When global PR and events agency Alpha Kilo launched Work/Shop on Nantucket this summer, the idea was both simple and ambitious: to create a platform where craftsmanship, storytelling, and commerce could coexist in an immersive, living environment. The agency had been executing a similar program in their office at 11 Savile Row in London since 2023, under the title Art+Interiors, to great success and were ready to push the concept further to include hands-on workshops.Â
What began as a pilot residency at the invitation of the Nantucket Historical Association quickly became one of the design industry’s most talked-about cultural activations of the season. The momentum has since carried across the Atlantic, with the program now established in London and set to return to Nantucket this December for Stroll Weekend, expanding its presence and community with each iteration.
The inaugural Work/Shop Nantucket transformed the historic Greater Light property into a retail-enabled, narrative-driven exhibition space. For one week during Nantucket by Design, Alpha Kilo curated an experience that brought together leading interiors and lifestyle brands with artisans and designers in an immersive environment that felt more like a home than a showroom. Operating under the narrative of how the iconic Monaghan sisters who artistically restored the property would have lived if alive today, products were for sale or order, but the real value lay in the experience. Brands demonstrating craft in context, artisans engaging directly with audiences, and visitors discovering design in its most human form.
Over just four days, Work/Shop drew steady traffic from Nantucket by Design attendees as well both summer and year-round residents, including well-known island names like author Elin Hilderbrand, designer Veronica Beard, and entrepreneur Wendy Hudson. The response underscored the concept’s resonance not just as a retail experience but as a cultural connector. “We wanted to create a platform that felt inclusive, rooted in place, and centred around the people who make,” says Alpha Kilo co-founder Amanda Kasper. “That’s what the luxury consumer is seeking now – experiences, authenticity, and access.”
The results speak for themselves. Within four days, the pilot generated over $75,000 in revenue, not to mention orders which went straight to participating brands, along with substantial new business leads for participating brands. Online coverage reached over 568,000 readers, with features in Surface, Business of Home, and TrendHunter. For a first-time activation, these numbers represent remarkable traction and validate Work/Shop as a scalable model for design-led brand engagement.
Beyond its commercial success, Work/Shop tapped into something more enduring – the idea that preservation and progress can reinforce one another. Many of the participating interiors brands contributed to light restoration and styling of the property, embodying Work/Shop’s founding vision: that design brands can play a meaningful role in the stewardship and revitalisation of historic spaces. It’s a concept that bridges community development with cultural commerce, offering a new blueprint for the future of experiential retail.
Building on the success of Nantucket, Alpha Kilo is already in development on future Work/Shop residencies in other heritage-rich luxury markets. Each iteration will maintain the same focus on storytelling, education, and craft, connecting global brands with local artisans while breathing new life into significant properties. The long-term vision includes a permanent Work/Shop campus on Nantucket, where restoration, apprenticeship, and brand residencies can operate year-round.
For now, though, the energy around Work/Shop Nantucket speaks volumes. What began as a nimble experiment in cultural programming has become a proof of concept for a new kind of design economy – one that values connection over transaction, heritage over hype, and the craft of making as the ultimate luxury.
www.alphakilo.com | IG: @alphakiloltd
