Billykirk is what I would call a foundational brand. When a new menswear store pops up, be it a brick and mortar boutique or an e-comm behemoth, Billykirk’s bags are sure to be available right from the start. In their fifteen years (yes, fifteen) Billykirk has amassed nearly one-hundred stockists, and while that figure is certainly impressive Billykirk hasn’t had a store to call their own until now.

It was nine years ago that brothers Kirk and Chris Bray transplanted Billykirk from Los Angeles to the East Coast, establishing their headquarters in Jersey City. And now, as their business continues to expand they’ve made yet another, albeit less dramatic move, setting up their first physical shop just over the Hudson on a burgeoning street in Downtown Manhattan. While Billykirk’s leather goods will still be produced over in New Jersey and at workshops throughout the U.S., their Orchard Street location will function as a proper homebase for the brand.

The front half of the space includes the shop, where you’ll find everything from Cordura duffle bags and Faribault Woolen Mill collaboration blankets all the way down to embossed coasters and key-chain bottle openers. The shop is very unlike your standard workshop (or for that matter your standard Americana emporium) with an open layout and stark fixtures that accentuate just how extensive the Billykirk assortment has become. Neatly arranged boxes, belts, and bags line the store’s shelves all the way through, leading up to their showroom at the rear. This back half of the shop, which includes a rare and enviable backyard, will act as a workspace where the Billykirk team will meet with clients and work on custom jobs.

It’s only right that Billykirk have found a space that includes room for this custom work, as anyone who knows the Bray’s will tell you, the brothers are happiest when they’re behind the workbench. Thankfully, we all now have a chance to take in the Billykirk experience down on Orchard Street, just follow the sound of hammers hitting leather.

BILLYKIRK | 16 Orchard Street New York City 10002