Abercrombie & Fitch opens new store in SoHo, unveiling new heritage-inspired concept

Abercrombie & Fitch has opened a new store in SoHo, New York City, as the brand looks to strengthen its roots in its home city. Opening its doors today, June 5, the brand has partnered with local SoHo creative studio Abbode for custom embroidery onsite. 

The new 10,000-square-foot store, located at 520 Broadway, features a new design concept, “Heritage meets Modern,” devised to showcase Abercrombie & Fitch’s 134-year-old history in New York. A far cry from the 2000s store concept from Abercrombie & Fitch that was defined by blacked-out windows, loud club music, and shirtless models at the door, the elevated store concept tells its brand story, starting from its original South Street storefront in the 1890s to its former iconic Madison Avenue location, to its flagship store on Fifth Avenue today. 

Abercrombie & Fitch's SoHo store: A look at the 'Heritage meets Modern' concept

It also blends from the brand’s archive and updated designs in a new way that celebrates its heritage while also cementing its reputation as an ‘elevated American lifestyle brand.’ “We are proud to open our doors in the heart of one of New York City’s most iconic shopping destinations, in a place that has been central to Abercrombie & Fitch’s history for more than a century,” said Melissa Worth, Abercrombie & Fitch Co., managing director for the Americas, in a statement. 

“New York has always been woven into our brand’s story, and we truly feel that this new store is the best expression of Abercrombie to date, blending our rich history with a modern design that we hope inspires every customer who walks through our doors.” The new SoHo store spans three floors and features Abercrombie & Fitch’s first-ever dedicated accessories section, including footwear, sunglasses, and bags. External brands featured include Sperry, Hunter, G. H. Bass, Frye, and Puma, among others. 

“Today’s customer leads a multifaceted life, and we wanted our products to reflect that,” said Corey Robinson, Abercrombie & Fitch Co., chief product officer, in a statement. “With a curated assortment that extends beyond apparel, we’re able to meet our customers wherever life takes them, outfitting them from head to toe with pieces that bring confidence, versatility, and comfort for every occasion.”

The store naturally offers a broad assortment of women’s and men’s collections, including Abercrombie’s denim and office-approved ranges to exclusive New York City and USA products that are only available in select locations. The second floor also houses a separate space for in-store activations, another first for Abercrombie, inspired by a classic New York hotel bar, that will be used for different events.

Across the store, the interior is furnished with heritage-styled pieces that reference the brand’s links to fashion, sports, and travel, with additional custom millwork, mosaic tiling, and fitting rooms with customizable lighting throughout. In addition, the interior includes curated archive displays in the entrance and stairway that present both apparel and memorabilia linked to Abercrombie’s ongoing evolution, such as a 1911 “Saranac” cord suit and a rare “Rainbow Pond” jacket made exclusively for Abercrombie & Fitch by Willis & Geiger in the late 1960s.

The new concept will be used for other new store openings in the future, as Abercrombie & Fitch is currently in the midst of a retail expansion across the US. The brand is shifting its retail focus and opening larger stores in iconic commercial markets next to smaller, locally curated stores optimized for online returns and omnichannel shopping. The brand aims to open 50 to 55 new stores this year and remodel 70 existing stores this year alone to better serve its target audience of adults between their 20s and 40s. 

Abercrombie & Fitch’s strong retail strategy comes a year after the brand reported its highest sales year ever, with more than 5 billion US dollars in sales for 2025. “We do expect net store openings to be relatively balanced across brands, but tilted to the Americas,” said Robert J. Ball, CFO  of Abercrombie & Fitch Co in an earnings call at the end of May.