Update: This year’s 50 on Fire nominations will be open through October 10th, 2014. Submit now.
The retail space is evolving, nationally as well as here in Boston. As people become more connected by the day, and more knowledgeable on goods and services before they decide to purchase, retailers must adapt or be rendered obsolete, whether they’re selling custom suits, running shoes or BBQ from a food truck.
It’s no surprise that local companies and people are innovating the process to provide the best consumer experience possible. To recognize those at the forefront of retail, 50 on Fire is back December 4, once again crowning the best of the best across multiple categories.
In anticipation of the main event, we’ve compiled a list of 8 Boston retailers we think are worth a nomination, if not a win. Get to know them below, and let us know who you’d like to see added to the list – then, you know, go ahead and do it.
Tiana Haraguchi, Boutikey
At 25 years old, Haraguchi, left, is the founder of Boutikey, a mobile fashion app aimed at bringing Boston’s most stylish community together. “I started Boutikey in Boston because I don’t think most people realize how much Boston has to offer … This city is full of amazing local boutiques and hidden gems,” she told BostInno back in May.
Nineteenth Amendment
Billed as a “shoppable Project Runway,” Nineteenth Amendment continues to innovate the process of delivering designer goods for prices that won’t leave you gasping. Not only did they add Kayak’s Paul English as an investor back in August, but they turned some heads as one of eight companies selected to participate in this year’s New York Fashion Tech Lab.
Fan Bi, Blank Label
Bi co-founded Blank Label, a custom menswear brand, in 2008. What began as an intimate shopping experience out of one location in Back Bay has grown to incorporate more employees and a second location in Downtown Crossing. Still, says Bi, one-on-one appointments with clients remain the core of the business.
New Balance
New Balance is about more than selling running shoes (though it does a lot of that, too). From collaborations with J.Crew and Ball and Buck, to teaming up with Harvard to build a “wearable robot,” to memorializing one of our city’s most iconic landmarks (see right), they give to this city as much, or more, than they get from it. Oh, any guesses who plows the Charles River running paths all winter? Yep, New Balance.
Ministry of Supply
Sure, the space-age menswear company pulled down a win at last year’s event, but they haven’t been complacent since. Instead, the company, founded by former MIT students, experimented with its first brick-and-mortar location, a pop-up shop on Newbury Street called Ministry of Supply H1. More could be coming, too.
Ben Fischman, Launch
Fischman founded Lids in 1993, was an entrepreneur in residence at General Catalyst for two years, then founded Rue La La, where he spent more than six years as CEO. Most recently, he co-founded Launch, an incubator for e-commerce startups.
Harpoon Brewery
A finalist last year, Harpoon continues to innovate in the microbrewing space. Their excellent renovated Beer Hall opened in January, and this year the company will host its 25th annual Octoberfest. What’s more, in July Harpoon made headlines by announcing they will become an employee-owned company.
Assembly Row
Not sure we’ve ever nominated an entire section of the city before, but if any burgeoning Boston ‘hood deserves a nod, it’s Assembly Row. The place has outlet stores, apartment units, restaurants and bars. Heck, it even got the first new MBTA station in 27 years. All on a lot just north of downtown that wouldn’t warrant a second look a year ago.
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Images via Tiana Haraguchi, New Balance, and the author.
