that may seal the deal on this one (I still have not actually taken it away) is the feeling I got when another customer started thumbing through its pages in my presence. But I sense that may be a holdover from the comic book days?

216 Pages, Published by Steidl Photography International; 1 edition (October 2009)