Sales Manager

Good American opens first NYC flagship store. By Claudia Ruiz 16 October 2026 Good American is returning to New York City a decade after its founding, this time with a physical presence in the form of a SoHo pop-up store opening Thursday. The brand, co-founded by Khloé Kardashian and Emma Grede, launched in 2014 with a mission to redefine denim for women in sizes 00 to 24, a radical move at the time when most retailers separated "plus sizes" from standard racks. That approach paid off immediately: the brand hit $1 million in sales on its first day, a feat that set the tone for its disruptive entry into the fashion industry. The SoHo pop-up marks Good American's first independent retail space in New York, a strategic choice given the city's status as a global fashion hub. Unlike its earlier wholesale partnerships - most notably with Nordstrom - this store will operate as a standalone experience, allowing the brand to refine its in-person customer engagement after nearly a decade of rapid growth. Grede, who has steered the company through 18 months of internal evaluation, emphasized that the pop-up is less about flash and more about proving the brand's evolution beyond denim. Good American now markets itself as a "full wardrobe" brand, with categories that include leather pants, suede jackets, and other raised staples priced alongside its signature denim. The pop-up will feature exclusives like an apple pie-flavored frozen coffee from Leora Café, another New York debut, and a Dotcakes activation, alongside meet-and-greets, Polaroid portraits, and cozy gift bundles. But the focus remains on the product: Grede has repeatedly stressed that customer loyalty is built on fit and quality, not celebrity affiliation. Holiday push fuels 30% sales surge. While the brand's 2026 sales are up 30% year-over-year, exceeding internal targets, Grede declined to share exact revenue figures beyond confirming $200 million in annual sales in 2022. The pop-up's timing aligns with a broader push to solidify Good American's position ahead of the holiday shopping season, a period when direct-to-consumer sales typically surge. The brand's four existing permanent stores, located in Las Vegas, Newport Beach, Canoga Park, and Atlanta, have served as test beds for its retail strategy, but Grede has made it clear that New York remains a priority for future expansion. The pop-up's design blends New York signatures with Good American's L.A. roots, avoiding the trap of over-localizing. Grede noted that the store's aesthetic should feel familiar to customers who already know the brand, even as it introduces elements like real suede, a material the company has increasingly incorporated into its higher-end collections. The move reflects a deliberate shift: while denim remains core, Good American is now positioning itself as a lifestyle brand capable of competing with legacy retailers. College tours and gen Z loyalty. Grede's own influence, through her Aspire podcast, New York Times bestseller Start With Yourself, and high-profile dinner series like A Seat at the Table, has amplified the brand's reach, though she insists the connection to her personal brand is secondary. "People are loyal to the fit over everything," she said. The pop-up's success will hinge on whether that loyalty translates into in-person sales, particularly among younger customers the brand has targeted through initiatives like its recent college tour, which included café takeovers at universities like Michigan and Texas at Austin. Those events aimed to attract women now in their early 20s, a demographic that was just 12 years old when Good American launched. Behind the scenes, the brand's wholesale business, led by its long-standing partnership with Nordstrom, remains a cornerstone of its growth strategy. Grede has repeatedly emphasized that Good American was built to operate across channels, and the pop-up serves as both a retail experiment and a chance to refine its omnichannel approach. A spokesperson said the brand plans to expand its retail footprint in 2027, though declined to share specifics, and that retail expansion remains a key priority as it continues to grow. Same-rack sizing returns in SoHo. The SoHo pop-up's layout prioritizes accessibility, with a single-size display system that mirrors Good American's original 2014 launch strategy. Unlike traditional retailers, which often separate plus and standard sizes, the store will present all styles, from 00 to 24, on the same racks, reinforcing the brand's founding principle. Customer feedback will play a central role in shaping the pop-up's offerings. Grede noted that the brand's 18-month evaluation period included extensive data analysis on which products resonated most with its diverse age range, from teenagers to women in their 70s. The SoHo store will test demand for higher-end items like the $498 suede jackets, which have gained traction online but remain unproven in a brick-and-mortar setting. Early indicators suggest younger shoppers, drawn by the college tour activations, may be more open to these raised pieces, while older customers may stick to the brand's core denim and leather staples.

Emma Grede, co-founder of Good American and founding partner of SKIMS, has published Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life, drawing both praise and criticism. The Wall Street Journal called it "Lean In for the post-girlboss era". Grede, who sold her marketing agency ITB Worldwide after a decade as CEO, co-founded Good American with Khloé Kardashian in 2016. The company grew to a reported $200 million business by 2023. She also holds equity in SKIMS, now valued at roughly $5 billion, where she serves as chief product officer rather than CEO. Her book emphasises taking power rather than waiting for it. However, critics note a gap between her message and her actual path, which centred on strategic equity positions and contractual leverage rather than traditional employment advancement.