Luxury retail store in North Loop is a one-stop shop for apparel, interior design
Luxury retail store in North Loop is a one-stop shop for apparel, interior design
In the North Loop of Minneapolis resides a retail business that defies conventional descriptions. MartinPatrick3, as its owners say, isn't a department store, but a "lifestyle" store. The gay-owned business has received both national and international recognition, thanks in part to its commitment to its constant evolution. FOX 9's Rose Schmidt takes us inside this unique retail experience.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - You're immediately surrounded by beautiful things the moment you step foot into MartinPatrick 3, and that's by design.
The retail business in the North Loop is hard to conceptualize if you’ve never been inside. Greg Walsh and Dana Swindler, the owners of MartinPatrick 3, say it's not a department store or a boutique; it’s a "lifestyle" store. The name is a family name.
"My dad is Martin Patrick. My grandfather's Martin Patrick," said Walsh. He added that either he or his brother was supposed to be Martin Patrick III, but his mom disagreed.
The "three" in the name is also a nod to the three categories the store’s best known for: men’s apparel, home furnishings and interior design. The gay-owned business has received national and international recognition, in part because it never stops evolving.
Walsh has had a store in the North Loop neighborhood in some fashion since 1995 and started working with Swindler in 2008. They're partners in marriage and in business.
"I've always been on the art side. (Dana) you've always been more on the numbers side," Walsh said.
They're not ones to toot their own horn, but Forbes had no problem doing so when it called MartinPatrick 3 the "hottest retailer" in 2018. As other big stores have left downtown Minneapolis over the last few years, it’s opened a door for Walsh and Swindler.
"He's not from retail. I'm not from retail. I think that made (people) like, ‘Who are these guys buying these brands? Why are they here?’" Swindler said.
From the variety of merchandise, it's hard to deny the store is wide-ranging, and the owners say their customer base is, too.
"Very diverse. All colors, walks of life, everything. And that's us. We hire that way. Everything is inclusive and has been," Swindler said.
If you thought those initial three categories weren't enough in the 20,000 square foot space, add in jewelry, housewares, a barbershop and soon, maybe a coffeeshop? The store also added women's apparel at the heart of the pandemic in 2020. It was a way to fill a gap as the dress and suit market was devastated.
"Womens is probably the most exciting add that we’ve had," said Robert Elder, who works in sales at the store.
"There's always something going on. Never stale, and we don't want the store to ever be stale. So, it's always changing. Always projects going on," Swindler said.
Perhaps the best part of their story is Walsh started in interior design, and retail was never part of the business plan.
"Then the opportunity came and we said ‘Well, maybe we should put our toe in the water and see how that works.’ And that worked," said Swindler.