Shopping

Look Inside the New Rothy’s Store in Georgetown

The shoe startup is the latest direct-to-consumer line to open a DC storefront.

All photographs courtesy Rothy's.

You’ve likely seen someone wear a pair of Rothy’s shoes on the Metro or along your walk to work. The knit, machine-washable shoes have developed something of a cult-following from the commuter cohort for being comfortable without sacrificing style.

They’re made in one piece, so there are no seams to rub against your heels, and they’re cute—think Kelly green flats or animal print Chelsea boots. They’re also sustainable: Rothy’s recycles plastic water bottles to make its thread, which it then turns into shoes via 3D knitting, and uses materials like carbon-free rubber and vegan leather.

And now they’re available for Washingtonians to purchase in-person. Earlier this week, Rothy’s soft-opened a 700-square foot store in Georgetown, its first brick-and-mortar location outside of San Francisco, where the shoe start-up is based.

Rothy’s is the latest in a line of direct-to-consumer startups that have debuted physical locations in DC (think Parachute, Framebridge, or the recent Everlane pop-up). The shoe startup was launched online in 2016 by Roth Martin and Stephen Hawthornthwaite, and last year it sold over a million pairs of shoes. The group opened its San Francisco store last year, and decided on DC as its next location because it’s one of its top customer markets, according to a press release.

While the store’s official grand opening won’t be until January, customers can swing by the M Street space to shop Rothy’s lines of ballet flats, sneakers, loafers, and more. While the company’s entire inventory won’t be available in-store, customers can order items online with the help of a sales associate.

The DC store will also eventually cary limited edition capsules created specifically for the city, and shoppers will leave with a limited edition Rothy’s tote.

The Georgetown Rothy’s will be open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 8 PM and Sunday from 12 PM to 6 PM.

Rothy’s; 3068 M St. NW

Mimi Montgomery Washingtonian
Home & Features Editor

Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.