Middle of Somewhere Opens in Thornes Marketplace on Sept. 1

The new shop is the fourth in the downtown shopping center for entrepreneurs Lauren Gunther and Alex Feinstein  

NORTHAMPTON—Longtime downtown entrepreneurs Lauren Gunther and Alex Feinstein opened Middle of Somewhere, a shop offering upscale activewear and loungewear, in Thornes Marketplace on Sept. 1.

The two first partnered together in 2023 when they purchased Cedar Chest, Noteworthy and Stay Golden. Middle of Somewhere is their fourth store. With each, Gunther manages the floor and oversees the merchandizing, and Feinstein oversees the business and financial aspects.

“Our new shop will be a destination for elevated activewear and everyday essentials, with pieces designed for movement, adventure and modern living,” said Gunther, of Hadley. “Collections will be curated to balance style and functionality with an understanding that everyone’s navigating life on a different path and our ‘somewheres’ all look different.”

Inspiration for the shop came in the fall when Gunther added clothing in the PrAna line in Cedar Chest, and the merchandise was quite popular with women and sold out in the first weekend; customers asked if the products were also available for men.

The PrAna lines will move out of Cedar Chest and into Middle of Somewhere, which will offer a limited selection for men to test the interest. 

The shop will also offer Varley loungewear; jackets, staple and statement pieces from Tribal; handmade leather bags from Wildwood Oyster in Maine; as well as Pistil Designs’ winter hats and scarves.

Gunther is also working on sourcing a jewelry line and household items such as candles.

Items will range from $50 to $500.

Gunther suspects that Middle of Somewhere, which will be located across from the first floor of Cedar Chest, near the Main Street entrance, will—at least initially—be most appealing to women between 40 and 65. 

“In my mind, at my age, I see all my friends and family and all these people who are juggling families and work. They’re traveling for work or pleasure, and I wanted to curate a collection of things that people could use in all different walks of life,” Gunther says. “We will encourage our customers to enjoy life’s adventures in comfort and style, whether they’re travelling across the world, across the country or across town.”

Feinstein, of Haydenville, added, “I see it as something that is complementary to what exists in Thornes as a product offering with items that are not available in Cedar Chest or anywhere in Thornes or town.”

Gunther said PrAna gear was once available at Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters in Hadley, but the store has closed. 

Gunther was previously the merchandise manager for Cedar Chest and Stay Golden, and Feinstein is the former owner of GoBerry in Northampton and Amherst.  

Gunther holds a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising and retailing from Framingham State University and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. Feinstein earned a bachelor’s in fine arts from Connecticut College and has worked in finance and IT in Boston. 

For more information, visit middleofsomewherema.com.

To learn more about Thornes Marketplace, visit thornesmarketplace.com.

Thornes Marketplace has been the cornerstone of downtown Northampton and at the center of the Main Street shopping district for more than a century. Built in 1873, it holds 55,000 square feet of space for merchants and includes features like pressed tin ceilings and hardwood floors.