Back Bay retail

Decorative hanging ornaments featuring circular designs, including a large ring filled with small blue and green beads, a gold ring with a smooth reflective surface, and a smaller circular piece adorned with purple, white, and black beads arranged in a radial pattern. The ornaments are suspended by strings of gold and black beads against a wooden background.
Life & Style

The Experiential Retail Strategy of Newbury Street Jewelers

At Cartier’s Newbury Street boutique, the first thing you notice isn’t what’s in the cases—it’s what’s suspended from the ceiling. An 8-foot-tall mobile of diamonds, […]

By Jaci Conry
A stylized illustration of the Prudential building at dusk with a purple and pink sky. The building's windows form a large smiling face, with two eyes and a wide smile. To the right, there is a dome-shaped structure with vertical and curved lines, also lit in purple and pink hues. The background features soft clouds and small stars scattered across the sky.
City Life

Actually, the Back Bay is Fine

It’s 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, and the whole city is in a panic—correction, should be in a panic. A major blizzard is barreling up the […]

By Rachel Slade
A pair of white sneakers with beige soles are being hand-painted with intricate black floral designs. One sneaker is placed on a wooden surface, while the other is held in hands with a fine paintbrush applying details. The sneakers feature glittery silver accents and a black star logo. Nearby, there are containers with small gold and silver decorative pieces and two paint markers on the table.
Life & Style

Five Boston Shops Where the Experience is the Real Purchase

M. Flynn, South End The perk: Custom fused bracelets At M. Flynn’s South End shop, buying a bracelet is a little more hands-on than usual—in […]

By Jaci Conry
A man wearing a dark, patterned suit stands indoors in front of large windows overlooking a cityscape with water, buildings, and boats. The sky is partly cloudy, and the overall lighting is natural.
City Life

The Rise and “Tragic!” Fall of Boston’s Most Powerful Stylist

Moments before it all fell apart, Suhail Kwatra—the most coveted stylist in Boston—was entirely in his element. It was already dark, just after 5 p.m. […]

By Susan Zalkind
A woman with long, light brown hair wearing a navy blue textured dress with a decorative button. She has a diamond necklace and matching diamond stud earrings. Behind her are two framed pictures of large, faceted diamonds, one shaped like a heart. The background wall is light gray.
Weddings

This Second-Gen Gemologist Is Redefining Boston Fine Jewelry

In an industry long defined by tradition, Stephanie Binder set out to change the narrative—one diamond at a time. As a second-generation, certified gemologist and […]

By Stefanie Schwalb
Pair of brown and dark green leather boots with yellow laces, thick rubber soles, displayed on a mound of white snow against a teal background.
City Life

A Wave of European Retailers Comes to Newbury Street

After several high-profile departures on Newbury Street in recent years—including Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry—it would’ve been easy to assume the city’s upscale retail scene […]

By Jaci Conry
Home & Property

Zimmermann’s New Boston Boutique Feels Like an Elegant Sitting Room

At Zimmermann’s new Newbury Street boutique, the fashion brand’s signature style comes vividly to life. Known for its romantic silhouettes and effortless femininity—think flowing party […]

By Jaci Conry
Life & Style

J.Crew’s First Boston Flagship Store Opens on Newbury Street

When the first J.Crew catalogs landed in the ’90s, my high school friends and I treated them like sacred texts. We’d pore over the glossy […]

By Jaci Conry
Life & Style

Will Milk Money Usher in a New Indie Retail Era of Newbury Street?

From the newly opened second location of Milk Money, a fashion and accessories shop at 172 Newbury Street, owner Nash Yacoub can see the building […]

By Jaci Conry
Life & Style

Electric-Car Maker Rivian Rolls into Boston’s Back Bay

Picture this: You’re grooving to live music on a Saturday while checking out wares from local artisans. No, you’re not at a cool street festival; […]

By Jaci Conry