Upstairs, Downstairs
Nicki Osina ran women’s boutique Riley James out of the first floor of a stately San Francisco Victorian for three years before adding menswear in 2004, when 1,300 square feet opened in the building’s basement. She held the grand opening party for the guys’ shop on Jan. 20.
Osina said she hopes the new store, located in the city’s Cow Hollow neighborhood, will appeal to the lad and the sharp dresser in every man. In the back lounge area, guys can watch the San Francisco 49ers or the San Francisco Giants on 42-inch LCD screen. They can also play pinball, drink at the wet bar or spin records at the DJ booth. In the store, customers can shop for J. Lindeberg trousers, Howe Denim, Triko shirts and Puma sneakers.
“The bottom line is selling clothes,” said Bryan Whalen, the boutique’s men’s buyer. “But we also want to get our customers to take a risk and try something new.”
This spring, Riley James will sell new English streetwear lines Martial Artist, Fourface and Fake London Genius. —Andrew Asch
