news from newbury street
If you're reading this, you should know that this was written during the month of October when fall in New England is at its peak. So, what better time of year to highlight one of New England's most quintessential cities, which also just so happens to be the home of one of our very own storefronts.
We sat down with Adam Amundson, the Store Manager of our Newbury Street Store in downtown Boston, to learn more about the store, what's going on behind it’s doors and to give a warm welcome to our new Boston Community Captain, Michael James. Oh, and did we mention, Adam also recently conquered the pursuit of running his first marathon. Let's dive in.
What makes the city of Boston and the Boston store so special?
Boston is special for so many reasons: the traditional New England lobster town, the sports dominance, the beer, the accent. To me though, the thing that makes Boston so special is that it is a region steeped in history. It’s a “big city” composed of a bunch of neighborhoods where generations have established truly meaningful personalities for their area of the city, and you get to be part of that history every time you walk around.
The Boston store itself is special because we are the first brick and mortar for Rhone away from the tri-cities area (Manhattan). We know that authenticity means everything to our brand and to our people, so we are excited to bring Rhone to Boston in a truly Boston way. What does that look like? Community and connection coupled with incredible clothing is what we are all about. The store is also in a very traditional Newbury Street location–we share the building with several apartments upstairs and the neighborhood vibe is quintessential New England.
Where is the store located?
You can find Rhone on historic Newbury Street, the New England shopping destination. We are located between Dartmouth and Exeter Streets at 174 Newbury Street. Enter through the front door and come up the stairs–you can’t miss us!
Is there anything noteworthy about the location itself?
The Newbury Street location is on what we call the “first level” in Boston. Newbury has many stores which are on the “garden level”, which means they are below street level. First Level stores are actually above street level and are up a small set of stairs inside the front door. Also noteworthy is how our store mirrors our headquarters Rhone East. There's a really great blend and use of wood, brick, and metal throughout the store.
Are there any upcoming store events people should know about?
October is a HUGE month for us in Boston. The 125th running of the Boston Marathon took place this past Monday, October 11th! Fun fact: "Marathon Monday" is actually known as Patriot’s Day in Boston and the entire city shuts down to celebrate the marathon and the runners–it’s the best day in Boston.
We celebrated all weekend leading up to the marathon in the Newbury Street Store. Rhone released a custom BOS 26.2 Swift Short Sleeve which you can only get in-store in Boston around the marathon. Additionally, we had some incredible support from some of our sponsors for coffee, snacks, and recovery the weekend of the marathon.
After the marathon, we're moving right into The Head of the Charles Regatta, which happens from October 22nd-24th. The city will welcome hundreds of the best rowing crews on the planet to race along the Charles River. Since it started in 1965, the HOCR has become one of the most elite rowing competitions on the planet and the city celebrates with watch parties and cheering stations all along the river to see which crew comes out on top in dozens of categories. The race attracts the best collegians, amateurs, and Olympic level rowers from around the world and it is a can’t miss event for fall in the city. You’ll find our Boston team celebrating by spending some time on the river and inviting spectators in for a little surprise. We are also your go-to spot for that light layer if the wind kicks up on the water.
Finally, Boston is only 16 miles from the Halloween epicenter of America, Salem, Massachusetts. The historical site of the Salem witch trials and one of the most historic small towns in America, Salem draws thousands and thousands of visitors each year for a spooky week of celebrations, culminating on All Hallow’s Eve. We are here at the store every day from 11 AM-7 PM to make sure you have that perfect layer or casual piece to walk the streets of Salem and celebrate. Yes, we probably make it in black.
We recently welcomed Michael James as Boston’s new Community Captain. Can you tell us about it?
I'll let Cameron, our previous Boston Community Captain and now Community Leader, speak to this exciting transition.
I couldn't be happier to have Michael McKinney join the Rhone family as it's newest Boston Community Captain. Talk about someone who is constantly helping others in their own pursuits for progress. He is always willing to lend a helping hand, help you smile and makes everyone feel welcome. I know that he is going to bring the Boston fitness community even closer, as well as, bring together the broader community.
- Cameron Ahouse, Community Leader
What can someone expect when they walk in the Newbury Street store?
