Bulletin Brings Membership-Based Retail Model to Union SquareThe retail model where brands pay to play in a brick-and-mortar space is gaining adherents.

[Collection]Bulletin, a venture backed by the Y Combinator with two locations in New York City, has opened its largest store, a 1,500-square-foot flagship at 863 Broadway near Union Square. The company said it has lowered the barrier to entry for digital brands through its membership-based retail model that allows brands to “rent” shelf space for their products and benefit from the real-time sales data Bulletin provides. Ali Kriegsman and Alana Branston, Bulletin’s cofounders, said the Bulletin Mini Mall, a temporary Nineties-themed concept that operated at the Broadway space from November 2017 through January 2018 — before build-out on the permanent store started — exceeded sales goals, confirming their belief in the project. “Seeing the customer interest gave us confidence to open a store this size and in this location,” Kriegsman said, adding, “We felt we were ready.” Branston said the cost of renting space at the new Bulletin flagship ranges from $350 to $1,500 per month. In addition, Bulletin takes a 30 percent cut of sales. “A lot of brands do better with our model than selling wholesale to department stores,” Branston said. “We provide brands with customer feedback and we do product consulting.” In some cases, Bulletin represents digital brands’ first foray into

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