Four years after opening in a historic North Loop warehouse, Askov Finlayson, the menswear store founded by brothers Eric and Andrew Dayton, has outgrown the space it shared with their bar/restaurant duo, the Bachelor Farmer and Marvel Bar. Askov reopened in larger, sleeker digs adjacent to its original location, complete with a showroom dedicated to the trendy mail-order eyewear company Warby Parker—the brand’s first retail outpost in the state and one of only a handful around the country.
Housed on the main floor of the former Hennepin Hotel building, the new Askov has been long in the making—the brothers bought the real estate in 2012 with the intention of eventually relocating the store and doubling its size. Designed by architecture firm James Dayton Design (yes, they’re related) and inspired by the “North” movement Eric Dayton has helped spearhead, the space features dark wall décor and brass fixtures that evoke the sophisticated, well-groomed sensibility of a grown-up clubhouse. Meanwhile, playful touches—such as a bubble hockey table used for pick-up games and an annual Askov tournament—keep the place from feeling too serious.
The new store’s merchandise selection is similar to that of its original location, with an expanded selection of men’s suiting in the back corner alongside shelves of rugged-yet-polished footwear options from Rancourt & Co. and Red Wing. Up front, outdoor gear from Patagonia and Fjällräven is merchandised alongside Askov Finlayson’s own in-house brand of Explorer pants and signature ball caps emblazoned with the word “North.” A corner of the store is dedicated to apothecary items, small leather goods, and high-end outdoor goods such as waxed-canvas can koozies and carved-birch pocketknives.
The new location also introduces an exclusive collaboration of bags and small accessories with Duluth-based manufacturer Frost River, a hand-painted paddle custom-designed by Winona-based Sanborn Canoe Co., and a series of bags in collaboration with Best American Duffel. All these things are making Askov 2.0 better than ever.
Askov Finlayson
”‹204 N. First St., Mpls.
612-206-3925
askovfinlayson.com
