In the mid-2010s, if you walked into a specific brick-walled shop in Minneapolis’s North Loop, you weren’t just entering a clothing store. You were stepping into a very specific kind of business experiment. It was a collision of "The North" and New York City cool. Honestly, the Askov Finlayson Warby Parker partnership was one of those rare retail moments that actually made sense, even if it looks like a blip on the radar now.
You had Askov Finlayson, the brainchild of brothers Andrew and Eric Dayton, basically trying to rebrand the entire Midwest as "The North." They weren't just selling beanies; they were selling an identity. Then you had Warby Parker, the eyewear disruptors who were just starting to realize that, hey, maybe people actually want to try on glasses in person before they buy them.
It wasn't a massive department store deal. It was a 250-square-foot "shop-in-shop." But for those of us watching the retail landscape shift in 2015, it felt like a glimpse into the future of how brands could grow together without losing their souls.
The Handshake That Built the North Loop
The connection between these two brands wasn't some cold corporate merger cooked up by consultants. It was personal. Eric Dayton and Warby Parker co-founder Neil Blumenthal were actually college buddies.
When Warby Parker was looking to plant a flag in Minneapolis, they didn't go for a sterile mall unit. They went to the North Loop. At the time, Askov Finlayson was moving into a new, larger flagship space at 204 N. 1st St. The timing was just... right.
Why this specific pairing worked:
- Shared Ethics: Both were B-Corp adjacent in their thinking. Warby had their "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" program. Askov had their "Keep The North Cold" climate initiative.
- The "Cool Factor": Askov was a curated haven for guys who liked Red Wing boots and Patagonia but wanted something more local. Warby Parker provided the "intellectual chic" that topped off that look.
- Testing the Waters: This was Warby's first real retail presence in the region. It was a low-risk way to see if Minneapolitans would actually show up. (Spoiler: They did. In droves.)
The space itself was beautiful. You had the white oak herringbone floors with those tiny brass inlays—Eric Dayton once mentioned that many people didn't even notice the brass, but those who did would smile. It was that kind of attention to detail that defined the era. In the back, past the bubble hockey game, sat the Warby Parker showroom. It was small, but it was busy.
When Success Leads to a Breakup
By 2018, things changed. You’ve probably noticed that most "partnerships" in business are just stepping stones. That’s exactly what happened here.
Warby Parker's success in that tiny 250-square-foot corner was so massive that they simply outgrew it. They didn't need a roommate anymore. They moved just two blocks away to a standalone store on Washington Avenue. It was an amicable split—the kind where everyone stays friends and keeps liking each other’s Instagram posts.
But for Askov Finlayson, the departure of Warby Parker triggered a much bigger pivot.
Eric Dayton realized that being a "curator" of other people's brands—carrying Danner, Penfield, and Warby Parker—wasn't the end goal. He wanted to go "all-in" on the Askov Finlayson brand itself. Specifically, he wanted to focus on high-performance, climate-positive outerwear.
The shift after the partnership:
- Eliminating Third-Party Brands: They stopped selling everything that wasn't their own label.
- Mission Alignment: They argued that they couldn't account for the carbon footprint of other companies' products, so they had to stop selling them to hit their "Give 110%" climate goals.
- Redesigning the Flagship: Once Warby moved out, the store was gutted and reimagined to showcase their own parkas and the famous "North" hats.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Legacy
Most people think the Askov Finlayson Warby Parker connection was just about selling glasses. It wasn't. It was a proof of concept for the "Experience Economy."
Back then, the retail "apocalypse" was the only thing people talked about. Physical stores were supposed to be dead. But this partnership proved that if you created a destination—a place where you could grab a coffee at The Bachelor Farmer (the Daytons' restaurant next door), buy a locally made hat, and get your eyes checked—people would drive from three states away to be there.
It also highlighted a shift in how we view regionality. Before this, Minneapolis was often treated as a "flyover" retail market. This partnership helped put the city on the map for national lifestyle brands. It showed that "The North" had a specific aesthetic that was worth $95 frames and $30 pom-pom hats.
The Actionable Takeaway for Business Owners
If you're looking at this story and wondering what it means for you today, it’s basically a masterclass in "Brand Halo."
Small brands often fear that bringing in a bigger name will overshadow them. But Askov Finlayson used Warby Parker’s massive national "halo" to drive foot traffic, which then converted into loyal fans for their own mission. They used the partnership as a launchpad, not a crutch.
If you’re a local business, look for those "buddy" partnerships. Find a brand that shares your values but sells something completely different. It’s not about competing for the same dollar; it’s about sharing the same customer.
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Next Steps for the Curious:
- Check the Resale Markets: Askov Finlayson has gone through various iterations (and temporary closures). If you’re looking for the original "North" gear from that partnership era, eBay and Poshmark are your best bets for the vintage quality.
- Visit the North Loop: If you’re in Minneapolis, walk the two blocks between the current Warby Parker and the old Askov site. You can still see the DNA of this partnership in how the neighborhood is designed.
- Evaluate Your Own Partnerships: Are you collaborating with brands that align with your mission, or just your bottom line? The longevity of the Askov-Warby story comes from the fact that they actually liked each other's "why."
Retail is different now, but the fundamentals of the Askov Finlayson Warby Parker era still hold up: details matter, mission matters, and sometimes, you just need a good friend with a cool product to help you open the door.