News

November 8, 2021

Excitement Builds for the Arrival of a Scottish Retail Hub in New York State

Grab your kilt and your best bagpipes because Albany, NY is about to become a touch more tartan. It was announced this month that a new Scottish cultural hub and retail offering will be launching on January 12, 2022 in New York State. ScotlandShop, an established and revered purveyor of high-end Scottish goods, are making the transatlantic move and opening their first ever US store in early 2022.

With over 500 clan tartans available, the shop will offer an exciting array of Scottish clothing, accessories, and interiors to the people of Albany and beyond. The store is guaranteed to become a local favorite for shoppers looking for everything from quality kilts to luxury textiles and authentic Scottish craftwork and home décor.

With their expansive tartan database and friendly consultation services, ScotlandShop will encourage visitors to seek out their family history and become adorned in a piece of their own ancestral history.

The fully trained staff will help visitors create matching styles from their collections of beautiful tartans, with options for the whole family (even beloved dogs). From sophisticated tartan dresses to chic vests, the thoughtfully and sustainably made available garments can be adapted and tailored to find the most comfortable and stylish fit for any visitors. All the tartan fabrics used are proudly woven in Scotland, with the vast majority produced in The Scottish Borders – a hub of excellence for textiles and weaving.

This exciting addition to the city will also bring investment to the local community. The store will offer an exciting employment opportunity for Albany locals, who will be trained in all things Scotland, including the narrative behind each tartan, as well as the myths, legends, and storied history of an ancient country.

Hailing from an incredibly supportive small community in Scotland, the store is dedicated to making sure they become ingrained in the local neighborhood; sharing positivity, excitement, and more than a touch of Scottish hospitality. ScotlandShop hopes to become a hub for local events and Scottish celebrations – sharing the best of Scotland’s modern culture and notable heritage. They aim to bring visitors from far and wide to the area, showcasing the wonderful attributes of the region: There is already talk of one of the new Scottish managers, who will be moving to Albany, becoming an Albany FireWolves fan and a curling club member.

ScotlandShop, who worked with a series of local Albany businesses to make this dream become a reality, will also be gifting Albany County with its very own tartan, created to symbolize the re-strengthened bond between the region and Scotland. The tartan will be used to celebrate the opening of ScotlandShop’s new US base, as well as highlighting the strong Scottish heritage found throughout the area. The colors found within the design are taken from the Albany County Seal, The Town of Colonie Seal, and The City of Albany Flag. The sett (design) was inspired by that of the Stewart Clan tartans.

For those who are eager to engage with the Scottish store before January, they can visit the website and sign-up for the newsletter now, to ensure they are kept up to date with all of the upcoming news, including the announcement of the opening event and ribbon cutting. ScotlandShop’s social channels will also be slowly revealing the exciting details of the store throughout the next few months.

Appointments for fittings, consultations and tartan interiors are already filling up for January 2022. Pre-bookings can be made through the website to ensure that any customers who want to be one of the first people to experience the store and enjoy a fully tailored Scottish experience can secure their space now. There will also be a range of pop-up events happening in New York City in November, where customers can get a taste of what will be available in store, as well as purchase a range of early release stock.

They are also looking for enthusiastic and motivated individuals with a passion for Scotland and tartan to work in the Albany store and at events around the country. If working for ScotlandShop fills you with excitement and you would like to apply for their new team, please click here.

When asked why they specifically chose Albany, ScotlandShop Founding Director Anna White commented:

“We wanted a location with a story, a history of Scots and their travels across the Atlantic, generations of heritage and fond memories of a land left behind. Albany caught our imagination, the capital of New York state, the oldest continuous settlement in the original colonies, and of course with a name derived from the Gaelic word for Scotland.

Albany was named after the Duke of York’s Scottish title, “Duke of Albany” in 1664 – so there is a massive amount of kinship and connection between our two localities.

Now a political and industrious hub with fantastic links to a range of other excellent behemoth cities, we could not have asked for a better location.

Through making this dream become a reality, we have already felt the wonderful warmth and welcome of the local people.  The team at ScotlandShop are so incredibly excited to be bringing a little Scottish culture, hospitality and fashion to an already fantastic part of the world.   We hope you come and visit us soon.”