If you’ve ever been to the Bronx…the real Bronx, then you’ll know what I mean when I say that the place is a straight hustle. For brands looking to break New York, then you need to break the Bronx. However this is a dangerous game, with hundreds of stores all selling similar lines, brands, mixing fakes and backdoor’ing product it’s unreal.
The borough is also huge with multiple neighborhoods and shopping districts with particular tastes, so it's a minefield, especially when everyone wants something the other guy doesn’t have.
However, amongst this ocean of retail madness, there are always a few stores that stand out. On third avenue off E 149th street, is the new location for O’Fresh. A relatively small store but packed with legit goodness.
The owner Omar is gradually building a reputation for picking up the new and fresh brands that no one else has spotted and racking out with the best the US has to offer. He has contacts that bring him in new Bape products from Japan, Rocafellas’ burgeoning new clothing line, Tackma, New Era and of course KING with a steady flow of sick US sports garms.
On our trip to NY we spent a whole day scouting the Bronx, checking out the scene and meeting up with our retailers. Putting in the work on the street is critical to International success. Those who run the stores in the US know their shit and operate on relationships. If you can build these and deliver the goods at the same time then you’ll have the streets backing you hard. When the streets back you, then you’re in.
Shout to Omar and the team at O’fresh, thanks for showing us around, backing British streetwear in the Bronx, and looking forward to decking your customers in the new collection.