Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/61746
Superlatives view from the top AS VP AND GENERAL MANAGER, SHE BROUGHT RETAIL TO THE BOSTON DESIGN CENTER, TURNING THE COMPLEX INTO A HOT A SHOPPING VENUE. NOW, EVEN LOCAL CABBIES KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT. by molly trifflin photography by eric levin julie rogowski I to reach out to them, shoppers. For is more schooled, and they want to participate." n 2010, when Julie Rogowski was appointed vice president and general manager of the Boston Design Center (BDC), a 550,000-square-foot mecca of interior design and architecture, she thought hard about what she intended to accomplish. "Any time you take on a new role, you want to make your mark. Bringing in the public was one of the things I targeted," she says. "Designers are our core clients, and we've always been good at engaging with them. But as the general population became more involved in home décor, we looked for ways too." In pursuit of that goal, she launched BDC To Go, the center's only sam- ple sale showroom accessible to retail the program Rogowski resurrected the Filene's Basement pricing scheme: Every item comes into the 4,000-square-foot showroom at a reduced price; after 30 days on the floor, the cost drops 15 percent; after 60 days it falls another 15 percent—a sales strategy that motivates customers to return in pursuit of better deals. The introduction of the showroom responds to a change Rogowski noticed in customer behavior. "Consumers are much more active in home design than they ever have been," she explains. "Everyone Although she's immersed in the glittery world of high-end interior design, Rogowski's career background is less glamorous. Prior to working at the BDC, the Boulder, Colorado native sold industrial computers for manufacturers and EPA compliance tagging systems for oil refineries. "I've spent more time in steel-toed boots than Jimmy Choos," she jokes. Despite her lack of design experience, the BDC hired her in 2005 as a part- time consultant. They wanted someone with a strong sales history, and for Rogowski the job was a perfect fit—she'd always been passionate about continued on page 52 bostoncommon-magazine.com 51 Rogowski oversees every aspect of the center and its 80 showrooms of antiques, flooring, kitchen fixtures, textiles, and furniture, negotiating about a half dozen new showroom leases per year, interacting with decora- tors, and overseeing a celebrity lecture series. Her next big project is The 342 Club, set to debut in May. It gives participating designers access to a lounge with two conference rooms, a kitchen, and a dining room, where they can collaborate with each other and meet with clients. people, culture, style Dress, PhilosoPhy ($590); Jacket, RalPh lauRen ($2,498); necklace, asha ($700); shoes, Jimmy Choo ($665). SakS FiFth avenue, the ShopS at prudential Center, 617-262-8500; SakS.Com. hair by renee Wesley