{"id":114257,"date":"2025-08-03T00:10:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T00:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/114257\/"},"modified":"2025-08-03T00:10:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T00:10:12","slug":"snooty-nantucket-residents-outraged-over-new-chain-store-opened-on-ritzy-billionaires-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/114257\/","title":{"rendered":"Snooty Nantucket residents outraged over new chain store opened on ritzy billionaire’s island"},"content":{"rendered":"

Snooty Nantucket residents furious over the arrival of a chain store on their ritzy island are demanding its closure.<\/p>\n

Roller Rabbit, a pricey, high-end sleepwear brand with a dozen locations nationwide, opened its latest shop earlier this year, right in the heart of Nantucket\u2019s upscale downtown, according to Nantucket Current<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But its arrival has sparked a ferocious backlash, as it directly violates the island\u2019s fiercely defended ban on franchises in the downtown area.<\/p>\n

Despite being ordered to ‘immediately cease all business activity’ on the affluent Massachusetts<\/a>\u00a0island, the boutique defiantly kept its doors open – making subtle changes in a bid to dodge the ban.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The ban – officially called the Formula Business Restriction – is a town bylaw designed to preserve Nantucket\u2019s historic charm and shield local businesses from being drowned out by national and international retail chains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘The proliferation of formula businesses will have a negative impact on the island’s economy, historical relevance and unique character and economic vitality,’ Nantucket Book Partners owner Wendy Hudson told the outlet.<\/p>\n

‘These uses are therefore prohibited in order to maintain a unique retail and dining experience.<\/p>\n

‘Formula businesses frustrate this goal by detracting from the overall historic island experience and threatening its tourist economy.’<\/p>\n

\"Roller <\/p>\n

Roller Rabbit, a pricey, high-end sleepwear brand, opened its latest shop earlier this year at 44 Centre Street (pictured) in Nantucket’s downtown area – but its arrival sparked a backlash as it directly violates the island\u2019s fiercely defended ban on franchises\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The ban – officially called the Formula Business Restriction – is a town bylaw designed to preserve Nantucket\u2019s historic downtown charm and shield local businesses from being drowned out by national and international retail chains<\/p>\n

\"Determined <\/p>\n

Determined to stay on the billionaire’s oasis, Roller Rabbit (pictured) quickly jumped through hoops to skirt to rules – changing its name and revamping the store\u2019s offerings to include brands like\u00a0Lands\u2019 End and Dempsey & Carroll<\/p>\n

Ritzy residents overwhelmingly supported the ban nearly a decade ago, worried that recognizable stores would erode the island\u2019s independent vibe and turn it into a cookie-cutter shopping destination.<\/p>\n

Building Commissioner Paul Murphy issued Roller Rabbit a cease-and-desist order in July, marking the first-ever enforcement of the ban.<\/p>\n

‘The overlay district does not allow standardized businesses in the historic downtown area,’ Murphy wrote to the boutique’s owners, as reported by Nantucket Current.<\/p>\n

‘Roller Rabbit meets the definition of a formula business. You are hereby ordered to immediately cease all business activity at this location.’\u00a0<\/p>\n

The order stated that the shop met all the criteria to be considered a formula business – having ten or more locations worldwide and standardized elements like a common name, logo or product line.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Determined to stay on the billionaire’s oasis, Roller Rabbit quickly jumped through hoops to skirt to rules – changing its name and revamping the store\u2019s offerings.<\/p>\n

Now rebranded as The General Store by RR, the boutique has expanded its inventory to include brands like Lands\u2019 End, Dempsey & Carroll, Minnow and Long Wharf Supply Co.<\/p>\n

‘We\u2019ve evolved our Centre Street seasonal pop-up into a new multi-brand concept,’ Roller Rabbit Chief Marketing Officer Carolyn Phillips told the Current via email.<\/p>\n

‘This reimagined space features a curated selection of products not only from Roller Rabbit, but also from beloved brands that align with the spirit and lifestyle of Nantucket,’ she added.<\/p>\n

\"Nantucket <\/p>\n

Nantucket Planning and Land Use Services (PLUS) director Leslie Snell said the ban does not apply to pop-ups, which is what Roller Rabbit now claims to be under the rebrand ‘The General Store by RR’ (pictured: line for the boutique)<\/p>\n

Nantucket Planning and Land Use Services (PLUS) director Leslie Snell said the ban does not apply to pop-ups, which is what Roller Rabbit now claims to be.<\/p>\n

‘The formula business bylaw applies to any business within the overlay district regardless of duration,’ she told the outlet.<\/p>\n

However, the PLUS team doesn\u2019t routinely screen every new business for chain store compliance, they only step in when a business asks for a review, leaving enforcement largely driven by self-reporting or complaints.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘No town permits are required for retail stores, so there isn’t an opportunity for advance review,’ Snell added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘We review for compliance based on complaints or our own observations.’<\/p>\n

Roller Rabbit is known for its high-end women\u2019s sleepwear, often distinguished by whimsical prints – monkeys, florals and vibrant color palettes being just a few.<\/p>\n

Shoppers can expect Roller Rabbit pajamas priced from approximately $128 to $148 or more, according to the website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Ritzy <\/p>\n

Ritzy residents overwhelmingly supported the ban nearly a decade ago, worried that recognizable stores would erode the island\u2019s independent vibe and turn it into a cookie-cutter shopping destination<\/p>\n

Each set\u00a0is crafted in small batches from luxe Pima cotton and adorned with artisanal touches like block prints and embroidery.<\/p>\n

While critics balk at the steep prices, loyal fans point to the heirloom quality and distinctive designs as justification for the splurge – though it remains to be seen how many new customers will be secured on Nantucket.<\/p>\n

Both Roller Rabbit and Nantucket Building Commissioner\u00a0Paul Murphy did not immediately respond to Daily Mail for comment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Snooty Nantucket residents furious over the arrival of a chain store on their ritzy island are demanding its…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":114258,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[211,2739,50,158,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-114257","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-dailymail","9":"tag-massachusetts","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-technology","12":"tag-united-states","13":"tag-unitedstates","14":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114961935463071182","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114257"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114257\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}