CASE STUDIES
Everlane, Inc. is a privately held international company based in San Francisco, CA.
Exceptional Quality. Ethical Factories. Radical Transparency.
Founded in 2010 by Michael Preysman and Jesse Farmer as a direct to consumer online retailer committed to radical transparency – enabling consumers to see how much each item costs; supply chain, factories, shipping, and pricing.
The Auber Group was hired in 2018 to help establish and execute a comprehensive real estate strategy in the United States and Canada. With an original company strategy of on line retailing and with only three stores at the time of engagement, Everlane wanted to make sure they were properly targeting and sequencing priority markets based on e-commerce awareness and penetration.
Currently expanding on a national level. Target store size 3,500 – 4,500 sq ft.
"John is a key asset in Everlane's continued National growth. His network, market knowledge and skills as a negotiator are unparalleled in the retail world. John is our consultant, and we consider him a member of our team as he operates with
consistent, client-focused execution from end to end."
Alan Cooke
Vice President of Store Development
Everlane
CORPORATE ADDRESS
Everlane
2170 Folsom St
San Francisco, CA 94110
Bluemercury is a wholly owned subsidiary of Macy’s Inc. and is widely recognized as the nation's fastest growing beauty
products and spa retail chain. Offering innovative beauty products in a timely, unique shopping experience. Guests receive unparalleled technical product knowledge, expert advice and friendly service.
The future of Bluemercury is a continuation of co-founders Barry and Marla's initial goals, bringing the best personal care products in the world and expert advice to every individual in an informative manner.
The Auber Group was hired in 2010 to strategize and execute the deployment of Bluemercury stores nationwide, while managing the existing store portfolio, negotiating extensions, renewals, and options. The Auber Group works closely
with the CEO Marla Beck, as well as the entire Bluemercury team.
The Auber Group is the real estate resource for the expansion of Bluemercury.
Currently expanding on a national level, their target store size 1,800 - 2,200 sq ft.
"The Auber Group has been a critical component of the strategic thinking necessary to establish our real estate strategy for the U.S. marketplace. Their in-depth knowledge and experience across the country ensures us the proper market penetration and sequencing of our stores within each market."
Berry Beck
Co-founder
Blue Mercury
CORPORATE ADDRESS
Bluemercury
1010 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20007
Framebridge, Inc. is a wholly owned company of Graham Holdings
Founded in 2014 by Susan Tryan as a direct to consumer online retailer to disrupt the custom framing industry. She started Framebridge, which blends e-commerce, logistic, and an intense focus on the customer experience, to make custom framing
easy on the consumer and their wallet. In 2019 opened two stores in the Washington DC area for proof of concept in the physical retail space.
The Auber Group was hired in 2020 to analyze the current performance of online and physical retail sales to then work with
the team to create and execute a real estate strategy in the United States. Every site is critical and essential to building the company and enhance the guest experience. Understanding the awareness through e-commerce analysis and consumer demographics combined with the knowledge of the country and negotiating for the proper terms, blends the art and science
of the real estate process.
Currently expanding on a national level. Target store size 900 – 1,200 sq ft.
Jenny Merrill
SVP Retail and Customer Experience
Framebridge
CORPORATE ADDRESS
Framebridge
1351 Wisconsin Ave NW #2
Washington, DC
Sweetgreen is a place to buy fun, fashionable food that's both healthy for you and aligned with your values.
Founded in 2007, sweetgreen is a destination for simple, seasonal, healthy food. They believe the choices we make about what we eat, where it comes from and how it’s prepared have a direct and powerful impact on the health of individuals, communities and the environment.
The Auber Group serves on the advisory board of Sweetgreen and worked with the founders, Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman, and Nataniel Ru on real estate strategy and evaluating opportunities. The Auber Group is proud to be involved with an organization that seeks to create solutions where the company wins, the customer wins, and the community wins.
Currently expanding on a national level.
"John Auber understands retail real estate growth better than anyone we have ever met. He truly understands the greater brand, lifestyle and values of our company and keeps us focused on conscious growth, while always keeping the community top of mind. He is certainly a trusted friend, adviser and instrumental to our expansion across the country."
