Somewhere, the new space from some of the team behind Maketto, is not a coffee shop, and also not a streetwear store, it’s both. For Will Sharp—who opened the new Navy Yard shop with Maketto’s head of retail Dom Adams and third owner Steve Place—the ability to check out new sneakers and grab a latte in the same place is what will keep shoppers coming through the door, rather than heading to Amazon.
“Physical retail [has to be] an experience,” Sharp says over email. “If you come to Somewhere, you can grab a coffee or a tea from our friendly staff. You can shop for some shoes, apparel, or accessories—all while inside of a modern, austere setting. That combination … gives a customer an experience that you cannot replicate online.”
That experience is already underway, as the Navy Yard store—viewed by Sharp as a “clean slate … in a neighborhood that we could actively participate in defining”—has officially opened its doors on the ground floor of the F1RST Residences apartment building. An inviting exterior gives way to a warm and minimalist inside where coffee and pastries almost immediately greet you on a counter nearby.
Clothing on a hanging rack offers a hodgepodge of silhouettes. Pants, tees (both long and short sleeve), jackets, and jeans from well-known brands like Levi’s and North Face appear alongside brands you’d usually only find in a New York City or Los Angeles boutique, including Undercover and Kapital. A striking illuminated shoe display—filled with shoes from Vans, Salomon, Clarks, Asics, and more—draws the eye to the back wall. Prices at Somewhere vary from an $8 lanyard, to $24 for a T-shirt, to an $1,800 Undercover jacket. The range in prices and styles is by design, literally.
“Fashion is a global conversation these days,” says Sharp, who’s also behind the D.C.-based fashion line DURKL. “I grew up in D.C. taking the train to NYC to participate in the fashion culture of the 90’s, so Somewhere is an attempt to bring that conversation home for the locals here.”
Somewhere stocks a brand called Children of the Discordance, for example. The Japanese company creates new garments out of purchased vintage pieces, which Sharp says is in tune with a growing trend of sustainability. “I think stories [like that] are what makes these brands interesting and compelling us to bring them to the shop,” Sharp says. “It’s our mission to tell them in a thoughtful way.”
As for the inclusion of popular brands like Levi’s, Vans, and North Face, Sharp anticipates shoppers might come in familiar with those names, then“graduate” to other brands they might not have seen or heard of before. And if they don’t, there’s no pressure, Sharp says, because he sees Somewhere as an “everyday neighborhood spot.”
Where Maketto offers a full-service dinner and bar program alongside its retail, Somewhere offers cafe fare, including pastries from Baked and Wired and coffee from local brewer Vigilante. Drinks with espresso, matcha, and chai are also on the menu. Somewhere wants to eventually add vegan, gluten-free, and prepared lunch options. Sharp also mentions talk of secret off-menu coffee items, expanding their tea offerings, and further experimentation with established cafe favorites.
Sharp has designed Somewhere to be a place to hang and to learn. “It’s not a shop that you need a secret passcode to enter,” Sharp says. “It’s not a club for cool kids. It’s really a place where you can come in, grab a cup of coffee, and shop your favorite brands—and learn about new brands.”
SOMEWHERE is located at 1239 First St SE. Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
