Sunday Safari Ft. Magdalena Kala

SUNDAY SAFARI

Magdalena Kala is a Vice President at Bain Capital where she is a part of the consumer, retail & dining private equity team. In addition to her day job at Bain Capital, Magdalena writes a weekly newsletter called Retales where she shares her thoughts about consumer behavior, brands, and future of retail. She shares with us her five favorite stores in her hometown of Boston. 

What do Canada Goose, Toms and Bugaboo have in common? Aside from each being an iconic brand in it's own right, they are also all part of Bain Capital's consumer, retail & dining portfolio. While by day, she is on the hunt for other iconic brands for Bain Capital to invest in, by night Magdalena Kala spends her time thinking and writing about the coolest up and coming brands in the space.

Magdalena recently shared a consumer-centric guide to Boston which included some of her favorite stores in addition to restaurants, things to do and more. We loved what she had to say and were excited to ask her to expand on her favorite retail locations for the Sunday Safari. Check our her picks and rationale below!

1. DECEMBER THIEVES   

Boston| 88 Charles Street | Website

"This is bite-sized retail delight at its finest. December Thieves is a hole-in-a-wall store showcasing up-and-coming brands and independent designers across categories (jewelry, home, kitchen, fashion) without overwhelming your senses (while just oozing coolness)." 

2. TOPDRAWER

Boston| 273 Newbury Street | Website

"I'm a huge fan of hand-written anything, from to do lists to article ideas to notes about cool brands and startups I encounter, so I'm a bit of a nerd when comes to notebooks and writing utensils. Topdrawer - an off-shoot of the century-plus old Japanese stationery company Itoya - sells the best of the category, along with various other wares, from Monbento lunchboxes to Kolo bags and Rains jackets." 

3. CANADA GOOSE 

Boston| 800 Boylston Street | Website

"The store's Cold Room allows shoppers to experience the brand's extra warm jackets in -13F (-25C) temperatures. I love Canada Goose's store because it's the best example of experiential retail I've ever seen - it's fun and experiential but with a clear purpose, helping customers with the purchase decision by showcasing products' functionality." 

4. TRIDENT BOOKSELLERS & CAFE

Boston| 338 Newbury Street | Website

"This is a no-nonsense diner and bookstore in one, combining my two greatest loves: brunch and physical books. In our convenience-first and price-first shopping world, I find myself increasingly returning to actual bookstores for their expert curation of fiction." 

5. SOWA ARTISTS GUILD & SOWA VINTAGE MARKET

Boston| 450 Harrison Avenue | Website

"The entire SoWa Art + Design District is fantastic, but 450 Harrison Ave is my usual destination. The basement houses delightful Sunday vintage market while the upper floors feature over 80 artists across various mediums, and every Sunday May-October they open their studios to the public with art & jewelry for sale." 

If you don't already, follow us on Instagram @theretailsafari as we highlight some of our favorite brands and concepts and take you with us on our retail safaris in NYC and beyond.