Category: News

A Dozen New Men’s Stores Coming to SoHo

Posted on by harryhopbot

Yazid Aksas, the founder of Public Factory, leases large spaces and then subdivides them up for short-term rentals. His next venture will open at 310 W. Broadway between Grand and Canal streets on September 22. It will house his menswear label Beau.com and it will also have 11 other designers.

As Mr. Aksas said, “The terms and conditions to open your own store are so out of whack compared to what most people can afford.” Many landlords expect a 10 year lease and there are often large construction costs as well. As a result, he decided to open his store together with 11 others. The dozen labels will share 3300 square feet and members will pay a monthly fee of $3000 for about 100 square feet. Brands have to commit to three months.

As he said, “We are the ones taking the risks—we build the space and manage it, pay electricity and Internet and those things designers don’t want to deal with. They just have to worry about the product and brand marketing.”

Mr. Aksas has signed a ten year deal with the SoHo Grand Hotel and there will be an entrance to Public Factory and a street-side entryway.

Ladies don’t despair – he is also planning to open a similar model in SoHo for women’s wear labels and has about 25 brands on the waiting list.

 

Hedgehouse Comes to SoHo

Posted on by harryhopbot

woman-506120_640Nothing says sleep like Hedgehouse, the lifestyle brand that manufacturers throw beds, half beds, throw pillows and head board cushions. Their products are incredibly inviting and lovely to look at.

Now, at 41 Perry Street in SoHo, you can enjoy their wares for a short time only. The Hedgehouse Pop-up Shop has arrived and will be up from July 1 through July 31.

Be one of the first to visit the temporary location and to walk away with divine products for the bed and home. You won’t be disappointed.

Say I Love You in the Clouds

Posted on by harryhopbot

Now here’s an idea that people may want to take note of. The Trump SoHo New York is offering custom skywriting proposals. Here’s how it works. You arrange with the Trump hotel to stay in one of their suites. Gazing out of the window to the sweeping New York skyline, you’ll then see a customized “Will you marry me?” or “I love you” aerial message written in the sky. If you book the Trump SoHo Sky-High Engagement package you’ll get an overnight stay and a bottle of  Trump Winery sparkling wine to toast  to each other.

Of course, you can talk to the special event team at the Trump SoHo to see about getting in-room flowers, special treatments at their spa and more. Of course, this is only for those who can fork over the cash when they say “I Love You.” The package starts at $6500. Check it out and say it with style!

 

 

New Hotel Opens in SoHo: Broome

Posted on by harryhopbot

broomA new hotel in SoHo called Broome is certainly worth a look. Located at Crosby and Broome, this hotel was seven years in the making. They transformed a Federal-style building that used to house a commune of artists in the late 80s into a 14 cozy, fun room. The most beautiful part of the hotel is the five-story atrium café and lobby where everyone enters.

 
Opened by Vincent Boitier and the Lacovelli brothers, this hotel is a one-of-a-kind stop in the busy New York City world. The building, built in the Federal Revival Style, was completed in 1825, and the renovations have managed to keep the old world look and feel while creating the most modern of amenities.

Murals Helping Kids Turn Destruction Into Beauty

Posted on by harryhopbot

In Brooklyn’s Park Slope, a number of teenagers are showing the rest of us what giving back looks like. Groundswell is a community mural service organization that is hosting the Recovery Diaspora Project. This project, created by the street artist Swoon is bringing together kids from all five of NYC’s boroughs with the purpose of painting their Sandy stories from the terrible hurricane that ravaged the area a number of months ago.

The murals will grace the walls of five of the hardest hit area including Coney Island, Red Hook, the Rockaways and Staten Island. In addition to the murals they plan to put in each location, the organization will combine elements of their murals for a piece on the Houston Bowery Wall for the one year anniversary of the storm on October 29.

As lead artist Yana Dimitrova said, “When it comes to Sandy, we’ve talked about the difference in how men and women are often affected by storms. Women are often tasked with taking care of more than just themselves.”

As Al Huang wrote on the National Resources Defense Council’s Switchboard blog, “The grim reality is that the storm disproportionately impacted our city’s most vulnerable populations—low-income people, people of color, and the elderly—in communities that are already overburdened with an unfair share of toxic pollution and health problems.”

The Recovery Diaspora Project is trying to bring beauty where there was destruction. As Tasleem Sheikh, a 17 year old senior at Brooklyn High School of the Arts said, “No one else is going to make our point. We want to keep our voices heard and speak to what really happened.”

As Shawntell James said about the project, “This is one way for people to express that we’re stronger than Sandy.”

