Luggage startup Away has opened a storefront at 50 Seaport Blvd., the seventh physical location for the previously online-only brand and another example of the “clicks to bricks” trend on prominent display in Boston’s Seaport District.

 
Away’s “smart suitcases” range in price from $225 to $295 for adults and $195 for kids’ carry-ons, and feature ejectable batteries that enable travelers to charge devices on the exterior of the suitcase. A line of aluminum suitcases range in price from $475 for a carry-on and $595 for a large suitcase.

 
Jen Rubio and Steph Korey launched Away in 2016 with a $2.5 million investment. In June, the New York-based company landed a $50 million Series C fundraising round, led by Forerunner Ventures, Global Founders Capital and Comcast Ventures. Away used the Series C round to expand into markets including New York, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Austin.

 
Rubio and Korey are alumnae of eyeglasses retailer Warby Parker, which has also expanded from its digital-only roots to physical storefronts across the U.S., including the Seaport and Prudential Center in Boston.

 
“We view our stores as much more than a place to just sell products, but as a hub to bring together a community of people who love to travel as much as we do, and we look forward to building a community of people in Boston, and to inspire them to plan their next trip with Away,” Rubio, Away’s chief brand officer and co-founder, said in a statement.

 
By Catherine Carlock
https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2018/12/26/woman-led-luggage-startup-away-opens-in-seaport.html