Business of Gen Z and Experiential Retail: Marine Layer, Abbode

Key Takeaways

- Gen Zers are embracing in-person experiences — and the way they shop is no exception.

- Experiential retail pairs memorable, engaging in-store interaction with Instagrammable design.

- Businesses that seize the opportunity, such as Marine Layer and Abbode, have a lot to gain.

The endless scroll might be losing its luster — especially among younger generations.

Gen Zers are more likely than older generations to designate screen-free time in their day, according to new research from Talker. They’re also embracing “granny core” hobbies, like knitting, to unwind from their devices, NPR reported.

What’s more, in an era where every product imaginable is just a swipe or click away, young consumers have adopted some old-school shopping habits and preferences, too.

Over seventy percent of 18 to 27 year-olds reported shopping in-store at least once a week compared to 65% of Baby Boomers, according to recent research from financial technology platform Adyen. Additionally, 57% of Gen Z considers in-person shopping an experience, compared to just 35% of Baby Boomers, per the survey.

So, after more than a decade chasing digital growth, savvy businesses are leaning into the old-fashioned consumption mode. But some of the most successful ones are adding a contemporary twist on the classic in-person shopping experience.

The power of experiential retail

Enter experiential retail, which typically strives to put a memorable — and Instagrammable — spin on in-person shopping.

Often featuring a customizable component, such as embroidery or engraving, in an immersive, design-forward setting, experiential retail plays on the (admittedly contradictory) desires for a real-life experience away from the screen, while creating an aesthetic cute enough to share on social media.

As far as brand awareness and customer loyalty, effective in-store activations can become just as important as the products purchased, if not more so.

Marine Layer’s Custom Club and Patch Bar pop-ups

Mike Natenshon and Adam Lynch, co-founders of San Francisco, California-based apparel brand Marine Layer, recently witnessed the power of strategic experiential retail firsthand.

Founded in 2009 — when Natenshon couldn’t find a tee-shirt that lived up to his standards and started a business to make one — Marine Layer is no stranger to success within the brick-and-mortar landscape. The company boasts more than 50 store locations across the U.S. and generated $200 million in annual revenue last year.

Image Credit: Marine Layer. The Patch Bar.

However, last summer, the co-founders set out to create a different kind of holiday shopping experience. “We wanted to give people the opportunity to express their personality a little bit more,” Natenshon says. “We wanted to have a big color expression and an experience that’s temporary — something really special that people can go and check out.”

Fewer items, more personalization

To that end, Marine Layer debuted two experiential pop-ups, allowing customers to select from a smaller collection of items for personalization with embroidery and patches, in October 2025.

Image Credit: Marine Layer. The Custom Club.

On Fillmore Street in San Francisco, The Custom Club embraced a Californian aesthetic with rounded edges and bright walls. The Patch Bar, a 1930s speakeasy reimagined “through the lens of 1970s nostalgia,” opened beneath the brand’s Nolita store in New York City.

“ The team here [at Custom Club] and in Patch Bar had to stand up a completely crisp, brand-new operation,” Lynch says. “Everything is different from a standard Marine Layer store. [Down to] the way that people interact with the patches. We had to change the [customization] forms three times and figure out how that whole customer experience worked.”

Image Credit: Marine Layer. The Custom Club.

Social media traction and “lines out the door”

Marine Layer’s efforts paid off. Demand at both experiential locations started strong — and only grew stronger.

The Custom Club became one of Marine Layer’s busiest stores, Natenshon says, recalling significant traction on social media and “lines out the door.” Sales were so impressive that the co-founders extended the pop-ups, originally slated to run through the holiday season, into early 2026, gauging the potential of bringing the concept to other stores.

“ Now we’re taking those learnings and having more fun with it,” Natenshon says, “and coming up with different expressions each season. You never do something totally different perfectly right out of the gates. So this is the year we’re thinking about, How do we refine it, take something that’s good and make it really great.”

Image Credit: Marine Layer. Patches at The Custom Club.

Abbode’s Nolita storefront offers embroidered customization

Abigail Price, founder of New York City-based embroidery shop Abbode (co-owned by Daniel Kwak), is also harnessing the power of experiential retail.

In Price’s case, however, her bus