Words & Photos: Dustin Strong
Community (noun): a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. This definition holds up strong as the intent, and for what SEED People’s Market stands for.
We are excited to introduce in collaboration with SEED, one of our essential and most unique retailers, our custom open air RAEN display to create a more inviting shopping experience. The new display feels more like a piece of modern furniture than a traditional eyewear case. It allows customers to try on frames at their leisure without having to track down an employee.
Located in the center of Costa Mesa, California’s premier “green” gathering spot The Camp. SEED is a cornerstone to the location, bringing together an array of people and products to create a rich and flourishing market. Twelve years ago, when The Camp first began to take shape, not many people were discussing green/sustainable businesses. The creators of SEED sought to host a whole new retail experience. They wanted to create a place that would blend action sports lifestyle and environmentally-friendly products, in a multi-departmental space that would truly reflect the needs of the Orange County community. Seven years later, SEED People’s Market is continuing to cater to a broad customer-base while providing a plethora of eco-conscious products.
We sat down with Rich, General Manager of SEED, to talk more about their relationship with RAEN and how the new display has done so far.
Why did you choose to carry RAEN and how do you feel the frames fit into the aesthetic/purpose of the shop?
We like RAEN because with sunglasses it’s very hard to be unique, and we saw that in them from the get go. Not only do we love the styling and design, but the frames are unique in that RAEN creates classic styles with their own twist. Then you throw in the backstory of the acetate, the natural fibers and being a California company. All those things fit our mission perfectly, and in a world of sunglasses we don’t see that often.
What does the new custom display say about the shop's relationship with RAEN and how has the display affected business?
The display is crushing it, I think uncaging the frames has really been huge and we’ve seen it firsthand the past couple of weeks. Everybody is used to coming up to a glasses display, seeing glasses in there and that’s it. Now when someone walks up to the new display they see the styles shown off the way they are and they try them on and they’re like “Oh wow, this is awesome,” so it’s been great. The display inside the store has been awesome as well, partnerships with local companies is huge and I think that’s where retail needs to go. Most shops are looking the same right now, so to do a unique custom display is awesome because people get an entirely new experience.
Which RAEN silhouette is your favorite?
The Remmy. I like them because they come in two different sizes. I can wear the big ones whenever and the small ones when I feel like being a little more classic.
Tell us more about the store mantra, “Products with a Purpose,” and are there any plans to expand?
Products with a Purpose ties back into the experience people have when they visit the shop. Not everything is 100% recycled or handmade but we have a ton of different brands that go anywhere from Fair Trade Certified to B Corp to One Percent for the Planet and we also have things that are just fun that give people inspiration to go have new outdoor experiences. We wanted the products we carry to reflect purposeful spending and not just things to buy. We don’t have set plans yet but we are looking to expand in the next couple years or so in the Orange County area.
