The Tannery Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary This Year

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While Boston hasn't traditionally been viewed as a fashion city, it has its fair share of long standing family-run shopping institutions; among them are Alan Bilzerian, Riccardi, Louis, and The Tannery, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. WWD dives deep into the retailer's history this week, with several features revolving around the company timeline, the Concepts offshoot, the evolution of its 21,000 square foot flagship, and the man at the helm, Sam Hassan.

Here are some fun facts about The Tannery from WWD:

· Apparently it was a pioneer of the shop-in-shop concept back in the 1980s, and the current Boylston Street three-level floorplan still reflects that.

· Concepts, formerly a shop-in-shop at the original Cambridge location and expanded into a standalone store in 2008, was created to meet the demand of extreme sports and fashion fans (co-owner Tarek Hassan included). Next year, the store will roll out pop-up shops in other cities, testing the waters for future locations.

· The company's growth over the last decade is rather unique, as Sam Hassan notes: "We always expand in the recession. When we opened in 1973 [and again] in 1981, when we were opening Cambridge and the big stores, it was a recession."

· The not-so-distant future brings a plan for a fourth floor at the flagship to showcase the brand's collaborations, exclusives, and private label (within two years) and an e-commerce overhaul (seemingly within the next year).
· Milestone: 40 Years at The Tannery [WWD]
· Milestone: Q&A With The Tannery's Sam Hassan [WWD]
· Milestone: The Tannery's Evolving Doors [WWD]
· Milestone: Inside the Concepts Strategy [WWD]
· Boston's 38 Essential Shopping Experiences [Racked Boston]