Retail space on the western "Gold Coast" end of Bleecker is not unlimited, but you can make more by converting the first floor of your townhouse into retail. That's what's happening to 397 Bleecker. This lovely little townhouse was sold (asking price $5.3 million) and the new owners are knocking out the first floor.
(This was done in another townhouse two years ago to make room for Jimmy Choo.)
The sales listing reads: "this historic townhouse is one of a privileged few homes with access to gorgeous Bleecker Gardens with its beautifully landscaped plants, trees and a fountain pool." (Check out the listing for photos of those hidden gardens.)
Did you know that Bleecker "has now surpassed London's Bond Street and Los Angeles' Rodeo Drive in retail price per sq. ft."?
Here's the rental listing if you'd like to open a store here--maybe a used bookstore or a record shop?
Perfect for my zine and used-cassette shop! Launching the Kickstarter campaign soon. Just need $5.3 million by Aug. 11!
ReplyDeleteIncentives will include.... an ironic high-five for $250!
Damn! I remember working for a mom and pop store called "House of leather" on the northern end of Bleeker by 11th st. They made leather belts and sold leather hand bags, glass cases, and luggage. the owners of this tiny leather shop lived in a tiny apartment in the back of the store, from the 70's till they had to leave because of age and illness in the late 90's. It was family operation, and they made small leather items, fixed belts and buckles, sewed and glued leather in the tiny workshop with all its leather cutting tools scattered about. I remember the old brass door handle that was always falling off that they had to keep because of the historical preservation laws, their tiny little kitchen in the back, and a bathroom that had a little shower. Just up the block was a neighborhood candy store on the corner, across from the park on the end of bleeker, where you got toosie rolls, soda and the newspapers. I remember the first march of the village halloween parade, that was so small it could march up narrow bleeker St. without any problems, and I would stand in the door of the store and watch the costumes go by while the sidewalks were filled with people cheering them on. the husband was a british WWII vet from the caribbean, served in india, who collected old guns and video porn, and I remember he would pull out a gun or two to show me in the back bedroom room. civil war replicas, first world war guns, M1 garand, all restored, stained and polished by hand. She was a chain smoking jewish clothing designer who lived in paris for a while, and kept a closet full of leather clothes that she grew too big to wear anymore. They moved into Bleeker st because of the low rents and its hippy lifestyle that was florushing there at the time. They got a little crazy towards the end and they moved away upstate and were never seen again. The store has been striped out of its living space and is now an extended overpriced fashion store.
ReplyDelete"a vibrate luxury shopping destination"
ReplyDeleteI wish to time travel back to the 20s, 30s or 40's and not return.
ReplyDeleteWhy did the two Ralph Lauren stores leave? When I lived in NYC, I remember their presence, their paucity of merchandise, a few browsers. One can only wonder as to the lifespan of these stores on the Rue de Cupcakes.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Porto Rico coffee, the leather shop next door, Bleecker Street Records are safe? Is it safe? Anything safe? Thank God QDoba is DOA
ReplyDelete@ Efrain John Gonzalez: Nice remembrance. Thank you. I remember that store only vaguely. It’s nice finally to know something about it. And I, too, remember the Halloween parade as an ambling neighborhood celebration, not a forced march up Sixth Avenue.
ReplyDeleteI just found this site and want to thank you for chronicling what's happening in my beloved NYC. I lived on Bleecker Street while attending NYU many years ago, as well as a stint behind Lincoln Center and in Chelsea on 28th St. before settling longterm in Riverdale, The Bronx.
ReplyDeleteHad to leave NYC in 2002 and have missed it every day since but after having spent a good part of the last day reading backwards on your site I doubt that I would be able to find my way around GV today. My heart is broken. I had always planned to move back to NYC in my old age because it was the best city in the world. Now I don't know. I don't even patronize Applebees and 7-Eleven here in Florida and I sure as hell wouldn't want to in the city.
Anyway, keep up the fantastic history project you have started. If I can no longer eat at many of those restaurants or drink at those bars or shop at those stores since they are all now closed or closing at least you have let me relive my fond memories again.
The plutocracy are so stupid and short-sighted -- the reason they find NYC so compelling is because of its unique neighborhood character and they are destroying that.
I watched a documentary about SIngapore and how it's this place for the super elite and rich. It seems like NYC is heading for that direction.
ReplyDeleteManhattan went from like a hang out for the people of the 5 boroughs to a sort of gated community for the super rich. Everything in Manhattan is catered for affluent people and ex suburbanites. Even if people have like 5 roommates they all live in this environment.
Honestly I think Manhattan is super boring except Chinatown and maybe parts of Uptown (which the suburbanites are trying to take over) and they won't unless they demolish the projects.
Ugh.