The store, which is powered by Shopify, is its third in New York City and hosts product from more than 60 female-led brands. Across Bulletin's three stores and online platform, it now supports about 150 brands, most of which are small businesses owned by women.
Rather than operating within the confines of wholesale or consignment, Bulletin is continuing to pioneer a new "retail membership model" that allows brands to pay a low fee to sell in-store but take an exponentially higher commission on product sales.
Bulletin launched its first store in 2016, creating a retail experience that celebrates women with every inch of its merchandising, design, product selection, and programming. Bulletin works with brands that have traditionally sold online and lacked access to physical retail exposure.
"We are building a brand that reimagines what physical retail looks like in the 21st century given the rise of platforms like Amazon and Instagram," said Co-Founders Ali Kriegsman and Alana Branston. "The Union Square flagship is a huge milestone for Bulletin and the future of retail. When we opened our first brick-and-mortar store in Williamsburg in 2016, we knew it was a risk. The immediate success of Williamsburg, and subsequently Nolita, tells us that our customers are still eager to shop in a physical storefront. But they demand a store experience that's mission-driven, thoughtful, and reactive."
The Union Square location sits squarely in New York's historic Ladies' Mile District. In the 19th century, Ladies' Mile served as an upscale retail hub where women could shop without male counterparts for the first time. In its prime, Ladies' Mile was known for its opulent architecture, fine dining destinations and crowds of upper-class women. With its flagship space, Bulletin is reclaiming and redefining this landmark retail hub. Where Ladies' Mile has historically represented exclusivity, wealth, and economic dependence on men, Bulletin's new flagship store values inclusivity, accessibility, and financial independence.
"We set out to create a truly special store environment for our customers, building a space that is not only Instagrammable but also experiential. We regularly host inspiring events for a community of progressive and unapologetic women," said Director of Product + Brand Experience Maggie Braine. "And on the product side, we're excited to feature affordable, inclusive, and relevant merchandise that, to-date, has only really existed online. With our business model, these unique, digital brands finally have access to a brick-and-mortar platform that promotes their products and messaging in real life."