Jonathan Newman, Nicolas Jammet, and Nathanial Ru
Founders, Sweetgreen
CORPORATE ADDRESS
Sweetgreen
8840 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
American Giant is driven by a simple idea: Make Things Better, Make Better Things.
American Giant was founded in a moment of opportunity: where their dissatisfaction with the way clothes were made, met new technologies that enabled smaller supply chains and selling directly to the consumer. Made in the USA – keeping things local means they can understand their whole supply chain. Making clothing that’s durable, not disposable. High quality, built to last.
The Auber Group was hired in 2021 to assist with the development and execution of the real estate strategy to expand the American Giant concept nationally. Having worked with Geoff Staff previously while at Lucky Brand, Geoff reached out to secure The Auber Groups services given their in-depth knowledge of the country and their strength for working with emerging concepts.
Currently expanding on a national level. Target store size 1,200 – 1,500 sq ft.
Bayard Winthrop
Founder & CEO
American Giant
CORPORATE ADDRESS
American Giant
161 Natoma Street
Second Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
lululemon athletica makes technical clothing for yoga, dancing, running, and other sweaty pursuits. They create yoga inspired athletic wear to help people "live longer, healthier, more fun lives". Starting with their first store in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver BC, the goal of connecting with community is paramount to lululemon.
lululemon athletica has stores in Canada, the United States, and around the globe. The Auber Group was involved with expanding the store base in the United States, with a primary focus on street front and premium retail venues. Hired in
2008 to help establish and execute a comprehensive retail store strategy in the United States. With only 60 stores in the
United States at the time, lululemon wanted to make sure they were penetrating their priority markets, with the proper sequencing within each market.
"lululemon builds strong roots in our communities and our U.S. locations help us create great relationships with our guests.
That's why we value our relationship with John and the Auber Group. They've been with us every step of the way and their knowledge and experience across the country has helped us make excellent real estate decisions when entering a market and when sequencing our stores within each market in the best way possible for our company."
Wynn Spencer
Former Vice President Real Estate,
lululemon athletica, Inc.
CORPORATE ADDRESS
lululemon athletica
400-1818 Cornwall Avenue
Vancouver, B.C.
V6J1C7
Canada
info@lululemonathletica.com
RH is a luxury brand offering furniture, lighting, textiles, bathware, décor, outdoor and garden, as well as baby and child products. Restoration Hardware operates an integrated business with multiple channels of distribution including stores, catalogs,
and websites.
Having worked previously with John while he worked for Williams-Sonoma, Chairman Emeritus, Creator and Curator Gary Freidman sought the services of The Auber Group to evaluate the existing portfolio of the company and to establish the new real estate strategy for repositioning in the marketplace. Through a comprehensive analysis of the existing portfolio, a strategy of market consolidation with strong dominant buildings was put together to capitalize on primary markets.
While establishing the strategy, The Auber Group was also able to secure the Boston flagship location in the original
Boston Museum of Natural History and the Greenwich, CT store in a former Greenwich post office. A third location in
Los Angeles, CA was secured in a build-to-suit building on the internationally renowned retail location of Melrose Ave.
Gary Friedman
Chairman & CEO
RH - Restoration Hardware
CORPORATE ADDRESS
Restoration Hardware
15 Koch Road, Suite J
Corte Madera, CA 94925
Tourneau is celebrating over 117 years of expertise as the preeminent purveyor of fine watches, striving to deliver a first-class customer experience. As the largest authorized watch retailer in the United States, Tourneau has stores nationwide and
welcomes 4 million plus visitors annually. Tourneau's unmatched selection of over 8,000 styles from nearly 100 brands,
the largest certified pre-owned watch collection, stellar watchmaking, and expert service and repairs have earned them
the reputation as the watch authority.
