RVCA San Francisco Closes its Haight-Ashbury Doors

RVCA has closed its flagship, and first ever, store located in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. 

The building at 1485 Haight Street is available for lease, which follows the store’s final art show held Feb. 16.  

RVCA opened its former store at the corner of Haight and Ashbury in 2007, marking its entry into brick-and-mortar retail six years after the brand’s launch by Pat Tenore and Conan Hayes. The historic location was emblematic of the RVCA brand itself and its effortless ability to walk the worlds of art, sport and fashion.  

The San Francisco location became both purveyor of RVCA’s latest men’s and women’s collections, but also gallery for local artists and community event space. RVCA San Francisco would go on to spur the openings of stores on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, Main Street in Santa Monica and locations in Bali and Tokyo among several other doors that served similar purposes beyond simply retail. 

The brand’s crossover abilities allowed for RVCA to easily hold an Excel show at its Fairfax location at one point, sponsor surfers, work with artists such as Retna and seamlessly make sense in the world of fashion working with the likes of Ron Robinson, Erin Wasson and Citizens of Humanity.

RVCA San Francisco’s flagship closure follows a swift series of events after former RVCA parent Boardriders’ sale to Authentic Brands Group in September. The deal’s closing was followed by layoffs, which included Tenore, RVCA’s Costa Mesa headquarters being put up for lease, closure of the Santa Monica store and several licensing deals to handle everything from design to distribution of the brand. 

The former Boardriders portfolio also includes Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, DC Shoes and other brands. All labels are moving to the same licensing model as RVCA under their new parent.

Meanwhile, Tenore hasn’t missed a beat and has already begun work on a new brand.