The first thing you can expect is a genuine hello from our team. We all love Boston and we all love Rhone, so you are going to get authentic excitement about our gear and about all things Boston. We will work with you to see what works the best for you–not just something we “think you need." Whether you are looking for a perfect workout shirt or that polo for casual Friday when you return to the office, we have you covered. If you are visiting, we are also the team that can tell you about great places to visit, eat, and experience everything Boston has to offer.
What are your favorite pieces of Rhone gear?
My favorite piece of Rhone gear is the Bolinas Poncho. It is simply the most comfortable, versatile layer for all of the changing temperatures we get in New England. I love the Versatility Shorts for the stretch and fit, especially when I ride my bike to work or spend a little time running around the river. Finally, the Swift Short Sleeve is my absolute go-to shirt for training. Lightweight, breathable, and available in great colors. I’ve found myself reaching for it when I know the workout is about to be tough.
What are you most excited about when looking towards the rest of the year and into 2022 in terms of Rhone and the Boston store?
For Rhone, I’m most excited for us to continue to grow as a brand and a company, especially in our brick and mortar retail locations. I truly believe that allowing our guests to touch and feel our clothing instantly converts them. The pride we put into the way everything feels and fits shows through and is going to be BIG for Rhone in the coming year!
For the Boston store, I’m most excited to start to grow our presence as a brand in the community. The store is a chance for us to find out what our Boston guests like most about our product and then tailor experiences in the community to them. We have such a versatile offering of clothing, I can’t wait for Boston to experience all of what we have to offer.
We hear you trained for and ran the Boston Marathon–training alone is such an accomplishment! Can you tell us about your experience?
Yes, thank you! I’m so excited to have had the opportunity to run the 125th edition of America’s greatest road race. I’ve always been a runner so Boston has always been a dream and I’m excited to check this box. I usually run long trail races, so I knew training for Boston would be different. I worked with local running studio MYSTRYDE to build an incredible training plan that built me up and got me ready to take on Boston. I topped out at about 60 miles per week (usually 40-50miles per week) over 4 quality runs, 2 crosstrain days, and 1 full day of rest. A typical week looked like:
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Monday: 7 miles under race pace
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Tuesday: either hills, track, or tempo work, usually adding up to 6-8 miles
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Wednesday and Thursday - cross train with yoga, stretching, spinning, or weightlifting
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Friday: 4-5 easy miles
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Saturday: long run, topping out at 22 miles
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Sunday: rest day
To run Boston, you either have to qualify (that’s a 3:00 marathon for me, or 6:52/mile for 26.2 miles) or run for a charity. As Boston is my very first marathon, I am running for The Boston Bruins Foundation, an incredible charity that collaborates with charitable organizations in the Boston community to advocate for children and families in the areas of health and wellness, education and athletics. They believe that a strong support system will lead to the betterment of our community and have worked incredibly hard to promote access to sport and wellness for all of Boston.
My big goal for Boston was to enjoy every moment of this incredible race. It was the first marathon in two years because of COVID and I was so excited for my favorite day in the city from an entirely new perspective!
How have you been able to balance training with running the store, as well as having your own personal life?
This has been a difficult training block for sure. Training always has to be a priority, because the marathon is a big deal, so it means no more late Friday nights and very little free time in the evening because those early morning workouts won’t run themselves. I’ve been so lucky to have an incredible team here at Rhone that has let me focus on my long runs on Saturday mornings and opened the store for me so I could shower and eat before coming in for the day. Additionally, I’ve squeaked in miles during lunch and the run commute (running to and from work) has been an excellent way to tack on some of those extra miles if they were needed. My wife jokes that marathon training has saved us money because when I get home I am ready for food and bed so our date night’s have been a little boring the last few months, but she is my biggest supporter in running after this big goal.
I find the biggest key has been making sure everything goes in my calendar on my phone, workouts, meetings, dinners, if it isn’t in the calendar, it isn’t happening. This has really helped me visualize how much time I do and do not have and that has made a huge difference in keeping everything balanced and manageable!
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There you have it. A store run by an incredible team, all shifting the needle forward in their own pursuits, while growing the Rhone community by way of the storefront, which, we should note, is home to a full assortment of our latest and greatest product drops. Located in an incredible city, one steeped in history, grit, tradition, we look forward to welcoming each pair of feet that step through the store doors.
