With a retail presence in Ferndale’s Rust Belt Market and a production studio at the Ponyride Detroit maker space, Not Sorry Goods made the most out of their shared workspaces. Now the sustainable lifestyle retailer is ready to make another leap forward: Not Sorry Goods is prepping for the grand opening of their flagship store along Woodward Avenue in downtown Ferndale.
A celebration is planned from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, July 30.
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Founders Jess Minnick and Dy-Min Johnson“Securing a storefront in downtown Ferndale is a dream come true,” says co-founder Dy-Min Johnson. “We’ve spent years cultivating relationships in the area with our pop-up at Rust Belt and we’re ready to serve the community even further with our permanent location.”
The brand made a name for itself with its Not Sorry bags and apparel, an unapologetic expression of place and identity; t-shirts read “Detroit Not Sorry” and “Queer Not Sorry” in large, bold letters. Company co-founders Dy-Min Johnson and Jess Minnick place an emphasis on inclusivity and community, regularly organizing fundraisers with plans for more. A recent event raised $464 for the LGBTQ+ community center
Affirmations in downtown Ferndale.
“Giving back is integral to our brand DNA and we’re excited to get more involved and help in any way we can,” says Minnick.
The flagship store itself will feature Not Sorry apparel, a mix of up-cycled and reconstructed vintage and original clothing sourced from only the most eco-friendly of companies, the company says. According to a news release, the new store will also carry products from local and smaller national brands that are “small-batch, ethically-sourced, women-owned, queer-owned, black & brown owned.”
With their new location, the production studio will look out onto the retail floor, allowing customers to watch as future products are up-cycled and reimagined.
“There is this little window from the retail floor that looks into the back work room and when we saw that, we instantly knew this was the kind of transparency we were looking for in our storefront,” says Johnson.
An on-site embroidery station allows for customers to bring in their own garments to be customized — or even the clothing they just purchased.
“The best part of the live embroidery experience is seeing what our customers come up with — it’s really about celebrating their creativity and personal style,” says Minnick.
Not Sorry Goods is located at 22963 Woodward Ave. in downtown Ferndale.
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