Telfar, the local brand founded by New Yorker Telfar Clemens and which makes a crazy popular bag that is often called the “Bushwick Birkin,” has opened a flagship store at 408 Broadway just south of Canal. J. spotted it — and the brand’s Instagram said the grand opening was Nov. 23, invite only. It looks under construction to me as of yesterday, but their website says they will be open tomorrow, Nov. 27, from noon to 7, and then permanently open starting Nov. 29.

And NB: everything is monogrammed for Tribeca Citizen.

Regular store hours will be Wednesday to Saturday, 11a to 7p, and Sunday noon to 6p. (It’s worth watching the brand’s promotion if its new release on Instagram — it’s amazing.)

If I am following, you can make a reservation to shop tomorrow by watching for invites on Instagram stories — though there still might be lines.  And maybe you have to reserve after the 29th as well?? “This is so you can actually get your bag. And not kill us,” the caption read.

🖤 YOU DON’T HAVE TO COME TO THE OPENING. IT WILL BE OPEN FOREVER.

WHATS THERE?
👜 ALL SHOPPING BAGS + CARRY BAG + APPAREL
🔒 A SECRET NEW BAG… YOU ALL BEEN ASKING FOR…
♾️ NO LIMIT
♾️ FOREVER
🐌 AS IN TAKE YOUR TIME.
🔗 RSVP LINK IN BIO NOW.
🖤 RSVP SLOTS ARE VERY LIMITED.
🤝🏾THIS IS SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET YOUR BAG. AND NOT KILL US.
❌PLEASE DONT COME WITHOUT AN RSVP
🎟️ MORE LIMITED RSVP SLOTS WILL BE AVAILABLE THIS WEEK!
👁️ WATCH OUR INSTAGRAM STORIES AROUND NOON ET EACH DAY TO FIND OUT WHEN.

The store is 10,000 square feet and looks like it will be pretty dynamic.

The iconic bag, the shopper, comes in several materials and all sorts of collabs with other brands, like the shearling one made with Ugg. The hot new release is the Shmedium, which retails at $195 in a dozen colors of faux leather with twill lining. There will be limited quantities, which might explain the mad grabs for merch.

Clemens, who graduated from Pace with a degree in accounting, established the unisex fashion line in 2005 with the tag line, “It’s not for you — it’s for everyone,” and a desire to build a fashion company that could operate outside of the industry gatekeepers. The designer won the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and the CFDA Fashion Award for American Accessories Designer of the Year in 2020 and 2021.

Born in Lefrak City, he spent some of his childhood in Liberia when his family moved back and his high school years in Maryland, returning to the city for college. The brand’s signature logo was created for him by a high school teacher. (The Times did a nice feature in 2021.) In his college days at Pace, he was a regular shopper at Century, so his has some Downtown bona fides.

More TK when they are open for good.