Machine Age Is Having Its First-Ever Showroom Sale

Photo courtesy of Machine Age

Machine Age is having a sale.

Yes, you read that correctly and yes, it’s true. It’s the first sale of its kind for the 25-year-old midcentury modern furnishings emporium. Owner Normand Mainville, “has never done something quite so robust,” explains showroom consultant Alicia Kennedy. (She jokes that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance, but in all seriousness, she’s probably right.) The goal is to clear out the showroom before Machine Age moves to a new location in 2017.

“Even though we love the site—it’s close to the Design Center and people know where we are now—almost 80 percent of our sales are online” says Kennedy. 

The demands of the store’s online business coupled with upcoming building renovations at their current Fort Point location have created the need to downsize. The future store at 121 Boston Street in Dorchester trims 3,000 square feet off of the showroom. The new 5,000-square-foot space will remain open to the public and offer increased flexibility in consultations and showroom setup.

Kennedy says the reason for the sale is twofold: First, the more pieces that are sold, the easier the move will be. But it’s also about Machine Age’s 25-year milestone. She explains it’s a way of thanking the store’s local, loyal customers and acknowledging their support.

From October 27 through November 12, Machine Age will mark 20 percent off of every single piece in the showroom. (To be clear, the sale doesn’t apply online.) Additionally, larger items will be marked down from 25 to 30 percent off. Highlights include an extension dining table by Edward Wormley, a pair of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chairs, and, of course, plenty of Eames chairs. In addition to pieces from some of midcentury modern design’s most recognizable names, there are an number of Danish pieces from lesser-known Scandanavian designers as well as impressive deals on lighting.

“The whole move is about recalibrating who we are,” says Kennedy. “It’s not just a kind of cleaning house, but really a focusing on what pieces seem to matter most to our customers.”

Machine Age, 645 Summer Street on Pappas Way, open Tuesday through Saturday 12-4 p.m., machine-age.com.

Photo courtesy of Machine Age