Patagonia opens first store in Texas but it’s in Austin, boo

by PegNews wire

AUSTIN — Outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia opened its 25th retail store and its first location in Texas in downtown Austin. The new 7,000-square-foot store at 316 North Congress is located in a historic building that began life as the W.B. Smith dry goods store in 1884, four years before the state capitol down the street was completed.

The store carries Patagonia-branded outdoor sports and lifestyle products tailored to the Austin market. Items range from layering systems to apparel for climbing, endurance and water sports, skiing, trail running, hiking/trekking and fly fishing. All products reflect the company's well-known commitment to environmental causes, including 100% organic cotton apparel that avoids causing environmental damage from toxic chemicals used in growing conventional cotton.

The W.B. Smith Building where Patagonia has hung its hat in Austin has housed a series of businesses since the original dry goods store left in 1903, including a wholesale liquor company, a soda manufacturer, a candy maker, barbers, shoe repairs, and the Dallas Morning News and Galveston Daily News. It was the site of the Vulcan Gas Company psychedelic nightclub from 1967 to 1970, with acts ranging from Steve Ray Vaughn and Johnny Winter to Shiva's Headband. The building sat vacant for a decade until Dallas-based real estate developer Trammell Crow remodeled it and moved into the upstairs in 1982.

The new Patagonia location fits corporate efforts to promote sustainable development by reusing existing buildings wherever possible. The company has added its own environmentally friendly fixtures and practices, including energy-reducing lighting strategies, formaldehyde-free insulation and composite wood products, rapidly renewable bamboo hangers and wall fixtures, and recycled rubber chairs and metal tables.

The store also has shower facilities and bike accommodations for employees, supporting alternative commuting strategies and healthier lifestyles.

Source: Patagonia