"The influx has delighted Zhanna Drogobetsky, owner of Casa Design Group, who opened her first SoWa furniture showroom in 2008 and recently expanded into her eighth space. “I came into the neighborhood really early on when Mario [Nicosia], our landlord at GTI Properties, was just developing it for artists and gallery owners,” Drogobetsky says. “Now, with the Design Center being smaller, we’ve been able to get a lot of people to move here and create a design district.” Drogobetsky notes that the density of showrooms, boutiques, and design pros not only makes it easy for clients to renovate or furnish an entire home; it also provides businesses opportunities for collaboration. She’s enjoyed a long partnership with Susan Lanoue of Lanoue Gallery, who curates the art on display in Casa Design Group’s showrooms. And she’s teaming up with two new neighbors, the audio brand Bang & Olufsen and cabinetry maker Christopher Peacock, to launch an event series called Casa Experiences, featuring showroom tours with chef-prepared bites and pours from Brix Wine Shop across the street. Such connections speak to the unique energy and character of the neighborhood, Drogobetsky says. “This artist- and design-based community—Boston doesn’t have it anywhere else.”
Zhanna Drogobetsky, owner of Casa Design Group
