Contemporary luggage company Away, whose roll-ons and backpacks have a cult following, will open one of its first brick-and-mortar retail stores next Thursday in Georgetown.
The retail store and showroom, at 3237 M Street in Northwest D.C., opens Sept. 28. It replaces the former Aldo Italian shoe store, which closed during the pandemic.
Away suitcases, carry-ons and backpacks can cost hundreds of dollars. The New York City company was founded in 2016 as an online-only retailer. It now has 15 retail stores in the U.S., Canada and London, with more opening this year and next, including its second store in Boston.
Its bestselling bags are named Flex as they are hard-sided cases that also incorporate an expandable zipper design. Its products also include packing cubes, which are suitcases within suitcases for the organization-obsessed traveler.
Away travel cases have been seen with traveling Hollywood celebrities. In 2021, it partnered with Serena Williams for a collection.
Away has been included in Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies list, and TIME’s Best Inventions list.
Georgetown retail has rebounded following many closures during the pandemic.
Georgetown has seen the biggest net gain in retail businesses. Since 2022, 59 retailers have opened in Georgetown and only four have closed, according to a report this summer from JLL. The Georgetown retail submarket is now almost fully leased.
