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Delta Opens a Shop in Boston to Sell Souvenirs From Other Bostons

Flight of fancy from W+K

Boston souvenir stores are typically packed with items like plush toy lobsters, Celtics pennants, Tom Brady No. 12 jerseys (Tom Brady everything, really), and all manner of bric-a-brac referencing baked beans, Paul Reverah, chowdah and Haavahd Yahd.

Delta Air Lines, seeking to build a global hub in the city known as the Hub of the Universe, will open a different kind of mobile gift shop in Boston next week.

The pop-up will be far less provincial than most local establishments in its selection of merchandise. Devised with Wieden + Kennedy New Yahwk, (sorry, fingers keep slipping on the keyboard), the stock represents various places around the world called “Boston”—but not Boston, Massachusetts. (Though folks who live here, on the banks of the River Charles, know in our haahts it’s the only one that counts.)

Visitors can purchase beard grooming kits, umbrellas and other goodies from Boston, England: 

Scented candles and jams from Square de Boston, France, would really class up a Fenway apaahrtment: 

Boston, Ireland, is famed for wool scarves and Claddagh rings, apparently. (Now there’s a country that knows how to spell stuff!) 

And here are some gift notions from copycaht Bahstons in the good old USA:

“Early on, we hit on an insight that Bostonians are extremely proud to be from Boston, maybe more so than people in any other city,” says W+K copywriter Michelle Lamont. “They love to support their hometown sports teams, food, culture, music and everything else in any way possible, and they have a strong Bostonian identity. So we wondered, would that extend to other Bostons around the world? Our research quickly turned up quite a few more Bostons in places that Delta flies to, like France, Ireland and Florida, so we ran with it and started imagining how Bostonians could expand their pride in their city beyond the one in Massachusetts.” 

Translation: It’s a wicked pissaaaah!

The activation includes OOH elements with lines such as “There’s a Boston out there that’s even more Irish than this one.” (That’s debatable. Seen Southie much?) 

All proceeds from sales will benefit the artists who created the merchandise, and patrons can compete to win free Delta flights.

So, turn off that Red Sawx game (better luck next year!), grab your CharlieCard and hop on the T to check out the shop at these locations:

Sept. 19:  High St. & Atlantic Ave., 11am-6pm
Sept. 20: North St. & Congress St., 11am-6pm
Sept. 21: 60 Seaport Blvd., 11am-6pm

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