Eastside Golf's pop up shop is much more than just a clothing store.

When I first discovered Eastside, I was blown away with the brand’s products and logo, how they were able to take their personal stamp on golf and turn it into something physical, that could be shared. Their designs, like the slogan says, are authentic, and speak not just to the legacy of golf but also to the new wave of fashion that is being introduced to the sport. Back in fall of 2020, I was researching and staying up to date on the latest and upcoming golf clothing brands. Just mere months after its conception, Eastside would still regularly appear in my search results and even at first glance, I instantly believed that I had come across the next big thing in golf products. I'm happy to say that 5 years in on Eastside, it seems that I was completely right. In the relatively short time since their inception, they have cultivated sponsors like Jordan Brand and Mercedes, found fans in stars like Patrick Mahomes and Chris Paul, and most importantly, have created a community of people that share a similar love of golf and the culture that Eastside represents. What I was most impressed with is how much Eastside is committed to giving back through golf, putting on youth clinics, sponsoring young players, and heavily investing in the alma mater of both founders, Morehouse College. The aforementioned founders, Earl Cooper and Olajuwon Ajanaku, have kept the main thing the main thing and are laser focused on keeping Eastside’s brand mission and culture very grounded in their original vision, and the three day SOHO pop-up store was the latest extension of that.

Kicking things off for the three day stay was a launch party that celebrated the brand and the culmination of the hustle and hard work of the last 5 years. The next morning, the pop-up opened to the public, and it did so under a bright blue sky and a cool breeze, a perfect morning serving as an indicator of how the pop-up’s run would go. At the moment I arrived, I was greeted by a matte black Mercedes AMG parking outside, and who else to step out but Earl Cooper, one half of Eastside’s founding team. As we talked about golf, his journey to this moment, his favorite pieces in the collection, he couldn’t have been more humble and inviting. It is rewarding to give someone their flowers and genuinely see their appreciation for it, and it was the same with Olajuwon, who I met shortly after when I ventured inside. As they roamed around greeting visitors and posing for pictures, I too roamed among the ten foot high racks of tees, hoodies, vests, quarter zips, taking pictures of the designs, inspecting the details of the high quality prints, marveling at the craftsmanship of the Jordans. Right next to a country club ready polo shirt is a graphic tee perfectly suited for the SOHO streets that the shop occupied, its location right in the heart of the city’s fashion center. Like other brands of this new renaissance, Eastside has golf products, streetwear products, and some that are a brilliant mix of both, and all were on display.

Also on display were pictures, collectibles, and posters that showed standout moments in Eastside’s history, like their first PGA Show, or when they had their first meeting with Michael Jordan himself. These and more were spread out across the store, but downstairs in the event space, right next to the putting green of course, was a timeline that showed not just the important moments of Eastside, but also in the lives of the founders. This was where visitors could learn about Earl and Olajuwan’s successful run playing golf at Morehouse College, the beginnings of the brand, and their sources of inspiration. Their support for their former team is well known, donating custom vans and equipment, holding community days, and they have plans on the way to support the look and performance of the team even further. Their love of supporting golf through their former college should be an inspiration for all brands that are committed to growing the sport. 

While the pop-up is obviously a way to showcase the brand’s product and mission, while bringing in new customers as well, what it succeeded at best was bringing together all the people who share a love for these products and that mission. I spent a lot of time at the pop-up even after I had checked out with my products, mingling with other customers, employees, security guards, and even the odd celebrity. We talked about golf, of course, but also about fashion, or about nature, or basketball; everyone there was stand up, had their own ideas, their own motivation for being there and interacting. I spent a long time talking with both Earl and Olajuwon, and I even had the pleasure of hanging around to watch them take some swings with the legendary Tiger Hood (who is also a phenomenal photographer). Tailing him and taking videos was the equally legendary New York Nico, who I unknowingly introduced myself to by complimenting his sunglasses before I realized it was him. He couldn’t have been nicer. Surrounded by intensely successful CEO’s and influencers, I somehow felt at ease, and it was only a small part of myself in doing so. Mostly, it was the humble gratitude that radiated from all of these people, that allowed me to stand alongside them as someone motivated by them, the respect in listening to my ideas and dreams the same way I did to theirs. It didn’t hurt, obviously, that we were surrounded by some of the coolest golf products on the market. The graphic of their NYC pop-up tee really seals the deal. The explosion of colors and drawings that engulf the entire back of the shirt represent the diversity of NYC, which was so genuinely represented in and around the store in the three days it was there. Not only should Eastside be celebrated for their products and their charity, but also for their success in bringing people together to grow and learn from one another. That was the true triumph of this event, and it is without a doubt only the beginning.