FRIENDS IN PLACES: GLASSWING

June 19, 2014

We interviewed Forest Eckley and Sean Frazier, owners of one of Seattle's newest and greatest concept shops, Glasswing, and also our buddies. A quick glance at their website reveals their multifaceted nature with features including a photo diary of the Glasswing crew's travels across the country to collect and share photos of some of America's most awesome natural wonders, regular art features from various artists through their website and in-store, and an interview section called, "Friends" where they share in-depth interviews and feature stories on interesting people they know, many from the Pacific Northwest. These guys are rad.


How did Glasswing come about and when?  
FE: We felt like Seattle needed a retail shop that represented contemporary northwest design with an engaging atmosphere, inspiring displays and fun events. So we mapped out our vision for the shop with a business plan and operated Glasswing pop-up shops for about three years to figure out what worked and what did not work ... Those short-term shops and events allowed us to experiment with product development, photography, display and marketing so that when we got the required capital, we would know exactly what we wanted to do and how to do it.
SF: We launched our online store Glasswingshop.com in 2012. During that time we were still doing pop-ups around the city, as Forest mentioned. On Black Friday of last year we opened the doors to our permanent brick & mortar space on Melrose Ave in Capitol Hill. So even though we've been at it for a few years now, the shop- our fully realized vision- is a very new thing. Just a little over half a year now. And it's been an incredible 7 months!  

How big is your store?
FE: 2900 SF
SF: It's the perfect amount of space for us to execute engaging displays and host events. 

What's the neighborhood like?  
FE: Capitol Hill is an exciting place to live and work. There are two colleges, a dense food and bar scene, and some of the most beautiful parks and old buildings in the city. 
SF: We really like the overall vibe of the community here as well. There's a lot of young creatives in this part of the city doing amazing work in art, music and design. And because the neighborhood is virtually central to almost everything in the city, we're situated in an area that allows us to connect or collaborate with our neighbors as well as people from around the world. 

What types of things do you sell at Glasswing?
FE: We have men's and women's apparel, furniture, plants, and other home accessories. 

What type of music do you play at Glasswing?
FE: A little bit of everything ... we've been building our own playlists since opening the shop and I think our house and reggae playlists are probably the best right now.

What makes your store special or unique?
FE: We have a high turnover of ideas in the shop, and we're always building something new, so each time you come in it's going to look a little bit different. We also do 2-3 events in the store each month.

Any big changes coming up that people should know about?
FE: We're in the process of developing a small design office in the store where other designers can work and have meetings. 

Do you have a favorite scent (anything goes from perfume to apples)?
FE: The combination of citrus and fresh ginger

Are pets welcome in your store?
FE: Yes of course

Blackbird Products Stocked: Incense, Perfume, Soaps

All three owners: Sean, Forest, and Alisa Furoyama
Owner Forest Eckley

GLASSWING

1525 MELROSE AVE

SEATTLE, WA 98122

GLASSWINGSHOP.COM

THANK YOU FOREST AND SEAN!

Tags stockist