In every aspect of Oner Active’s new flagship store, opening in Manhattan this week, brand founder Krissy Cela wanted to set Oner apart from other activewear brands.
For one, the custom scent she created for the store has notes of tequila in it.
“We refuse to be a brand that’s based on green juice and matcha,” she said. “I want more tequila than wheatgrass. Scents have associations, like cinnamon and Christmas. So when you come into the store and you smell tequila, you’re not going to be thinking about anything but a good time.”
It’s one of the many thoughtful touches Cela and the team have put into the new 5,000-square-foot flagship store on Bond Street downtown. Others include a “boyfriend couch” in the middle of the store and large mirrors with the Oner logo printed on them. The mirror logo is offset to the side so customers have enough room to take some mirror selfies for social media while still capturing the brand name in the image.
“We’re such a social-first business, so that was quite important to us,” Cela said. “I know our girls are going to take selfies.”
Cela started as a fitness trainer, then fitness influencer, before founding Oner in 2020. Oner is now projecting to reach over $250 million in revenue this year with zero outside funding.
The New York store is Oner’s first physical retail presence anywhere in the world, despite Cela and Oner both originating in the U.K., showing how important the New York market is to the brand’s growth. It is Oner’s largest market, and one where there is clear demand for a physical space. Five days before the grand opening on November 7, which is open to the public, Oner already had more than 5,000 people signed up to attend in the first 24 hours.
The store will be a hub for Oner’s large and dedicated community. Cela has about 3 million Instagram followers, while the brand has 1.7 million followers and around 1,100 creators in its influencer network. In light of recent miscommunications between brands and their communities, like the infamous Good American pop-up from last month, Cela said it’s important to communicate clearly about what each event entails. For example, Oner’s post about the grand opening includes specific details about what to expect and what gifts they’re likely to run out of quickest. The Oner website also includes a full FAQ section about the store’s opening day, including how long the lines are expected to be and whether you can bring a dog.
The Saturday grand opening is an open event with hundreds expected to attend, for example, while on Friday, the brand hosted a private, exclusive event for 250 of its most loyal customers for a “sip and shop” event. On Wednesday, the brand hosted an even more exclusive launch party for a few dozen A-list guests, including celebrities like models Adriana Lima, Lori Harvey, Adut Akech and Valentina Ferrer, and influencers like Victoria Villarroel and Kendra Bailey.
“We will have a lot of exclusive moments for our community,” Cela said. Oner customers can sign up for a one-on-one “fit check” session with a stylist for styling and product recommendations in-store. “We have 90 more private appointments in the next two weeks, so people will be coming and getting these exclusive moments.”
More physical stores are coming for Oner. Next up is Los Angeles later this year, with more stores planned for the future. But Cela is moving slowly with Oner’s retail rollout. The brand has been entirely DTC, with no wholesale accounts so far, so physical retail is the next big channel for the brand.
“I really wanted to do retail ourselves first,” she said. “A lot of brands go wholesale because it’s a safe option. But we have a proven track record of people showing up for us. The store was expensive, millions of dollars to build it out, so we have to make millions in return. The first two stores have to prove the concept and pay for themselves before we go any further.”
