It’s always fun to see people breaking new ground. And this week in New York City, the first Indian designer opened a flagship store in the area. It’s called Grassroot and its Anita Dongre’s designs that include sustainable fashion.

As Dongre said about the new venture, “To the city that never sleeps, Grassroot brings a world of patience and crafts that don’t submit to a schedule. Every piece of fabric woven, block printed or embroidered is done by a group of artisans who give it the time and attention it deserves. This marriage of two distinct worlds is a dream come true.”

The 1500 sq ft store is located in SoHo and includes a space that is accented by elements in rose gold, cork and recycled wood.

This is fashion done right and ecologically. It takes about three months for each of the pieces to make it to the consumer’s hands. And each piece is, obviously, made with great love.

The city has started to crack down on Soho shops that are oversized and that have been operating for a long time, even though the zoning laws prohibit their size. Zara, Uniqlo, Hollister, Topshop and American Eagle were all given violations recently for exceeding the 10,000 square foot limit in the area. Residents have been complaining for ages that these mammoth stores have noisy deliveries late at night, bright lights and special events that draw large crowds.

City Councilwoman Margaret Chin said, “I am pleased to see that some of the most egregious violators of the ban on oversized retail in SoHo are being held accountable.” In order to have mammoth stores, retainers are supposed to have permits. Banana Republic, with its 67,440 square foot store on Broadway is one of the few that has actually been issued the permit.

Time will tell if these fines actually do anything – but at least something is starting to be done.

If you’re ever looking for a fun experience in SoHo, and perhaps you’d like a new hat as well, you simply have to check out the Hat Shop on Thomspon Street. Owner Linda Pagan has decorated the shop with every hat you can imagine. She is often described as the milliner to the stars, as Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel Weisz are counted on her client list. Yoko Ono apparently owns 50 hats from the shop.

Since opening in 1995, Ms. Pagan has brought in more and more unusual creations. She has hats that are made to order by New York artisans.

Ms. Pagan explains that wearing a hat is really about only one thing. As she explained to the New York Times, “People always say, ‘I’m too tall, too short, too thin, too fat, too old, too young, to wear a hat. But all that you need to wear a hat is confidence.”

Run, don’t walk, to the Pinch Chinese that is just opening at 177 Prince St., near. Thompson St. The chain founded in Taiwan has a great reputation and has helped to open shops from Indonesia to Los Angeles. Now, first-time restaurateur Sean Tang has grabbed veteran chef Charlie Chen for the new site. There will be seven other chefs from China as well including a sous-chef in charge of wok dishes who has already run two Din Tai Fungs in Chengdu.

Of course, the restaurant’s focus will be on soup dumplings with three versions at the ready. They include the classic pork, the chicken and the seafood variations. On the menu will also be dan dan noodles, cumin ribs Cantonese-style cod, wind-sand chicken and more.

The general manager will be Miguel De Leon who has been at Chez Panisee, Per Se; the Momofuku group; Casa Mono and others. There are cocktails to enjoy as well and the space takes its inspiration from China’s outdoor dining culture.

Nike is certainly excited about the new Niketown that has just opened in SoHo…but many of its neighbors are less than enthusiastic. The six-story and 55,000 square foot store is located on the corner of Broadway and Spring Street. The store opened on November 18^th and residents have been posting pictures and videos to social media to show their exasperation.

Councilwoman Margaret Chin’s spokesperson, Paul Leondord said, “When you have a store that’s so out of scale for the neighborhood, it really has an effect. [Niketown] has four floors. It has a half basketball court. There’s a lack of acknowledgement that this is New York City. In this iconic neighborhood, it’s out of place.”

Neighbors complained that the grand opening was a mess and one resident called it “One of the most disruptive events of this type I’ve ever seen.”

Neighbors are concerned about the planned “Swoosh Saturdays” and other events.