Behind the Scenes with D-Structure

Every so often a store comes along and brilliantly encompasses all that is great about the city it dwells in. D-Structure is one of those stores. Sitting within San Francisco's Lower Haight area, an eclectic stretch of music stores, art galleries, and fashion boutiques they are pushing the envelope far beyond anyone's expectations. They're the spawn of a desire to pursue their passion for fashion in a raw, no-frills kind of way. They laugh in the face of those who challenge their obvious authority on cool. And for that, it was mandatory we get behind the brains of the thriving streetwear/art/music/skate store.

What makes D-structure unique in comparison to other streetwear stores in San Francisco?

Our space and our staff are the direct evident contrast. We have huge walls and space. We host our monthly art openings in our store. Our staff is all about being cool with the customers instead of being "too cool" for the customers.

What are your thoughts on San Francisco's street culture? More specifically, how do you think street culture in San Francisco is different than in other major cities like NY, Chicago, and LA?

San Francisco and the Bay Area are all about the independent hustle. If you look at a lot of hip-hop slang and language there is a lot of vernacular that comes form the Bay Area. Look at MTV; they have a show called "Sucka Free." We have always done it our way and on our terms here. The Bay area is home to some of the originators of independent hustling. Look at folks like TooShort from Oakland, E-40 from Vallejo - living legends. All these people from the Bay are folks who said "I'm getting mine and I'm getting it on my terms." So that's the feel of the Bay Area. When you come out here, we have our own thing and it shows in our style and aesthetic.

How have you seen streetwear evolve over the years and how has that influenced the direction D-structure will take in the future?

As we see it, streetwear has come a long way. We have seen it go from big-brand dominance, i.e. the 80's following of Adidas, Air Jordan's and track suits, when the game was about making the best out of what you could get your hands on to: "let's make our own shit." Streetwear has gone from hustle and flow to cut and sew. But as we've seen streetwear do a lot of growing up and gain a lot of exposure, with this new-found fame street culture has become too cool for everyone else. And that's where we step in. We are of the belief that "cool" is a commodity that can be bought, sold and controlled. We don't think you buying our shirts will make you cooler. We know that the vibe you are going to get from us is that you are fresh just being you. You are not the $50 T-shirt or shoes you waited God-knows-how-long for. But, that's cool too and we have that for you as well if that's what you're into. Our future direction is being the best we can at being us and letting you do you.

D-Structure has taken the talents of the local community in San Francisco to unprecedented heights. What is the inspiration behind that? Why is it so important for D-Structure to maintain that local connection?

We are composed of a crew of folks who got a lot of that: "Come back when you are somebody." So we said: "Fuck that, we are somebody now and we're going to make something out of it." We try to keep the connection with our roots. Sometimes it's not about promoting the biggest artist who everyone likes, it's about getting behind the underdog or the kid on the block who hasn't gotten his shot yet. A lot of places play it safe with a roster of well-known artist, but we like to take a chance and hope that it won't only make a difference in the art community but also in the up-and-coming artist's life.

Its hard to find anyone with something bad to say about this place. That must make you feel really welcomed and even more, excited. Do you have any comments on that?

We have had our haters along the way and there have been people who have taken their swings at us. But we don't let that ruin our optimism. We try to provide a place that isn't only a lifestyle shop but also an art gallery, community hub and a place for folks to be themselves. We strive to reflect this in our events, art events, spoken word, CD release parties and most of all in the crew that works the floor of the shop.

I hear your parties are off the hook. Who and what is the genius behind these parties?

I guess all the staff gets the credit for the success of the parties, from Azikiwee (uh-zeek-way) -- the head man, Goldie -- the brains of the operation, Scott LaRockwell, Char behind the bar, Mars, Big Jack, Joy the PR queen, crazy Ben, Lon the Don, Melly Mel, Chance, young Rush and the Chocolate Spaceman, but ultimately we like to have a lot of fun. We work hard, we play hard and we try to bring that to every party.

Sustainability for any business is difficult right now. What are you doing to make sure you stay in the game and continue bringing in new customers?

I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you. In the words of the man, the mogul, Jay-Z, we're "recession-proof." But really, if we take a hit we just keep moving. Everyone works as a team to cover each others' backs. We'll be here in the end because we hold each other to a higher standard.

What's it like having a store like D-Structure in a highly competitive retail area like Lower Haight?

For us it's really no big deal. Of course you have UP and Lower Haters just around the corner but everyone does their own thing. For us, we're not trying to compete with them. They're both shops we really like. We've got something unique going on and we do it the best we can. Aside from being a lifestyle shop, we are also the carrier of the biggest selection of twin-tip skis in the Bay Area. We have recently come out with several artist-series skis with the designs from artists who had their first show with us.

9. Any exciting future plans you can tell us about? Or even tease us to look forward too?

We will build up the DSSF brand and [will be] releasing a hot new line. We also will be having some exciting cross-collaborations and limited-edition releases. And of course, we will continue our first-Friday of the month art installation parties as well as other incredible events throughout the year. Everyone can keep up with our events by visiting our Web site: www.d-structuresf.com and joining our e-mail list. Other than that, expect the same DSSF goodness we are known for.

Check out our SF Shopping Guide featuring D-Structure.

Visit www.d-structuresf.com for more info.