Dressing today’s man: Beatniks menswear opens in Raleigh Iron Works
“Beatnik,” a term coined by San Francisco columnist Herb Caen in the late 1950s, embodied the counter-culture spirit of a generation: young, free and bohemian.
It’s those qualities that Raleigh founder Luke Suggs is hoping to channel into his new men’s street-style clothing store by the same name.
Curating a collection tailored to his and his friends’ tastes with U.K.-brands like bound, Beatniks is set to launch in Raleigh Iron Works this weekend.
It will host its grand opening from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.
It’s among a growing list of tenants at the newly opened 19-acre “live-work-play” complex in the Capital Boulevard corridor northeast of downtown Raleigh.
“Beyond stoked to be opening the doors,” Suggs posted on the store’s Instagram account on Tuesday.
He expects a good bit of foot traffic.
“I chose Raleigh Iron Works because when I toured it, it just felt right,” he told RALtoday. “[Developers Grubb Ventures and Jamestown] want to make it like a really unique experience for everyone. They want people to come, park and stay the whole day into the night.”
Fashion retail runs in his blood. His parents own Fisher’s Clothing, a clothing store in Elizabethtown, about a two-hour drive south of Raleigh.
But his store will be different. Think funky and fashion-forward. “I am doing a really cool yellow tile wall in the back that I’m super excited about,” he said.
This story was originally published October 20, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
