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Direct-to-Consumer Shoe Brand Allbirds Is Opening Its First DC Store in Georgetown Today

And, yes, you can purchase "mumbo sauce orange" laces for your new kicks.

Tech bros must purchase vests elsewhere. All photographs courtesy of Allbirds.

Trying to embrace a Silicon Valley-chic wardrobe? Good news for you: Allbirds, the shoe line known for its easy-to-slip-on and washable sneakers, is opening its first DC store in Georgetown today.

Allbirds is, of course, based in San Francisco, and the brand joins a list of other direct-to-consumer groups that have established brick-and-mortar locations in the District (Parachute, Framebridge, and Rothy’s, to name a few). New Zealander Tim Brown started the line in 2016 with cofounder Joey Zwillinger, and the group quickly became known for its sustainable sneakers made of materials such as wool, recycled bottles, and recycled cardboard.

Allbirds, which has 17 other stores across the world, has been valued at more than a billion dollars and, like any successful status symbol, has also inspired a New Yorker think piece and Amazon knock-offs.

The 1,902-square-foot M Street store has a display area in the front with chairs and shoes lining the walls; in the back is the service bar, where salespeople grab inventory and ring up purchases. As a nod to DC and its many monuments, the service bar’s base resembles a pair of columns.

Also a nod to DC: The store will carry limited-edition pink-and-gray sneakers inspired by the cherry blossoms. And when you buy a pair of shoes, you can choose from three lace colors that are also tributes to the area: “Logan Circle green,” “Georgetown grey,” and “mumbo sauce orange.” (We have a lot of thoughts, especially about that last option, but . . . at least it’s not a Papa John’s dish?)

Yes, they’re cherry blossom-themed, but no, they’re not scratch-and-sniff 🙁 

Allbirds shoes start at $95, and the brand also makes socks. To celebrate its grand opening, Allbirds will hand out cookies from Dog Tag Bakery today. And on February 29, it will serve Alchemist Coffee Company and bags of Baked & Wired granola to customers.

Allbirds; 3135 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.