After nine years in Ballard, Blackbird store is set to close. Owner Nicole Miller announced the closure Tuesday night stating that she will now focus on the wholesale sales of Blackbird’s number one products including Blackbird Incense Pyres, Beard Oil and Black Square Soap.
“When I started Blackbird, menswear was in a deep rut, but the signs of change were starting to spring up. I had to search far and wide to find clothing that fit, fabrics that would wear well and designs that would move us into the future without breaking the bank or our sensibilities. It wasn’t easy. Sales reps frequently said I wasn’t buying what all the other stores selected, but that didn’t bother me,” writes Miller.
In the closure anouncement, Miller pointed to the people that she had met along the way as being the best part of the adventure. She expressed her gratitude to staff (past and present) and customers both locally and internationally. “The mission started out being about the clothes but quickly the people were what mattered most; to see them as who they are, to inspire them to take one step further than the last, and to let them know it was okay to be themselves. I didn’t know I would affect people. I didn’t know how much you people would affect me,” writes Miller.
Miller points to the difficulty of saying goodbye to Ballard and invites all to a Beers and Tears event at Blackbird this Sunday, July 7 from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
“To all of our loyal and kind customers (impossible to name them all): You made Blackbird what it is. You believed in this little store. You inspired me. Thank you,” writes Miller.
Photo courtesy of Blackbird.
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