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The Great Outdoors Sets Up Camp in LA’s Arts District
While contemporary and designer boutiques are finding new homes in downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District, retailer Gene Han is gambling that the bohemian enclave will embrace a new style of high-end camping.
On Sept. 6, Han held a grand-opening party for his Hatchet Outdoor Supply Co. at 941 E. Second St.
The 1,800-square-foot boutique, located in what reportedly was once a stylist’s studio, is the second location for Hatchet Outdoor. The first location opened three years ago in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Stylish camping clothes and gear for the discerning hiker—think stainless-steel wine cups—are included in the Arts District store’s inventory.
“There is a crossover,” he said. “As you get older, you want to re-engage with the camping experiences you had as a kid.”
Han said camping is not exclusive from his first field—the urban world of high-end sneakers. Han got his start in retail by opening Alumni, a two-store sneaker chain in Brooklyn, which he still runs.
Hatchet’s point of difference is that camping is done with panache. Clothes on the tables and racks are outdoorsy but with a fashion twist.
Brands offered at Hatchet include U.S. labels such as Carhartt W.I.P., Filson and Battenwear as well as Danish brand Norse Projects and Japanese label Snow Peak.
The boutique’s retail price points range from $20 to $800.
