THE STORY

Eight years ago a few friends and like minded creatives and I worked together and launched #thebarcode on the waterfront at Pier 3. Every other weekend, in a beautiful, yet temporary 10,000 square foot space, we brought together live art, fashion shows, live action screen printing, specialty cocktails, furniture consignment and the Best SF and LA retailers/designers. At the time we wanted to be the ‘fashion rave’ sale in the city to help those who wanted to purge their sale racks in order to stay afloat during the financial stress of the recession and its aftermath. SF saw some good deals and sale racks were turned into cash.

8 years later I’m bringing back the barcode but this time to help designers, artists, and furniture makers showroom their collections offline through a brick and mortar shared space without the burden of scary long term intimidating leases, leasehold improvements, day-to-day fluctuating business operations or costs. My intention is to create a “We Work” model for designers so they can afford to show, sell and stay in SF. At the moment San Francisco is too expensive for non-VC art, fashion and design and if something isn’t done, Amazon will own what’s left of the shopping experience.

The bar code SF will not just be about the designers, furniture, artists and the city we love but every sale will have a social political cause embedded into its bar code tag. The minute you walk in the door you will see a quote from a social, political or cultural issue that needs attention,  justice and of course funding. After all, every time you spend money you are casting a vote on the kind of community, society and world you want to live in.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

"I have owned and operated two traditional brick and mortar stores since I was 20, Brown Eyed Girl and ...And Something Blue Bridal. Some would say I have retail in my blood, straight from my merchant grandparents in Brittany France, and a calling for social justice from my grandfather Lawless - who was a trial lawyer and  judge in New York City as well as the dean of Notre Dame Law School - and my civil rights attorney parents who have battled corporate greed and injustice since the 1960’s. As a business woman and socially active consumer in wholesale and retail, I know the time is right to forge yet another path, to create something new for the socially engaged shopper. Through The Bar Code I merge both the merchant and activist in me. The Bar Code is embedded with charitable contributions with every purchase and the walls project quotes from those important social causes.

If you meet me in the shop I'll probably also ask you about your favorite icon, restaurant, bar, music, travel, campsite, ski slope, or design inspiration. I will always talk art and politics because pop culture is where fashion meets history."

-DANIELLE LAWLESS BOURHIS