Roots opens first-ever experiential gallery concept store in Boston

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Jun 18, 2018

Canadian retailer Roots opened on Friday its first-ever experiential gallery concept store in Boston. 

 
Baptized the “Roots Legends brand activation center”, the 3,250-square-foot gallery-style retail space offers a sensory shopping experience which allows customers to engage with the brand through sight, sound, touch, and feel.  
 
Located at 344 Newbury Street, the store is divided into five artfully curated vignettes that each showcase a different aspect of the brand's DNA, introducing customers to Roots heritage. 

With a design that merges Roots outdoor origins and a modern edge, the vignettes each highlight key product stories and includes the acclaimed Roots Original Salt & Pepper Sweats, the Cooper Beaver Collection, the Hand-crafted Leather Collection, the Seasonal Fleece Collection, and the Cabin Collection.

The Installations will be regularly changed based on seasons and current collections and campaigns.

 
The store also offers customers its Leather Customization Workshop found in other Roots locations. 
 
Roots President and CEO Jim Gabel said the brand activation Center “represents an exciting moment for the brand, as we facilitate deeper consumer engagement with our story.” 
 
“Uncompromising craftsmanship is at the core of everything we do, and this store offers the best of the Roots brand. We wanted to launch our U.S. expansion project in Boston first by bringing a unique and immersive retail experience to the community. New England, and more specifically Boston, is a perfect fit for our brand."

 
Earlier this year, Roots announced plans to expand its U.S. store count.      
 
With the new Boston store, the company currently operates just four company retail stores in the United States, while they have 116 company retail stores in Canada and 110 partner-operated stores in Taiwan and 32 in China. 
 
The Canadian brand has already announced plans to open two U.S. retail locations in the Greater Washington, D.C. area and one in Chicago, Illinois.
 
By the end of fiscal 2019, the Canadian company expects sales of $410 million to $450 million, adjusted EBITDA of $61 million to $68 million and adjusted Net Income of $35 million to $40 million.