Portland Leather Goods

Shop! Association awarded this exciting store design the Visual Presentation of the Year Award. This award recognizes how effectively a retail environment brings a brand to life visually and emotionally - through design, storytelling, and creating meaningful connections with customers.

Portland Leather Goods | Seattle, WA

When Portland Leather Goods (PLG) approached Jencen Architecture, they sought more than a retail concept—they wanted a physical translation of their wildly successful online brand. Founded in 2015 as a purveyor of handmade leather goods, PLG had cultivated a loyal following and a strong digital identity. As they prepared for an ambitious national store rollout, they engaged our team to help define what the Portland Leather Goods experience should feel like in three dimensions.

Design Vision: Translating Brand DNA into Space

From the outset, our goal was to merge modern industrial design with organic warmth, mirroring the brand’s balance of contemporary style and craftsmanship. We developed a prototypical prototype design system with elements that could adapt across multiple U.S. locations, maintaining brand consistency while allowing for local nuance. The palette is rooted in bold contrasts—black and white architectural forms softened by natural wood tones and greenery—creating a backdrop that lets the colorful PLG merchandise take center stage.

Spatial Experience and Material Language

The store’s interior celebrates both precision and play. Displays are eclectic and tactile, reflecting PLG’s handcrafted ethos—vintage-inspired tables, custom wood-and-metal window features, and clusters of natural tree stumps all create layers of discovery. Accessory displays, ranging from woven baskets to metal bins, reinforce the brand’s approachable, crafted aesthetic.

At the heart of the space, the cashwrap focal becomes an architectural anchor—a striking composition of dimensional black woodwork framing the Portland Leather logo. The feature balances modern craftsmanship with a sense of permanence, grounding the store experience.

Focal Moments and Brand Storytelling

A custom metal tree installation, crowned with softly glowing lanterns, introduces an organic sculptural element. At its base, leather seating invites guests to pause, explore, and engage with the products—echoing the brand’s tactile authenticity.

Interactive elements further extend the brand experience. The “Creation Station” allows customers to personalize their purchases with decorative “littles”—charms and tassels that reflect the brand’s playful side. The selfie wall, designed to be localized for each city, provides a whimsical, photo-ready backdrop that encourages guests to share their PLG story online—bridging the digital roots of the brand with its new physical expression.

Collaboration and Outcome

Working closely with the PLG team, Jencen Architecture helped transform a beloved online brand into an immersive in-store experience that feels both fresh and familiar. The prototype has already supported an impressive expansion—from three original stores to fourteen nationwide (some currently under construction or near opening) in a single year—marking the start of an exciting new chapter for Portland Leather Goods.

It has been a privilege to collaborate with such a creative, visionary team to craft a retail environment that celebrates the artistry and authenticity at the heart of the PLG brand.