First Look: Allbirds goes big in Boston

Allbirds has opened one of its largest stores to date.

The sustainable footwear brand has opened a 3,700-sq.-ft. store at the Prudential Center in Boston. In keeping with the brand’s eco-friendly focus, natural materials are used throughout the space, including a custom New England-sourced service desk, custom wood try-on chairs and displays.

The store also pays homage to Boston with special edition wooden pins and tote bags celebrating the local yellow-crowned night heron.

Customers can see the carbon footprint of each product clearly displayed, a hallmark of Allbirds’s transparent approach to sustainability.

“Boston is really starting to feel like home for us at Allbirds, and we are so excited to be opening our fifth - and largest - store in the region,” said Tim Brown, co-founder and co-CEO, Allbirds Inc., which went public in November 2021 after an August IPO filing. “Boston is a city that has always been at the cutting edge of cultural innovation, and we are delighted that locals have embraced our brand and mission.”

Earlier this month,  Allbirds reported a  third-quarter net loss of  $25.2 million, compared to $13.8 million in the year-ago period.  Net sales rose 15.9%  to  $72.7 million. The company attributed the increase to a rise in the number of orders, “primarily driven by retail store sales, and an increase in average order value.”

“Looking ahead to yearend and 2023, we continue to expect macro headwinds to persist but believe that our brand, our growth strategy, and simplification initiatives position us well to emerge strongly from this period,” Joey Zwillinger, co-founder and co-CEO, said in the company’s earnings release.

Allbirds is reducing logistics costs in the U.S. by transitioning to automated distribution centers and a dedicated returns processor. It also is accelerating the scaling of its manufacturing base to reduce product carbon footprints and product costs over time, and reducing  corporate headcount and office space to reflect “a new hybrid working environment and to reduce organizational complexity.”

“The investments we have made into our supply chain, coupled with our leaner infrastructure and strong cash balance, all position us to continue to grow the business and work towards improved profitability,” said CFO Mike Bufano. “I feel confident about how we are setting up our business for the future to become better operationally while continuing to deliver on our sustainability initiatives and create shareholder value.”

Headquartered in San Francisco, Allbirds operates 55 stores.