VEJA makes sneakers differently, with a focus on sustainability and social justice in everything they do. They engaged the Baker Team to grow their retail footprint—while minimizing their environmental one.

VEJA makes sneakers differently, with a focus on sustainability and social justice in everything they do. They engaged the Baker Team to grow their retail footprint—while minimizing their environmental one.  

David and the VEJA team knew that opening a retail space in New York would reduce the company’s shipping volume and associated environmental impact. But they also wanted the space itself to be sustainable. For the Baker Team, that meant finding a location with inherent character and appeal, so VEJA could preserve original materials and minimize renovations. 

The real estate search, predictably enough, turned up many spaces in “white box” condition with fresh sheetrock, loads of newly-applied white paint, and virtually no intrinsic character. David and his team kept pushing.

Built in the 1800s as the NYPD’s 14th Precinct House, the space VEJA selected had been partially demolished and left unfinished, with slabs of raw concrete and plywood floors. Located on a pedestrian-friendly street and facing a soon to be refurbished green space and park, the VEJA store shares a neighborhood with brand-friends like Noah, Sézane and Cha Cha Matcha, and Aimé Leon Dore.

David believes great real estate, like a great pair of sneakers, is all about finding the perfect fit. The new VEJA store has the history, raw materials, neighbors, and footprint to bring the brand’s exceptional vision and values to life.

See write-ups in Vogue and Environmental Leader.

Sector: RETAIL
CITY: NEW YORK
Neighborhood: NOLITA
Size: 2,500 RSF