My URBN Summer
This past summer, I had the amazing opportunity to intern in Philadelphia with URBN (yes, this post is like 8 months overdue…better late than never, am I right??). For those that are unfamiliar, URBN is comprised of the brands Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN. They have one of the most competitive summer internship programs, garnering over 6,000 applicants every year and selecting only about 1% of candidates across every department within all of their brands. After applying and being selected for the second round of interviews, I took a quick trip to Philly last January for their internship interview day. I heard back around mid-February that I was selected for a buying internship with Terrain, the company’s outdoor living and gardening brand- a smaller but growing (no pun intended) constituent of Anthropologie & Co. Needless to say, this internship was a dream come true and I couldn’t have been more ecstatic!
So, I packed up and moved to Philly for the summer. A fellow intern and I found a 2-bedroom apartment that we sublet from a U-Penn student. Eager to immerse myself in the city life, I moved in a week early to allow myself time to learn my way around and take it all in.
Rich in history, Philadelphia has something unique around every corner. Lucky for me, the public transportation system is pretty straightforward (there are two subway lines- one going north/south and one going east/west) and navigating the city is a breeze. Living in the University City area was perfect because there were restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores all within walking distance of our apartment and plenty of other URBN interns living close by.
After a week of settling in and independently touring the city, the internship began and I was immersed into the day-to-day of a full-time corporate office job.
I’ve wanted to work for Anthropologie since I knew what Anthropologie was. In high school, my mom and I would take trips down to the nearest store, which was about 45 minutes south of where we live (coincidentally, I now work part time in that same store!). I would get lost in the beautiful home textiles and fancy hardware hooks and knobs. I remember being awestruck by their displays, surrounded by the inviting scent of Capri Blue’s Volcano Candle – a now favorite of mine. Anthro knows store atmospherics better than anyone.
The corporate headquarters is no different. Once a Navy ship yard, now home to URBN and many other offices. Each brand is nestled inside its own historic building that URBN’s CEO purchased for $1 a-piece back in the 90’s. Before the company could relocate their offices to The Yard, they poured their heart and soul into renovating, restoring, and repurposing each building to preserve the historic architecture in a modern, beautiful way.
One of the many fun perks about working at URBN is that employees can bring their dogs to work. The photo above shows a few paintings depicting actual URBN dogs! It’s incredibly hard to have a bad day when you’re surrounded by adorable pups.
One of the best experiences of the summer was getting the opportunity to walk in the Pride Parade with Urban Outfitters. The month of June is Pride month, when cities across the country throw celebrations in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Urban is a long time supporter, and loves to go all out for Pride, launching exclusive Pride merchandise in stores and of course, walking in the Philadelphia parade. Last summer’s float consisted of a bright and colorful, tropical summer theme, complete with pool floats and silly string, bubbles, flags, bandanas, and matching shirts for every participant. So many of the interns came out for the event and it was a blast. We danced through the streets of Philly, between the thousands of people that lined up halfway across the city to join in the celebration. It was such an honor to walk with a company that embraces a culture of diversity and inclusivity.
As I mentioned earlier, I interned with the outdoor living brand, Terrain. If you’re unfamiliar with Terrain, it is one of the most beautiful and unique stores you can find. There are only 3 store locations nationwide as well as shop-in-shops within 4 Anthropologie & Co. store locations. Luckily, one of the stand-alone Terrain stores is located in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania- around 40 minutes away from the office. About once every month, the team takes a visit to the store. Since I had never been to one before, I was so excited to make a trip with them. Upon arriving, I was completely in awe. I had heard how beautiful the stores were, but nothing compares to actually seeing one in person. The photos below don’t even do it justice.
Outside the store lives an entire nursery of diverse species of plants- an ever-changing array of foliage. If that wasn’t enough, they also carry a wide assortment of outdoor furniture to embellish any garden or patio. Just as you’re getting lost in the fragrant flora, you step inside the store to find an entire world of treasures. You’re greeted by the most gorgeous home decor displays, adorned with elaborate arrangements of every indoor plant imaginable. Planters hang down from the ceiling like living chandeliers and each wall is lined with yet another awe-inspiring presentation of merchandise. The store offers customized arrangements “Designed by Terrain” allowing customers to design their own, or leave it to the store’s team of talented experts.
Tucked inside the store is a lovely café serving unique and delicious eats like artisanal cheese boards, smoked salmon toast, and their signature loaf of bread baked inside a terracotta flower pot…yep, you read that right. And of course, I can’t forget to mention that the establishment is complete with an on-site wedding and event venue…because the property really is that beautiful.
The company has a community webpage where employees can find info about all of the happenings at the office. Every week, there are special events employees can attend like yoga classes or fun DIY workshops. Also posted on the community page are fashion features of employees to showcase their awesome style! My friend was the URBN Community Intern (shoutout Annabelle!) and she got to take all of the photos for those features throughout the summer. She was kind enough to feature my style and share it with the URBN Community. Check out the photos below from our photoshoot!
Last but not least, another fun perk of working at URBN is the seasonal soiree thrown twice every year- in the summer and winter. This past summer, we went “down under” with a fun Australian theme! They set up ice cream and food vendors, baskets full of fun souvenirs for everyone, and even a giant blowup alligator slide, all in the courtyard in the middle of the corporate campus. The photo above is Annabelle and I at the URBN Summer Party!
Overall, the summer was a blast and I would do it over again in a heartbeat. URBN is such an amazing company, the campus is beautiful, and Philly is such a great city to live in- especially as a young professional. If you’re thinking about applying to the internship program, I highly encourage you to do it! If you want to know more about my experience during the summer, living in Philly, what my interview process was like, or anything at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out! 🙂
That’s all for now- thanks for reading!
xoxo -G
