Men's Fashion Brand Ernest Alexander To Open Hayes Street Store

Men's Fashion Brand Ernest Alexander To Open Hayes Street StorePhoto: Andrew Dudley/Hoodline
Nuala Sawyer
Published on August 12, 2015

A new tenant has taken over the lease at 327 Hayes St., a mere six weeks after interior design shop Lotus Bleu shut its doors. Ernest Alexander, a New York-based maker of luxury bags, accessories and shirts, is set to move in sometime this fall.

The company was founded by Ernest Alexander Sabine in 2009; according to the company's website, he was inspired by his Latvian grandmother and great-grandmother, who were seamstresses. Sabine began his line with one bag, the Hudson Messenger, and has since expanded his offerings to include a wide array of work and travel bags, dress shirts, neckties, and small leather goods. All of the company's bags are manufactured in the U.S. 

In 2013, Ernest Alexander was named by GQ as one of the best new menswear designers in America. As part of the award, the company released a special limited-edition collection in collaboration with the Gap. 

Ernest Alexander's New York shop. (Photo: Ernest Alexander)

The Hayes Valley store will be the company's first outside of New York, where it has a flagship store in SoHo and a smaller "design shop" near Madison Square Park. No official opening date has been announced, but a Craigslist post seeking sales associates states that the shop will open in August. 

Former tenant Lotus Bleu occupied the 325-327 Hayes St. space from 2003 until this June, when a sharp rent increase forced owner Jeannie Fraise to look for a new location. (The firm is now located at 10 Arkansas St. in Potrero Hill.) The 930-square-foot space at 325 Hayes, next-door to the 260-square-foot future Ernest Alexander shop, is currently listed for $6,800/month. (Ed. note: A previous version of this story reversed the square footage of the two spaces.)

Hoodline reached out to Ernest Alexander for more details, but has yet to hear back. We'll let you know when the new shop opens its doors.