We have been focusing on the lack of better retail in Harlem this year and the only exception uptown that is doing well is MAC cosmetics. Most folks who shop in the neighborhood have multitude of affordable options such Old Navy, H&M, American Apparel, The Gap Outlet Store and DSW to choose from but an actual elevated brand is a rare find on 125th Street. The MAC 125th Street location just west of ACP/7th Avenue is always busy and might just be the right retail formula for the better market businesses uptown to follow. Women will spend $16 on the designer lipstick because it is an affordable luxury and the brand has campaigns that are very inclusive to all demographics. Anything overly far reaching has failed so far uptown so finding the right balance between status and price is still a key issue at this point in time. Any suggestion on what other shops could do well in Harlem's retail environment (besides Trader Joe's)?
Why Trader Joe's, of course. Hehe.
ReplyDeleteI'd love for Citarella to come back. I find Citarella much more affordable than Whole Foods. Their seafood section kicks WF any day.
Gosh, I can't think of anywhere I actually shop. I seldom clothes shop. I'm more of a foodie. I love beautiful, affordable grocery stores. A wonderful fish monger would be great. A butcher? An Asian grocery store with Asian vegetables would be a dream come true.
How about more fruit vendors on the streets? I need inexpensive fruits and veggies.
Back to your original question - what retail stores? Hmm. I like JCrew and Anthropology. Maybe all the shops in the Flatiron area (5th Avenue, 16th to 20th-ish streets)?
Trader Joe's, Forever 21, Ann Taylor Loft, PAnera
ReplyDeleteBanana Republic would be awesome. And a good diner somewhere on Lenox.
ReplyDeleteI read the High Price of Cheap Fashion (or something like that) but many people, in and out of Harlem, are really going for the cheap clothes, often, rather than good clothing less often. I think they spend the same amount of money, but have more cheap fashion until it falls apart in the wash.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that makes the Brooklyn retail scene exciting to me are the specialty shops, mainly antiques, vintage, unique pieces, book shops, record shops, etc.What makes many of the above successful is knowing your customer, and artful creativity and aesthetic.
ReplyDeleteTo me the problem with the restaurant scene in Harlem is that everyone seems to be using a very bland cookie cutter "luxury" vibe. There are exceptions of course - Maison manages to me both chic and cozy and with great food. Places like The Cecil and The Park, and to some extent Barawine, to me miss the mark as they have a vague corporate, almost 90's version of luxury that is not very interesting.This blandness seems to trickle into the smattering of retail that have popped up in the area.
Double Dutch has gotten it right and is very busy all the time.
I must say it is incredibly disheartening to read the wishlists in this threat - Panera? Really? What Harlem needs is less bland corporate chains and more shops that reflect the diversity and vibe of the people who dwell here.
Much are has to be taken. A Jcrew or Anthropology setting up shop on FDB would very quickly raise commercial rents and make it very difficult for local businesses to start up, let alone survive in the area. The last thing we need is another section of Manhattan dotted with banks and chains on every avenue. How boring would that be?
125th street is a major commercial corridor and should have national chains like every other neighborhood in the city...Harlem is not some magical place that is separated from the rest of the city.. it is apart of the city and as such, should have the same stores like every other neighborhood has... The small boutiques and restaurants still can line the avenues, but the retail and restaurants on 125th street should reflect what is happening in the rest of the city. There is no reason for Harlem residents to have to travel outside of Harlem to get what they need instead of staying right here in the neighborhood..
DeleteYes, if one were to use the Brooklyn model, 125th Street would be the downtown area.
DeleteRight now restaurants, bars and coffee shops that hit the current trends are doing well. Boutique retail or even better commercial retail for clothing or home goods is basically not happening. People still shop downtown for clothes if they don't want something inexpensive (more than enough of that uptown). MAC is a good example for it keeps people uptown.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised Sephora hasn't made its way up here yet, given how well MAC has done. Other no brainers: Trader Joe's, Forever 21 and Loft.
ReplyDelete"it is apart of the city and as such, should have the same stores like every other neighborhood has..."
ReplyDeleteYou really would like every hood to have the same set of stores?
right now Harlem has very few of the stores that every other neighborhood has.. Harlemites are ALWAYS on the train carrying goods home from other neighborhoods... Everyone deserves to have local access to the same kinds of stores.. Harlem should not be the exception when you have a major thoroughfare in 125th street just waiting to be lined with 1st rate retail.
DeletePanera because we need a few better quality and healthier fast food options than Popeye's and McDonalds.
ReplyDeleteHere's my list: Chipotle, Ollie's, Dallas BBQ's, a good ole diner (that's open late), American comfort food place, Century 21, Trader Joe. Love supporting small retail shops but in Harlem they need to be clustered together as opposed to one here, one there, one 6 blocks up, another 3 Aves over...you get the point. Wouldnt it be great to have clothing boutiques, consignment shops, vintage stores, eyewear shop, home/gift shop, t-shirts shops, collective space for new designers, pop-up shops and so on
ReplyDeleteI'm going to join the Trader Joe fan club. It's amazing how many TJ bags I see on the subway ride going uptown. Then again, I remember the days when Fresh Direct wouldn't even deliver to Harlem and how my building started a campaign to get FD to do so. Whole Foods will be a sea change in Harlem, you can count on that.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is a chain, I would love to see a paper store such as Papyrus. Kiehls is another "better" brand that is an affordable luxury. Sur La Table might work well, too, since I don't recall seeing a lot of kitchen gadget stores last time I was on 125th St. Blue Mercury or Sephora would be other chains that offer affordable luxuries. In terms of chain food, Le Pain Quotidienne might work well eventually depending on where.
ReplyDelete