Hybrid. The buzzword most brings to mind cars at the moment, but as Leah Frazier reported last week, the concept is gaining momentum in the retail sector as well. We believe brands that combine brick-and-mortar face time with online selection and convenience are on to something big, and a new addition to the DFW shopping landscape may represent the start of a boom.  

  Opening next month on popular Henderson Avenue, the Bonobos Guideshop Dallas will equal a lucky ninth real-life location for the web-based menswear company (Bonobos Guideshop Austin, pictured above). The store will give shoppers the opportunity to gauge feel and fit through the help of style “guides” within a compact, 1,200 square foot showroom. Orders are then fulfilled online, completing a convenient and cost-effective hybrid transaction for both consumer and retailer.  

  Launched in 2007, Bonobos is now the largest apparel brand ever built on the web in the United States. Its buck-the-system mentality includes online helpers dubbed “Ninjas,” as opposed to traditional customer service reps. Bonobos also boasts a strong social media presence – it was named one of Inc. Magazine’s 20 Awesome Facebook Pages - and the company promises to share a favorite Spotify playlist with shoppers who sign up for an email list. As for the clothes, with a focus on fit, Bonobos’ best-selling chinos come in a wide range of colors and styles. They ring in at a gentle $88, whether in conservative khaki or sea foam green. Additional sportswear items include Bermuda-style shorts, jeans, and shirting. Summer weight button-downs in solids, plaids, and creative prints start at $78. Cotton and wool suits, blazers, and tuxedos round out the range. To wit, while the 35-and-under set will appreciate Bonobos’ culture, selection and wallet-friendly prices mean Dads aren’t left behind. Another hybrid angle?  

  The Bonobos Guideshop Dallas opens Friday, June 6, at 1901 N. Henderson Avenue. Color us curious, indeed, as to the welcome Dallas shoppers will give to this innovative new store. Enticing a first trip, perhaps a stop at neighboring Barcadia before or after, for a cocktail and an arcade tourney, could hit home the hybrid experience.   All images, courtesy of Bonobos.