As Mirakl continues to expand its e-commerce platforms, the company is enhancing its offerings, including sophisticated software solutions that enable sellers to efficiently upload catalogs and streamline engagements across various online venues where they sell products.
These advancements also include improved advertising options and innovative tools specifically designed for business-to-business sellers.
The Boston hub of Mirakl owes its establishment to Kamal Kirpalani, an executive who encouraged co-CEO Adrien Nussenbaum to select the Boston area as their U.S. launch point over New York City.
Kirpalani, who cherishes his time as an undergraduate at Boston University, now serves as the chief revenue officer for the company.
In a strategic move, Mirakl relocated its corporate office from Somerville to a prominent location at 100 Summer St. in downtown Boston just two years ago, currently employing around 108 of the company’s nearly 800 staff members in the area.
Eckert, who previously led Rethink Robotics, transitioned to Bain Capital Ventures for a period as an executive in residence before joining Walmart to manage a portfolio of tech ventures.
His collaboration at Walmart concluded last year, and with a recommendation from his former Bain Capital Ventures colleagues (who are also investors in Mirakl), he explored opportunities at Mirakl.
The prospect of significant growth for Mirakl, especially within the United States market, piqued his interest.
Eckert articulated his enthusiasm for taking on a Boston-based CEO role, especially in a business that stood out to him as exceptionally intriguing.
In Eckert’s view, the technology embraced by Mirakl is the best across the industry.
In a separate development, the Massachusetts service plaza redevelopment lease attracted six bidders, with only two being local companies.
Waltham-based Global Partners, one of the local bidders, expressed frustration after being overlooked in favor of Applegreen, an Irish firm backed by Blackstone, for the coveted 35-year contract aimed at redeveloping the state’s 18 highway service plazas.
The capital planning committee of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation recommended Applegreen’s proposal to the full MassDOT board for final approval last Wednesday.
Applegreen’s commitment includes a staggering $750 million investment for enhancements, which will involve comprehensive replacements of nine plaza buildings, as well as an average annual payment of at least $28 million to the state.
Global Partners, along with its partner CommonWealth Kitchen, expressed dismay at the recommendation.
A press release from Global emphasized that they would offer approximately 50% more in rent than Applegreen could, suggesting a significant missed opportunity for the state to reinvest in a business with “deep Massachusetts roots.”
“Handing off this critical infrastructure to outsiders with no proven stake in our state is not a wise move,” said Max Slifka, Global’s senior vice president of real estate, in a press statement.
Currently, Global operates four service plazas that would be taken over by Applegreen in 2027, located along Route 6 in Barnstable, Route 24 in Bridgewater, and Route 128 in Beverly, with additional locations along the Mass. Pike managed by McDonald’s and Gulf.
Although McDonald’s did not submit a bid this round, RaceTrac, the owner of Gulf, did.
A spokesperson for MassDOT indicated that Applegreen’s selection was based on its preparedness and successful operational history in other states, making it a fit for the project.
CEO of CommonWealth Kitchen, Jen Faigel, was surprised by the outcome, viewing the service plaza initiative as an opportunity to enhance collaboration with Global Partners.
With prior discussions relating to the incorporation of more locally made products into Global’s convenience stores, there was a plan for selling items created by CommonWealth Kitchen businesses at the rest areas, which would have been realized had Global secured the bid.
“It was very surprising to me that a proposal like Global’s didn’t win,” Faigel said, emphasizing lost opportunities to support a local business.
In the meantime, BJ’s Wholesale Club is redirecting its attention back to Massachusetts after years of expansion outside the state.
The Marlborough-based chain, under the leadership of CEO Bob Eddy, recently announced its intent to build a new store in Springfield, marking its first new club in Massachusetts in over a decade.
As BJ’s escalates its growth with the opening of 10 to 15 stores nationally each year, this Springfield location will be a homecoming of sorts for the company.
The frequency of new openings has markedly increased compared to the mid-2010s when the company would typically launch only one or two stores or none annually.
Back when BJ’s went public in 2018, it operated 215 stores, and the number has since risen to 255.
The other stores in Western Massachusetts run by BJ’s include locations in Greenfield, Pittsfield, and Chicopee, with the Springfield location expected to open before year-end.
As typical for BJ’s, the new store is set to employ about 100 to 150 individuals, although a warehouse under development in Ohio will predominantly rely on robotic labor.
“This new club perspective allowed us to focus on opportunities for new locations within our existing footprint,” Eddy elaborated.
He mentioned that the feedback from the community has been enthusiastic now that the store opening has been announced.
Despite being smaller than rivals Costco and Walmart-owned Sam’s Club, BJ’s promotes its competitive edge with lower pricing than supermarkets while offering more variety than its larger competitors, a strategy that has resonated with cost-conscious consumers.
Eddy stated, “These factors are pushing us to accelerate even further, as customers have faced significant challenges due to inflation over the last few years.
BJ’s is an appealing destination for those looking to save money.”
Additionally, travelers passing through Boston Logan Airport will soon experience live music in unexpected venues: the baggage claim area.
Beginning this summer, professional musicians and college students will entertain travelers in the baggage claim spaces of terminals B and C as part of a pilot program aimed at improving the waiting experience for those collecting luggage.
Massachusetts Port Authority’s chief executive, Rich Davey, announced the initiative during a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce gathering.
“One of the five most common customer complaints is the time it takes to retrieve bags at baggage claim,” Davey noted.
He emphasized the importance of treating entertainment during this waiting period through live music, which they hope will enhance traveler satisfaction.
During the Q&A session, Brendan Joyce, public policy manager at Lyft, humorously inquired if Davey himself would perform at baggage claim this summer and what kind of music he would play.
Davey responded swiftly, “If we wish to enhance customer satisfaction, then no, I will not be performing.”
image source from：https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/16/business/scott-eckert-ecommerce-mirakl/
