Here’s a fun one. Birkenstock is opening its first retail store in the U.S. – and we are getting it in SoHo. Many might say – “But everyone buys online these days. Why open a brick and mortar store?”

The answer to this question is quite interesting. More brands have actually been turning to brick and mortar stores lately. The SoHo location for the Birkenstock store is actually their 47th brand-owned store globally. As their CEO Oliver Reichert said recently, “It is an important part of our ambition to open our own retail stores in strategic locations and vibrant neighborhoods.”

Reichert continued by saying that New York is “one of the few remaining fashion capitals in the world that shapes global cultural and consumer trends. Being here will keep our brand vivid and will also create visibility for all the innovations in our collection towards a group of enlightened, highly influential consumers.”