boston has finally found what it’s been looking for
Image courtesy of Thrift Squad
FOUND has been taking the Boston fashion scene by storm. As the city becomes progressively more fashion oriented, there’s been a need for something new. In comes Rob Singh, the co-founder and creative director of FOUND and many other markets. Read our exclusive interview with him down below.
Q1: Rob, introduce yourself for me and the audience!
A: My name is Rob Singh. I founded Original Markets, Fenway Flea, and then FOUND with my business partner and wife Megan. FOUND has been in business for about a year, and the stores have not even been there for a year! This November, we’ll be celebrating the one year anniversary for the stores.
Image courtesy of Hartbreak Vintage
Q2: That’s so exciting! Let’s talk a little bit about how FOUND got started. Where did the inspiration come from?
A: In 2021 I had the opportunity to work at a different market. [This was] post Covid so restaurants weren’t really letting people use restrooms and such. It was a really tiring and sad experience. You’re working the whole day, and there’s no amenities whatsoever. So we kind of got the idea from there; we started finding spaces that would give all these small benefits like restrooms and restaurants close by. We were scouted in the 1st year for Fenway Flea. We helped create that community space out of an old gas station that wasn’t being used. We also had to figure out something for the wintertime when there’s no traditional outdoor markets. That’s when we came up with the concept of FOUND in December 2022. In February of 2023 we held the first FOUND at Cambridge Foundry with probably 700-800 people in attendance.
Q3: So cool. I love how DIY it is. One thing that FOUND has been very vocal about is giving visibility and platforms to smaller businesses. Why do you think you’re gravitating towards smaller business owners as opposed to big corporations or organizations?
A: When we started out we were primarily doing markets and the whole object of a market [is] creating a place where 20 or 30 small business vendors [can] get together and create a retail atmosphere for people who might not be able to afford a retail store.
Q4: What has been your favorite event that FOUND has done so far?
Image courtesy of Mayfly
A: We did an event at Artists for Humanity Boston. We didn’t have any advance tickets or anything like that. We were just getting our feet wet. The markets before that had been like 1,000-1,500 people. But this market had a wait time of 3 and a half hours in a thunderstorm. It made me realize what we are doing is what people are appreciating, so we [must be] on the right path.
Q5: Why do you think people keep coming back to FOUND and are so in love with all the different markets?
A: I think it goes back to how fashion and style are really coming up in Boston. The youth is very innovative when it comes to styling their outfits. I think sustainability is [also] one of the reasons. People like supporting small businesses.Our tagline is shop small,shop sustainable, shop stylish.
“shop small, shop sustainable, shop stylish”
Q6: This is just a fun one for you. How would you describe your personal style?
A: I’ve gone through different phases so I have certain pieces from different eras. My personal style right now is very Americana. I have a lot of sixties and seventies inspired pieces from Japanese brands. That’s my staple.
Q7: My last question is, what advice would you give to anyone hoping to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle?
A: Just look around you and see what’s happening. There’s so many options these days to be sustainable: support brands who are using the right materials, look out for the environment, shop for pre-owned stuff as opposed to brand new stuff!
