Free City's Hippie-Hipster Hybrid Space on Highland

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When James Perse just opened on Highland a few weeks ago, we wondered how $75 t-shirts would play in this mixed-used, burgeoning but still rough-around-the-edges neighborhood. Now we're wondering the same thing about Free City and their $295 cargo shorts, $158 pink, be-logoed sweatpants, and their bucks-deluxe, no assembly required fixies. The store threw a party last night, and they open to the public today.

It is, indeed, a supershop. The indoor space is massive, accommodating wares including the full line of Free City duds, bikes, shoes?even their special bread, soy milk, ice creams, and more. To us, it kind of felt like what you'd get if you put Urban Outfitters and an R.E.I. in a blender. But with a much more Native American/outdoorsy kind of vibe.

Though we're not exactly keen on the clothing and shirts with the giant logos and matching pricetags, it appears plenty of people are, as is evidenced by the very presence of this mega-lifestyle store. The bread is indeed amazing, but probably not so awesome that it can anchor a neighborhood revival all by itself. And we'll say this: lately, so many new stores have modern, austere, cold vibes, so Free City's gonzo, over-the-top, color-drenched aesthetic is a nice change.
· Free City [Official Site]
· James Perse Opens Under the Cover of Darkness [Racked, previously]