14 May Converse Officially Opens World Headquarters and Debuts Flagship Store (Pics)
Converse Inc. announced the grand opening of its new world headquarters on Boston’s Lovejoy Wharf and the opening of the its sixth inline retail store in the U.S. on Friday, May 15. The 214,000-square-foot headquarters, located at 160 North Washington Street, provides a world-class, collaborative work environment for Converse employees and will enable the brand to continue its mission to attract top talent, celebrate consumers through retail, engage the music community, and bring Boston’s vibrant cultures together.
The world headquarters sits on three-quarters of an acre of publicly accessible waterfront space, and includes Converse’s 10-story office, the flagship retail store and the second brand new Converse Rubber Tracks recording studio, set to open this summer. Situated at the northern gateway to the city of Boston, between the Zakim and North Washington Street Bridges, the headquarters anchors the revitalized waterfront area of this historic neighborhood, a part of Boston’s iconic Freedom Trail.
“The opening of our new world headquarters is a momentous occasion for Converse,” said Jim Calhoun, Converse President and Chief Executive Officer. “It brings us closer to the city’s creative community, provides greater access to top talent and we’re thrilled to be here ushering in this new era for the brand.”
The world-class offices have been designed to celebrate and unleash creativity, combining the original commercial building’s old brick walls with a new open design concept, in a setting that represents the essence of the Converse brand. Notable features include an open atrium and central staircase connecting each floor to foster collaboration between departments; a grand Chuck Taylor sneaker chandelier installation at the wharf entrance; and outdoor decks on the second and ninth floors with views of the Charles River. Additionally, Converse has curated 22 works of art from various artists for display throughout the building. In 2016, all of the artwork will be auctioned to benefit the arts community and the program will be updated annually to ensure a new cycle of creative artists and philanthropy are represented.
A fundamental part of the world headquarters building will be the new 3,500-square-foot Converse at Lovejoy Wharf store, the brand’s second retail store in Boston and sixth in the U.S.
CONVERSE AT LOVEJOY WHARF STORE
The Converse at Lovejoy Wharf store will open to the public on Friday, May 15, drawing its design inspiration from authentic and industrial creative working spaces. Located at the footsteps of the world headquarters building, the store will offer consumers access to Converse Blank Canvas, a unique customization experience only available at this location.
“The Converse at Lovejoy Wharf store is the most premium retail celebration of the creative spirit of our consumers,” said David Kelsay, Converse Vice President of Global Retail. “With this store, we’ve created a truly unique and unfiltered Converse experience that pushes the boundaries of retail, empowering our fans to engage with our products in new ways and unleashing their creativity like never before.”
The Lovejoy Wharf location offers a premium shopping experience with a curated and changing assortment of Converse footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children, including limited-edition sneakers, Lovejoy exclusives, Boston-inspired styles and collaborations such as Missoni and Andy Warhol.
The Converse Blank Canvas customization at the Lovejoy Wharf store will be a pinnacle celebration of consumer creativity. By creating their own one-of-a-kind Chuck Taylors through two in-store customization experiences, “Workshop” and “InkBar”, fans of the brand can take the idea of customization to the next level. At the “Workshop”, customers will be able to create their own Chuck Taylor sneakers, designing from exclusive textiles, components and signature details that are only available at the Lovejoy Wharf store. At the “InkBar”, customers have the ability to customize and embellish sneakers purchased in store by screen-printing on footwear from a revolving selection of over 150 graphics or using their own original artwork. Customers will also have the guidance of a sneaker designer known as “The Maestro” to help build their own personalized Chuck Taylors.
The Converse Blank Canvas sneaker customizations at the Lovejoy Wharf store will start at $75 USD for the “InkBar” and $150 USD for the “Workshop”.