With churros, chocolate and beer: Alohas celebrates opening of its New York store

Madrid – The Spanish firm Alohas opened its first New York store to the public at the beginning of May. However, it was not until mid-month that they decided to celebrate the opening as it deserved. It was a real milestone for the brand, and they celebrated with a Spanish-style evening of churros, chocolate and craft beer.

As part of the carefully considered growth and expansion strategy that the Spanish fashion and footwear firm is implementing, Alohas opened its first New York store on May 1. FashionUnited discussed this establishment with the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Spanish fashion and footwear firm, Alejandro Porras Martorell. This was during an interview that coincided with Alohas also opening a store in Amsterdam. These inaugurations demonstrated the particularly good moment that Alohas is currently experiencing.

The firm is achieving this success while remaining committed to growing and evolving its on-demand production model. They have adopted this model as an integral and distinctive part of their brand identity. Far from being a contradiction or a hindrance, the new stores in New York and Amsterdam, along with those in Milan, Madrid and Barcelona, also serve as cornerstones for this purpose. They are seen not just as points of sale, but as points of contact with a broad community of customers. From these locations, Alohas can explain the unique features of its on-demand model.

At the same time, customers have the opportunity to touch, try on and analyse the pieces that make up Alohas’s commercial offer in detail, first-hand and beyond the screens of any device. This is all available from a series of different physical locations that the Spanish firm is setting up in carefully selected locations around the world.

As part of this strategy, “opening a store in New York was, without a doubt, the next necessary and natural step for Alohas,” said Alejandro Porras, founder and CEO of the firm. “The US is our largest market, and New York is a global epicentre of fashion, culture and a conscious lifestyle.” He added that it is surrounded by a sum of “values that align perfectly with our mission”. For all these reasons, he emphasised, “we are excited to bring our unique combination of cutting-edge design and responsible consumption to one of the most inspiring cities in the world”.

With a ‘Spanish-Style’ Inauguration

The store is located at 260 Elizabeth Street, in the heart of the Nolita neighbourhood, near SoHo. The design of the store was carried out by the renowned studio Clap Studio, based in Valencia, founded in 2017 by Jordi Iranzo and Àngela Montagud. The studio has been designing every new physical space for Alohas since the brand decided to make the leap from online to physical retail with the opening of its first store at 113 Rambla Cataluña, in Barcelona, in April 2024.

From there, openings followed in Madrid, Milan, a pop-up in Paris, and finally, in 2025, the stores in Amsterdam and New York. For this space, Clap Studio was inspired by the volcanic landscapes of Hawaii, which is closely linked to the creation and birth of Alohas. Alejandro Porras decided to launch the firm in 2015, after a stay in Hawaii, during which he resolved to embark on a business venture based on the idea of a more contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional Menorcan abarcas, while maintaining their values. From this intention, Alohas has continued to grow, evolving from a footwear firm to a complete on-demand lifestyle brand. It is complemented by small runs of certain designs, which are sold directly from the website and its stores, including the one in New York. Last week, they embarked on a full week of celebrations to celebrate the opening in style.

To connect with a group of key and representative agents from the vibrant New York scene, Alohas organised an intimate dinner with a small number of influencers and prominent local figures specialising in fashion, entertainment and communications on Tuesday, May 13. This was followed on Thursday, May 15, by the official opening of the store itself, from the Elizabeth Street store. Alohas officially celebrated its arrival in New York with an opening party. It was attended by a varied group of guests, including members of the local community of customers that the firm already has in the US, press representatives, influencers and a diverse group of local talents, as well as representatives of the brand itself, led by Alejandro Porras, founder and CEO of Alohas. All the guests and attendees at this party had the opportunity to enjoy an evening with a distinctly Spanish flavour, during which churros with chocolate, cava and Spanish craft beer were served.

“The reception could not have been better,” the Spanish firm said after the week of celebrations in New York. During these days, “the enthusiasm and closeness” shown to the brand by “the New York public confirmed that Alohas has found its ideal place to start this new stage in the city”. They added that “this first store in the US market represents a decisive step in the global growth of Alohas”. Following this opening, the firm continues to “strengthen its connection with an international community” of customers that is “increasingly solid”.