Robyn Porteen has a bag for that

A custom bag designer in business since 2010, Porteen Gear has opened its first retail store in the Creston neighborhood. Local customers can come in and design a custom-made bag to suit their style. From messenger-style bags, purses, and camera bags, to travel and bike bags, the shop’s motto is “We can make a bag for that!” Company president, Robyn Porteen, began her business venture somewhat by accident.

“I was a professional photographer and traveled. I decided I needed a camera bag that didn’t look like a camera bag. Someone saw it and had to have one,” she says. “I pushed a quarter-million dollars through Etsy the first year. Now I am one of the top 20 Etsy sellers. I make everything in Grand Rapids and sell worldwide.”

Over the years, Porteen Gear has been featured in print by Shutterbug Magazine, Professional Photography Magazine, Vogue UK, British GQ, and Conde Nast Traveler, among other publications. Porteen chose the Creston neighborhood because she used to live there and still enjoys shopping there. She felt that Creston was the perfect environment for expanding her business from e-commerce to bricks-and-mortar.

“It feels cozy and the neighborhood association is very tight,” she says. “The workshop is on site. When people come in, they are like a kids in a candy store. They get to create something that’s like a work of art. Come in, look at all the fabrics and leathers, and design a bag.”

Porteen encourages customers to bring in their cameras, laptops, baby’s diapers — whatever they need to tote with them — to determine dimensions for their custom bags. Then, they can choose a style and fabric from a wide variety of canvas, tapestry, and leather samples. In two to three weeks, they have their custom bag in hand. A small bag starts at $120. While Porteen still does the bulk of the work herself, she has hired on local seamstresses to lend a hand, especially with the holiday season coming up.

“Even though my bags last a lifetime, I have a lot of repeat customers,” Porteen says. “I have one customer who owns 21 of my bags, a bag for every season and use.”

Complementing the bag design area, Porteen Gear’s retail area features sunglasses, candles, camera straps, journals, and wallets from U.S. artisans like Stormy Kromer, WUDN, Soothi, and Rogue Industries. Porteen hopes to showcase more local makers in the near future. She also has plans for offering make-it and take-it classes, for example, making a classic clutch. Located at 1519 Plainfield Ave. NE, Porteen Gear is open 12 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

“Customization is the trend,” Porteen says. “Hopefully, I am blazing a trail in Grand Rapids for customer design.”

Written by Estelle Slootmaker, Development News Editor
Photos courtesy Porteen Gear