Japanese denim retailer, in New York since 2006, picks RiNo for second store

Blue jeans

Blue in Green sells a variety of Japanese denim brands, ranging from $200 to $1,000. (Photos courtesy of Blue in Green)

A retailer specializing in Japanese denim brands with a single location in New York City has picked RiNo to locate its second store.

Blue in Green, which has been in New York’s SoHo neighborhood since 2006, has leased 1,000 square feet at 3299 Brighton Blvd. on the ground floor of the new DriveTrain apartment complex.

Blue Geoffrey Chorbajian

Geoffrey Chorbajian

“RiNo feels a lot like a New York neighborhood,” Blue in Green co-owner Geoffrey Chorbajian said. “There’s graffiti and art everywhere, breweries, plus the Source Hotel across the street, and a lot of things in that area that speak to who we are.”

Chorbajian moved to Boulder last year when his wife got a job teaching at the University of Colorado Boulder. He had originally planned to look in L.A. for a second store, but felt Denver made more sense since he could run the new location.

“We thought L.A. would obviously be our first choice since most brands open on the East and West Coasts to begin with. But when I moved to Colorado, I realized it was the perfect market for our brands,” Chorbajian said. “The climate is great for jeans year-round, and we feel there’s an untapped market for men’s clothing here.”

Blue in Green expects the new store to open this winter, offering Japanese brands like Samurai Jeans and Resolute Jeans, as well as non-denim offerings like South2 West8 fly fishing apparel.

The jeans can range from $200 to $1,000, and apparel and accessories can range from $100 to $2,000, depending on the designer. Most of the apparel is for men, although Blue in Green does offer unisex jeans and hopes to carry more women’s clothing at the new location.

DSC 1371 Blue In Green Featured Image 1

Blue in Green opened its first and only current store in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood in 2006.

Chorbajian said the SoHo store sees a lot of celebrity customers, like rapper A$AP Rocky, actor Benedict Cumberbatch and tennis player Naomi Osaka.

DriveTrain is a 417-unit apartment complex completed by San Francisco-based Carmel Partners this year. Blue in Green is the first tenant announced for the retail space. JLL brokers Lorenzo Harris and Sam Zaitz represented Carmel Partners, and Kayla Mahoney with Madison Commercial Properties represented Blue in Green in the deal.

Blue in Green was founded in 2006 by Gordon Heffner and Yuji Fukushima. Chorbajian was a customer before becoming a co-owner a few years ago after Heffner stepped down from the brand.

“Everyone has jeans,” Chorbajian said. “We’re not trying to sell something so unusual. We just sell a very special or unique version of it.”

Blue jeans

Blue in Green sells a variety of Japanese denim brands, ranging from $200 to $1,000. (Photos courtesy of Blue in Green)

A retailer specializing in Japanese denim brands with a single location in New York City has picked RiNo to locate its second store.

Blue in Green, which has been in New York’s SoHo neighborhood since 2006, has leased 1,000 square feet at 3299 Brighton Blvd. on the ground floor of the new DriveTrain apartment complex.

Blue Geoffrey Chorbajian

Geoffrey Chorbajian

“RiNo feels a lot like a New York neighborhood,” Blue in Green co-owner Geoffrey Chorbajian said. “There’s graffiti and art everywhere, breweries, plus the Source Hotel across the street, and a lot of things in that area that speak to who we are.”

Chorbajian moved to Boulder last year when his wife got a job teaching at the University of Colorado Boulder. He had originally planned to look in L.A. for a second store, but felt Denver made more sense since he could run the new location.

“We thought L.A. would obviously be our first choice since most brands open on the East and West Coasts to begin with. But when I moved to Colorado, I realized it was the perfect market for our brands,” Chorbajian said. “The climate is great for jeans year-round, and we feel there’s an untapped market for men’s clothing here.”

Blue in Green expects the new store to open this winter, offering Japanese brands like Samurai Jeans and Resolute Jeans, as well as non-denim offerings like South2 West8 fly fishing apparel.

The jeans can range from $200 to $1,000, and apparel and accessories can range from $100 to $2,000, depending on the designer. Most of the apparel is for men, although Blue in Green does offer unisex jeans and hopes to carry more women’s clothing at the new location.

DSC 1371 Blue In Green Featured Image 1

Blue in Green opened its first and only current store in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood in 2006.

Chorbajian said the SoHo store sees a lot of celebrity customers, like rapper A$AP Rocky, actor Benedict Cumberbatch and tennis player Naomi Osaka.

DriveTrain is a 417-unit apartment complex completed by San Francisco-based Carmel Partners this year. Blue in Green is the first tenant announced for the retail space. JLL brokers Lorenzo Harris and Sam Zaitz represented Carmel Partners, and Kayla Mahoney with Madison Commercial Properties represented Blue in Green in the deal.

Blue in Green was founded in 2006 by Gordon Heffner and Yuji Fukushima. Chorbajian was a customer before becoming a co-owner a few years ago after Heffner stepped down from the brand.

“Everyone has jeans,” Chorbajian said. “We’re not trying to sell something so unusual. We just sell a very special or unique version of it.”

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