Fiona's Boutique vacated the long narrow storefront at 573 Hayes St. a mere six weeks ago, but already a new (temporary) tenant has moved in. Pladra, a local San Francisco company that designs and produces flannel shirts, will be occupying the space until the end of September.
Owner and Founder Jeff Ladra
Pladra was founded in 2009 by Jeff Ladra, who grew up hunting, fishing and camping. Flannel has long been a staple for outdoor activities, but Jeff noticed a disconnect between the quality of flannel one can wear on outdoor adventures, and the stylish flannel that one can wear out to a bar. Thus, Pladra was born.
All flannel designs are custom to Pladra, and the fabric is produced in Portugal. Shirts are made in South San Francisco.
Up until now, Pladra has been sold out of a few retail shops thoughout the city (Wingtip and Alite, to name two), and can often be found at SFMade events or Etsy fairs. Much of the shop's business is done online, and this decision to sell directly is intentional to keep the costs down. If Pladra shirts were sold through other retailers, Jeff tells us, the prices would have to be over $200.
Instead, both women's and men's shirts retail between $119 and $129, depending on if they're a regular or heavy-weight flannel. Each shirt includes a unique print of animals lining the collar, back yoke and sleeve cuffs. All shirts are 100 percent cotton.
Ladra tells us that the clientele for the shop is diverse, challenging the idea that plaid is solely a hipster accessory. "It's really everybody, which is fantastic," he says. And while Pladra fits in to the fashion scene in San Francisco, its quality is also being recognized throughout the rest of the USA. Many of the shop's online clientele reside in the Midwest, and are purchasing the shirts for outdoor activities, just as Ladra originally intended.
Pladra's pop-up will run through the end of September. This fall, the wall between 573 Hayes and 569 Hayes will be knocked down, and a new retail shop will take over the whole space. Details are vague, but rumors are it's a Canadian chain with less than 11 shops (putting it under Formula Retail laws), and that this will be their first U.S. outpost. We'll keep you in the loop as we learn more.
In the meantime, Pladra is open 11am-7pm daily, and will be hosting an opening celebration on Thursday August 27th from 5-9pm with beer and wine.
