Ornot&#8217;s New Retail Space –

One of our favorite cycling clothing brands, Ornot, moved into a new retail space in December of last year. Making his pre-Sea Otter rounds, John swung through to see what the small batch minimally-branded apparel brand’s been up to and to scope out its new storefront…

Neighborhoods change and evolve over time. One of the reasons I love cities like San Francisco is how walkable and ridable they are on a bike and how many specialty shops there are, each occupying storefronts that have changed with the city over the years. Pedaling up the “Wiggle” – a route that allows you to bypass the city’s steep hills – your peripheral vision notes the collage of storefront façades as you pass by.

Each of those storefronts has been a multitude of businesses over the decades past. In the case of Ornot’s new space, it used to be a grocery store. Tyler Nutter, the brand’s photographer and handyman, dug up this old historic photo of the building while searching online. The old Checker Market closed sometime in the 1990s, but people in the neighborhood still comment about how a family member worked there “back in the day.” Being right off the Wiggle, Ornot’s quickly become a hub for cyclists.

In 2023, we did a brand story on Ornot and how they reached a decade in operation. The brand’s award-winning Mission Shorts and Mission Pants are still a staff favorite and I’m wearing the limited edition Polartec pullover hoodie as I’m typing this now. Ornot makes timeless staples that are as robust as they are versatile, and the new storefront embodies this ethos.

Using a combination of store-bought displays, second-hand cabinetry, and house-built millwork, the Ornot storefront maintains a minimally-branded vibe, tapping into a brand staple color (blue) for the cushions and color blocking. The millwork floats on giant rubber castor wheels. The display racks are made from 80/20, and the walls have versatile “peg and hole” displays for various configurations.

When Mission Workshop closed its Mission St. storefront and then its Rondel Alley location, Ornot bought the cabinetry from the brand. While I’m gutted to hear Mission Workshop closed its retail store, seeing these two small companies working together feels nice.

Thanks to Tyler Nutter for allowing us to use these Aftercake ride photos!

Spaces aren’t just for commerce; they can be communal hubs, too. And Ornot hosts a weekly ride dubbed the “Aftercake” ride. This no-drop ride leaves the shop every Tuesday at 8:30 AM. The route is usually a fun mixed-terrain city loop that utilizes road, path, and some singletrack, before ending back at the shop with donuts and coffee.

Next door, in the old storefront, is the brand’s design HQ. Inside, the busy bees work on new apparel launches, maintaining the brand’s vibrant social media, and planning their Sea Otter activities. Of which, you can join in on the fun!

From our 2023 Sea Otter Classic coverage…

Swing through Ornot’s Sea Otter booth G24 – in the middle grass zone – Saturday at 1 PM for the Ride and Draw with Chris McNally. Check out the details on Strava.