The Auber Group was hired to strategize and execute the real estate objectives of Tourneau stores nationwide. Managed the existing portfolio of stores, negotiated extensions, renewals and options as well as vetted newstore opportunities. We worked closely withthe CEO, Ira Melnitski to ensure that Tourneau is properly positioned throughout the United States.
"We work with The Auber Group because of their extensive experience in specialty retail real estate, relationships with the landlord community and professionalism. The Auber Group fulfills our real estate needs for managing our existing portfolio of specialty stores in the US and has worked with us to establish and execute our strategic real estate objectives. We feel fortunate to have
them as part of our team."
Ira Melnitski
CEO
Tourneau
CORPORATE ADDRESS
Tourneau
663 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 1022
Nike and subsidiaries (Cole Haan, Converse, Hurley) is a multinational corporation and one of the most recognized brands in the world. Marketing apparel, shoes, clothing, and equipment, Nike has been inspiring athletes for generations.
The Auber Group was initially hired to establish and implement a retail strategy for a new concept developed for women, nikewomen. Through comprehensive analysis of the intended customer, demographics, vision for the brand, and timing
for the rollout, The Auber Group executed the initial strategy of five stores. Once the initial stores were deployed, a planned "pulse check" was implemented to ensure the concept was achieving its objectives. An evaluation of the existing Nike Factory store deployment was completed as well as further strategizing for continued expansion in the outlet sector of retail.
The Auber Group was also an integral part of negotiations for renewals and relocations of the flagship Niketown stores in Chicago, IL and Portland, OR.
The Auber Group's services were recommended to Nike's subsidiary brands: Converse, Cole Haan, Hurley, and Jordan. The Auber Group worked closely with each division and relaunched Converse into their first outlet stores, expanded Cole Haan
full price and outlet stores, expanded the Hurley outlet store base, and worked on a new Jordan store concept.
The Auber Group educated Nike and the subsidiaries in the power of leveraging their leasing power where the brands' real estate strategies overlapped. What was once operating as a vertical function within each brand was now a cross functional discipline where significant cost savings and beneficial terms were realized. Nike has taken the real estate function in-house and across all retail concepts.
"The Auber Group was a key business partner in the development and deployment of the real estate strategies for each of Nike's retail brands. Through their understanding of each brands objectives, The Auber Group leveraged not only the strength of Nike
but also the buying power of combining over lapping objectives and square footage needs. Our overall retail real estate portfolio benefited."
Ed Stair
Former DTC Global Retail Director
Nike
CORPORATE ADDRESS
Nike USA Inc.
One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97005
In 1982, Brahmin was born out of the entrepreneurial dream of its co-founders Bill and Joan Martin and has since become a timeless blend of global fashion influence and modern American versatility. At the core of Brahmin lies quality hand craftsmanship, ensuring each bag exudes continual elegance with every wear. It takes two-dozen artisans over 100 steps to make a Brahmin handbag from start to finish, the entire process done meticulously by hand. Brahmin prides itself not only on the exterior beauty of their handbags, but the complementary interior design that has delivered exceptional functionality to customers for the past three decades.
Today Brahmin remains family owned with its design, operations and manufacturing headquarters based in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. The brand is continually recognized for its bold, yet timeless styling of handbags and accessories that allow women all over the globe to express their own personal style.
The Auber Group collaborated with Michael Ohanian, Director of stores, and the entire Brahmin team to establish the store strategy and execute the deployment of Brahmin stores nationwide. The Auber Group was their real estate resource for the expansion of both the outlet and full price Brahmin boutiques.
“The Auber Group has worked with Brahmin on its continued expansion of boutique and outlet locations nationwide. They find the best locations to reach our target consumers in an impactful way and negotiate preferable lease terms that allow us to run a profitable retail business” -
Michael Ohanian
Director
Brahmin
CORPORATE ADDRESS
Brahmin
77 Alden Rd, Fairhaven, MA 02719
(508) 994-4000
CONTACT
If you are inquiring about a client or submitting a location for a client
please include the information along with your message.
The Auber Group
Address
The Auber Group, LLC
43 Water Way
Barrington, RI 02806
Phone
T: 401.245.8388
