News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Bedouin has long been one of Sisters’ destination shops. Soon, it will be a destination for men and the women who shop for them.
Owner Harmony Thomas and her husband, Brian, saw a need and a niche in Sisters for their particular angle on men’s clothing and accessories, along with housewares and barware.
They have converted the space that was recently Good Day Café into additional retail space, where they will offer a range of clothing and gifts for men. Bedouin will host a local’s preview event to celebrate the new endeavor on Friday, March 19, from 4 to 6 p.m.
“The look that we’re going for is very Pacific Northwest-casual,” Thomas told The Nugget, describing the feel as “everyday, easy, nice quality.”
“The lines that we’re seeking for are all sustainable,” she noted. “A lot of the clothing industry is going in that direction.”
The collection will be Sisters-focused and inspired.
“One of the goals is to really fulfill the local need,” Thomas said. “I’m very conscious of the price point, because I want it to be obtainable.”
Local inspiration can lead directly to the shelves.
“Spud (Shaw) at the liquor store (The Gallimaufrey) came in and he had this gorgeous shirt on — and we got the label and we now have the line,” Thomas said.
There will be more than clothing. There will be journals, jewelry, and ephemera to explore.
“There’s fun things that guys’ll dork out over,” Thomas said with a chuckle.
The coffee bar remains, though it’s been reset in the space. The move away from operating a café might seem to be an outgrowth of COVID-related restrictions on food service, but that’s not what motivated Thomas.
“COVID did not make us do this,” she said. “I think we would have eventually done this; it just sped up the process.”
The real motivation is seeing a need that Bedouin can readily fill, in harmony with their core business.
As Thomas said, “A lot of thought has gone into it, making it not generic, but to have something for our guys in town.”
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
Reader Comments(0)