That’s right after all this time, the Bape store in Soho is closing on July 30th.
Melodramatic as it may sound, it’s the end of an era for BAPE New York. Opened in an unmarked but highly-identifiable storefront on 91 Greene St. in 2005, BAPE’s SoHo outpost has become a bastion of streetwear for East Coast fans, often having to limit the number of people allowed to enter the store at a time on days of big releases. Times have changed, however, and it appears that BAPE’s retail operation in the states may be suffering. Signs of trouble abounded, including the closure of the brand’s LA outpost and the purchase of 90% of BAPE’s stock for a measly $2.8 million USD by Chinese apparel conglomerate I.T Ltd. Nonetheless, it remains significant that the store in New York City has been confirmed to close on the 30th July. What do you think the future will hold for BAPE?
[via Hypebeast]
