Designer clothing outlet Cary Lane departing Hayes Valley for the Upper Haight

Designer clothing outlet Cary Lane departing Hayes Valley for the Upper HaightA clothing display at Cary Lane Hayes Valley. | Photo: JD Hudson/Cary Lane
Camden Avery
Published on June 14, 2019

Designer clothing outlet Cary Lane is making the move from Hayes Valley to the Upper Haight — and filling a longtime Haight Street retail vacancy in the process.

As announced earlier this week in the Chronicle, the San Francisco-based shop is shuttering its longtime Hayes Valley location (560 Laguna St.) at the end of July.

Owner Cary LaScala has signed a 10-year lease on the former American Apparel storefront at 1615 Haight St. The space, which has sat vacant for more than two years, is one of a number of longterm retail vacancies in the Upper Haight's central retail corridor.

The Haight Street American Apparel, circa 2015. Vacant since 2017, it will now house Cary Lane. | Photo: Dan B./Yelp

Founded in 2008, Cary Lane specializes in selling discounted men's and women's clothing samples and past-season looks from designer houses. The shop rounds out its offerings with accessories and a house line of men's shirts.

Cary Lane also has two other shops in the Inner Sunset (1262 9th Avenue) and the Mission (3153 16th Street).

The Upper Haight's clothing climate can be tricky, with stiff competition and $6-per-square-foot rents. But Cary Lane will occupy a unique niche: new clothes, rather than vintage, and prices slightly higher than those at shops like Held Over and Buffalo Exchange.

The American Apparel space is still in need of renovations, but LaScala told the Chronicle he hopes to open his doors this fall.