Our History
Our History
Diversity grew from a small independent consignment business into a Boston fashion and secondhand destination built around circularity, self expression, local creativity, and community. This timeline combines independent reporting with dated records from Diversity's own website archive.
Archive method: independent journalism establishes the broader historical record. Dated Diversity pages are used as primary records for the launch of current programs and digital initiatives.
Ian Drake opens his first consignment store.
Before Diversity existed in Jamaica Plain, founder Ian Drake entered secondhand retail through his first consignment shop in Pembroke, Massachusetts. Chronicle later documented 2016 as the beginning of that first store.
The move to Jamaica Plain.
When space became available on Centre Street in 2020, Drake moved into Jamaica Plain. The store initially operated under the DVSTY Consignment name before becoming Diversity Consignment.
Inclusivity, sustainability, and identity become defining ideas.
Jamaica Plain News profiled Diversity in January. Chronicle documented its sustainability model, gender inclusive approach, by the pound system, and relationship with the neighborhood. WBUR later included Diversity in its Boston secondhand shopping guide.
Diversity emerges as a recognized Boston secondhand destination.
The Boston Globe selected Diversity for a feature on places to shop for preloved clothing around Boston, highlighting inclusivity, creativity and social impact.
Events, circular fashion, and styling become a larger part of the story.
Boston University documented Diversity's two level store, growing consignment operation, Fill A Bag sale and Project Runway Reworked. The Boston Globe later placed Diversity on its Best of the Best list. A Local Threads interview documented Project Reworked Runway, local artist support, Open Streets JP, sustainability, social growth and the idea of Diversity as a community hub.
Diversity expands beyond resale into styling, education, events, and community commerce.
Independent coverage continued while Diversity began documenting a new generation of programs directly through its own website. These dated pages now function as primary records within the archive.
Personal Styling receives its dedicated digital home.
The Personal Styling Session page was created on July 22, establishing a permanent website destination for Diversity's full styling experience and booking pathway.
Get Styled becomes a unified styling platform.
The Get Styled page was published September 2, bringing Diversity's styling services together into a central customer pathway.
Community Marketplace enters the Diversity archive.
The Community Marketplace guide and Sell From Home page were published September 2, recording the expansion of Diversity's circular model toward community powered resale and seller managed inventory.
Events receive a permanent website destination.
The Events at Diversity page was published September 3, creating a dedicated record and discovery point for workshops, pop ups, gatherings and community programming.
The formal history archive launches.
The Our History page was created and published September 3, consolidating independent reporting and Diversity's own primary records into an evolving institutional timeline.
Explore the current record.
These pages document the programs, systems and initiatives that now make up Diversity.
History is still being made.
New milestones will continue to be incorporated as dates, media coverage, events and first party records are verified.
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