Jon Bon Jovi Home on the Market in SoHo

Posted on by harryhopbot

If you’re in the market for a place in SoHo, New York, you just might want to check out Jon Bon Jovi’s pad. Purchased by the famous rock star in 2007, his SoHo duplex is now on the market for $42 million.

It’s located at 158 Mercer Street and is 7452 square feet of pure bliss. It includes five bedrooms and 5.5 baths. As The Corcoran Group’s Deborah Grubman site said, “The journey begins when you step off the elevator into the lower-level foyer.”

There is a modern chef’s kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows and 360 degree views of SoHo and beyond. As part of the for-sale listing it says, “This one-of-a-kind apartment is for the discerning buyer who can appreciate fine craftsmanship and all the modern conveniences.”

Bon Jovi was said to have purchased the home for $24 million.

Saying Goodbye To An Area Icon Thanks to Sandy

Posted on by harryhopbot

Boom, located at 152 Spring Street, is going out of business. And with it will be a little piece of Soho history. Unfortunately, Boom isn’t alone in the Sandy aftermath that has left us all reeling with water, debt and debris; but they have certainly been one of the hardest hit in the area.

Boom had a flooded basement kitchen as a result of Hurricane Sandy, and over $100,000 worth of damage. They are closing for other, perhaps more disturbing, reasons which include their inability to keep up with the $150,000 a month rent. Certainly, Boom symbolized the changes in Soho when it started twenty years ago, moving from an industrial district to a hype place to eat, enjoy and be seen.

As former Boom partner Rocco Ancarola told the Post, “The rents are just ridiculous. It has become really hard for smaller restaurants and shops to survive when big luxury brands want flagships in Soho, the Chanels and Louis Vuittons of the world, even though there are never people in those stores. It’s just too costly to fix things up from the hurricane and fight the high rents.”

Goodbye Boom. We certainly hope it’s not goodbye to the boom in economy we’ve seen in the Soho area as well.

SoHo Apple Store Concert

Posted on by harryhopbot

Since June is Black Music Month, Apple’s stores have decided to celebrate with a series of live performances across the country. The Apple Store SoHo location was privy to its performance last night.  At 7 pm Apollo The Great, Freeway and Sean Price played. For those who didn’t catch the performance, there will be two more in the month at the SoHo location.

On June 18th, Ryan Shaw will be playing there and on June 19th, Beanie Sigel will be the entertainment. Other store locations have awesome entertainment as well, with Ziggy Marley appearing at the Upper West Side store on June 18th, and Big K.R.I.T. at the West 14th Street location soon as well.

Learn more about these Apple events and celebrate Black Music Month the right way.

Piperlime Turns to Brick and Mortar Location

Posted on by harryhopbot

For the first time, the e-commerce site owned by San Francisco-based Gap Inc. will be opening an actual brick and mortar location. Piperlime, which until now has only been online, will soon be available at 121 Wooster Street this coming fall. Selling over 500 brands from Citizens of Humanity and Frye to Milly, Piperlime now plans to make its first real shop in SoHo.

As Jennifer Gosselin, senior vice president and general manager of Piperlime, said, “The neighborhood has great foot-traffic and is a shopping destination for our target customer. The character of [SoHo] is also a great fit for our boutique approach.”

While many would assume that Piperlime would have ended up on the Broadway strip, alongside other Bap brands Old Navy and Banana Republic, they chose Wooster Street for its individuality. As Chris Owles, the Sinvin Real Estate broker who helped with the deal said, “The location allows them to differentiate this product from all their others, which are more mainstream. It’s a tight market down here, and this was probably one of the few that really gave them the proper location and the image they require.”

Piperlime joins other online-only retailers who are surfing for brick and mortar space. Amazon is apparently also looking around for space, and eBay and Warby Parker have been toying with the idea as well.

Levi’s® Struts Its Stuff at NY Fashion Week

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Anyone who is anyone was at the New York Fashion Week.  And this included the unlikely Levi’s® brand.  They launched their first global collection during the fashion week at SoHo’s Mercer 82 event space.  Levi's® took the opportunity to showcase their Fall/Winter 2012 collection which includes quite a refined look for both men and women.

As Len Peltier, the Global Vice President of Creative Direction said, "Levi's® has always been about embracing the energy and events of our time. Today, fashion is more democratic and accessible than ever, making New York Fashion Week the perfect moment in time for the Levi's® brand to launch our first global collection."

The new collection includes clean lines and a tailored look.  Levi's® is focusing on the Bootcut Skinny denim for women that includes a skinny fit and a sexy appeal.

Check out some of their pictures and more with the recent press release from Levi's®.