Photo courtesy of Love Your Melon
Love Your Melon Beanie
Gold Foil Beanie by Love Your Melon
Philanthropic apparel brand Love Your Melon is opening its first physical store, in the former Shinola space in the North Loop of Minneapolis. Beyond showcasing LYM’s collection of beanies, blankets and other knit goods, the store, which won't be open typical daily store hours, will serve as a launchpad for limited edition products, an event space, and an “influencer studio and creative lab for celebrities and influencers,” company president Zachary Quinn says.
A brand built on social media, LYM counts actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis and singer Rachel Platen as fans. A physical space allows LYM to (potentially) cultivate that image beyond Instagram—the same way it did during the Super Bowl when friends of the brand were invited to the "LYM House," a rented Minneapolis mansion that felt like a frat house for young executives, where food and drink flowed and the hot tub was available to visitors all week.
Founded in 2012 by Quinn and Brian Keller as a classroom project at the University of St. Thomas, Love Your Melon is now a multi-million dollar operation with 30 full-time employees and products sold in more than 400 retail stores. LYM donates half its profits to the fight against pediatric cancer. To date, more than 125,000 beanies have been given to kids with cancer and more than $4.3 million has gone toward funding cancer research initiatives.
LYM plans to open June 1 at Washington and Third avenues—a high-traffic corner in the hottest Minneapolis neighborhood. Office space above the store will serve as LYM’s new company headquarters, which is moving to the North Loop from Capella Tower in downtown Minneapolis.
