Excelsior is in the midst of a retail boom. In 2015 alone, the city has seen the openings of Golden Rule Collective, Primp, and Lululemon’s children’s offshoot, Ivivva. This past month saw the addition of yet another: Buck+Fir, a women’s boutique that blends Minnesota heritage—think plaid shirts, vintage-inspired ski hats, and Minnetonka Moccasins—with streetwear-inspired looks popular on the coasts. It’s a look the store’s owners dub “Minnesota cool meets coastal casual.”
On the “coastal casual” end, the store carries Saucony Originals and Brooks Heritage, two sneaker brands that throwback to the ’70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s with their colorful styles; plus goods from contemporary brands such as Free People, Blank NYC, Olive & Oak, Outdoor Voices, and Brixton.
The shop shows its local pride with “MPLS” and “St. Paul” sweatshirts inspired by the lettering and colors of vintage Minneapolis Millers and St. Paul Saints jerseys, made by Seattle-based brand Ebbetts Field Flannels; ski hats in Minnesota colors by MPLS/STP Clothing Co.; women’s footwear by Minnetonka Moccasin; and handmade scarves from local designer Martha McQuade’s ScarfShop.
Buck+Fir comes from the same mother-daughter trio—mom Cindy Berset and daughters Kelsey and Ashley—that opened Excelsior eatery, the Suburban, last spring. The store, which is tucked away in the back end of a historic building off Water Street, was renovated from an old garage. They painted the brick walls white and the ceiling black, leaving the space with much of its original character, including a few colorful paint splashes on the floor.
“We’ve kept what we call the ‘wrinkles’ on the floor,” says Cindy. “We don’t know where they came from, but we love it. We really left the space as raw as we could.”
It’s no accident that the space looks like it wouldn’t be out of place in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood, which is known for its modern-industrial look and heritage-style leanings.
“We were really inspired by all the stores in the North Loop,” says Ashley. “This was the first spot we walked into, and thought, it actually feels like it could be in Minneapolis.”
Adds Cindy, “Or in New York City, or in SoHo. We’ve had a lot of people from the East Coast walk in and say, ‘Oh my god, I feel like I’m in New York right now.’”
The store has a grand opening planned for Saturday, January 16 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. that will include deals, cocktails, and giveaways.
Now open, 219 Water St., Excelsior (entrance in east parking lot), 952-470-3594, buckandfir.com
More photos inside the shop:
