Allbirds Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger.
The news is finally out: the New Zealand-inspired, San Francisco-born sustainable footwear brand Allbirds will be landing at Britomart in August.
Allbirds Britomart will be the first New Zealand store for the brand, which was launched in 2016 by former All White captain Tim Brown, and biotech and materials expert Joey Zwillinger.
“Though Allbirds is headquartered in America, the idea for the brand was born in New Zealand,” says Allbirds global head of retail Travis Boyce. “We’re excited to bring the brand home and give Kiwi customers, who have been incredibly supportive of Allbirds throughout our journey, an opportunity to interact with the brand in person,”
When choosing a site, Tim Brown gunned for his hometown of Wellington, but the team eventually settled on Britomart. “Britomart isn’t just a place to shop, it’s a gathering point for the community. While its proximity to transportation hubs and urban location makes Britomart extremely accessible, we loved how its low-slung architecture and natural elements felt like a breath of fresh air in the middle of Auckland,” says Travis. “Britomart also shares our commitment to sustainability, which was a key factor when deciding on a location.”
The exact location of the 258sqm store will be revealed in due course, but we can tell you that it’ll tell the Allbirds story and the origin of the materials (NZ merino wool, eucalyptus fibre and plant-based foams) the shoes are made from within its walls. “This new store will be filled with localised elements that will tell the story of Allbirds, celebrate our Kiwi roots, and give a nod to the city of Auckland,” says Travis.
