Boston ProShop powered by ’47

Grit. Heart. Heritage. Authenticity. These are the core values of Boston’s sports fans and teams. The new ProShop needed to represent those values while strengthening the bond between fans and the teams that play the games they love.

Sports retailing is a simple proposition: Fans love to share their passion. So give them something they can own, wear, or take home. But there’s more to it than that. You need to meet them on their home turf, give them something genuine, and prove that you “get it”: that you understand and appreciate them as true believers.

The Boston Bruins, one of the National Hockey League’s “Original Six” franchises, now has four generations of fans. The Causeway Street Crowd, they love their black and gold. Orr. Espo. Bucyk. Cheevers. O’Reilly. Milbury. Ray, Cam, Bergie. 25 division championships, 6 Stanley Cups. For Bruins fans, Causeway Street is hallowed ground. Sure, the neighborhood has a new look today. The Green Line is underground, the Penalty Box is long gone, and the old Boston Garden has been replaced. But the B’s are still there.

And this was our assignment: Design a Boston Bruins Pro Shop on Causeway Street at the entrance to TD Garden, the B’s home ice. No pressure.

OK, we got this. Split the D, deke, bar down, and score.

You know that incomparable thrill on game night when you first step into the Garden looking for your seat? The bright lights, the banners from the rafters, the energy, and the history surrounding you? That experience starts now at the Boston Bruins ProShop. You don’t even need a ticket. With a major brand presence on “Champion’s Row” off of Causeway Street and three major entrances, the store is a destination for visitors, commuters, and sports fans alike.

Strategically, the goal was to go way beyond the typical souvenir shop. The design team sought to create an elevated shopping experience with an enhanced women’s apparel section in the front of the store, a new lifestyle section, and the largest jersey wall ever seen. Each millwork fixture was designed to maximize merchandise storage so the displays would never run low. The overall plan also emphasized flexibility, allowing the store employees to change the store from Bruins to Celtics apparel almost as fast as the Bruins change lines. While the Garden’s staff are laying parquet atop the ice for a Celtics game, the ProShop staff are busily adapting the displays to reel in Celtics fans, too.

Ah, the C’s. The green. The tradition, the dynasty . . .