Originally Posted: December 4, 2018
Matt Alexander and real estate investor Mark Masinter are SMU alumni.
During a time when most traditional retailers are struggling to compete, entrepreneur Matt Alexander and real estate investor Mark Masinter decided to go for something a little different with Neighborhood Goods, which opened in Plano’s Legacy West development this fall. “We had this sort of unorthodox idea to develop a new kind of department store,” Alexander says. “Rather than a fixed lane of racks that changes on a seasonal basis, we’re creating something more vibrant and socially oriented, where we can bring in some of the most interesting brands from around the world.”
Neighborhood Goods is predominately working with direct-to-consumer, digitally native brands that don’t have brick-and-mortar shops. Examples include the affordable contact lens provider Hubble, sneaker and streetwear retailer Stadium Goods, Serena Williams’ clothing brand, Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James, and home furnishings company The Inside, all of which will host what are called “activations” at the store. “It’s sort of a more cohesive, modern version of a pop-up,” Alexander says. “Each activation features technology and an extremely elevated architectural design. There’s going to be something happening just about every day that gives shoppers a reason to come back and discover something new and different.” READ MORE