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FeedBags on the go
Bags on the go
Seagull Bags isn't your typical shopping experience. The Clintonville store has little retail space to house its custom courier bags that have folks talking around town. When you walk through the shop's doors, which often are propped open on warm days, you'll see several workstations and hear the humming of sewing machines. Employees--who are divided among several departments, including cutting, embroidery and custom orders--banter back and forth as they work to bring each bag to life.
Seven years ago, owner Daniel McKewen made a bet with a classmate at Columbus College of Art & Design that he could design and create the best messenger bag. After he carried his design around campus, he started to receive requests from students to have their own bags made. He opened a shop on Parsons Avenue in the Chop Chop Gallery space before moving to the current location in Clintonville three years ago. Since 2007, the start-up has jumped from two to nine employees. Now, McKewen and his staff are on the move again.
They're headed downtown to 240 Fifth St. in early June, says Maika Karnes, shop manager and head builder of custom bags. The new space is 6,000 square feet (quite an upgrade from the current shop), which will increase production and storage space, as well as provide ample room for products to be sold at the store.
Karnes says the move is necessary because the company has simply outgrown its quaint High Street shop. She credits the growth to an increase in local walk-in sales since moving to such a visible location in Clintonville. "We really don't do any advertising. It's basically word of mouth. We pride ourselves on our craftsmanship, and we think the quality of our product speaks for itself," she says. And despite the company's low-key approach, its bags have been purchased by customers in every continent, including Antarctica.
Seagull offers an array of products, including fanny packs, laptop sleeves and several sizes of the courier-style bag, which range from $95 to $280 (without custom features). Karnes says the bags are designed especially for bicyclists who appreciate functionality. "They sit on one shoulder and are made to swing around to get things in front out quickly," she explains. "They ride high on your back, so there's equal weight distribution." But, she adds, "They're totally fashionable for everyone."
-Taylor Swope
