Teary Shutter Signage: Nusraty Promises to Return to the Village
After thirty years of peddling antique artifacts, jewelry, clothing and carpets, West Village shop Nusraty Afghan Imports is pulling down the shutter for good on August 10th. Of course, its primo corner storefront at West 10th and Bleecker won't sit vacant—expect to see Black Fleece signage in there very soon. The tale of Nusraty may not be over, though, as there are plans to relocate. Of course, this rather sedate sign has nothing on the comment the owner's son left on a previous post, which reads in part: "HE IS NOT RETIRING......we have plans to relocate within the Village. Currently looking at a few vacant stores within the area. 'Marc' my words, that Marc Jacobs and all others alike will not last in Greenwich Village! In a few years, many of those stores will be vacant!"
· Nusraty Afghan Imports [Official Sign]
· Storecasting: Bleecker Getting Fleeced [Racked]
· RackedWire: Ikea Ad-sanity Continues, Nusraty Not Going Anywhere [Racked]
· Rumormongering: Black Fleece Replacing Nusraty Afghan Imports on Bleecker? [Racked]
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What Hath Marc Wrought
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In response to the news (taken badly by many) that another high-end boutique would be setting up shop on Bleecker Street, a commenter writes: "To place all of the new stores on Bleecker into a lifeless category is foolhardy, especially since such stores are creating more pedestrian traffic, a proxy for street life, on a stretch of Bleecker that previously got little attention. The magnetic appeal of Ralph Lauren, Brunello Cucinelli, and Marc Jacobs have synergized well with independent Bleecker restos such as August and the remaining antique shops on the street. While some shopowners complain that the influx of luxury retailers has prompted landlords to demand higher rents for the storefronts, many more shopowners praise the increase in traffic driven by the uber-luxe chains for increasing sales across the board for everyone in the area. That said, stop bemoaning the arrival of every new shop on Bleecker." [Racked Comments]
Storecasting: Bleecker Getting Fleeced
No. 351 as Nusraty (left) and as Black Fleece (right and below) [renderings via WWD]
The little rumormongering item we posted back in May about Brooks Bros. and their plans for a freestanding Black Fleece boutique at 351 Bleecker Street (Black Fleece being their newish Thom Browne-designed line) has turned out to be correct.
Despite being vehemently denied by the store's owner's son, who jumped into the comments to write: "I'm the owner's son (Nusraty Afghan Imports, Inc.) and in fact this is a RUMOR! My father has been at this location for over 29 years!!!," the move was confirmed today by WWD. They report that the store, the first of its kind, will open in mid-October. Why did the suits at Brooks Bros. choose Bleecker? "Because there's 'a charm, sophistication and historic atmosphere to the neighborhood that lends itself to the spirit of Black Fleece.'"
· Rumormongering: Black Fleece Replacing Nusraty Afghan Imports on Bleecker? [Racked]
RackedWire: Ikea Ad-sanity Continues, Nusraty Not Going Anywhere
Let's end the day with a bit of Rackedwire, our roundup of gossip, rumor, happenstance and other random pieces of ephemera. If you've got some 'Wire to share, please do so.
NEW YORK CITY—As the Ikea ad campaign rolls on, signs for the furniture store have started appearing all over the place. Lost City noticed a few particularly obnoxious bus shelter ads in Red Hook: "One ad on Columbia Street invites us to be awe-struck by the 'corrugated awesomeness' of the box. It actually begins with exclamation 'Yo! Check this out.' And it ends with "Boxes rule!' Another ad, down by Fairway, wonders if the box on display was acquired by 'one of those Mole People who live in the subway.'" [Lost City]
WEST VILLAGE—According to a commenter who says he's the son of the owner, our musings about Bleecker Street mainstay Nusraty Afghan Imports being replaced by a Black Fleece store are dead wrong. "I'm the owner's son (Nusraty Afghan Imports, Inc.) and in fact this is a RUMOR! My father has been at this location for over 29 years!!! Though he has had many interested bidders (ex: MAC, Joe's Jeans, Marc Jacobs...etc.), my father has every intention to stay open for the duration of his lease. I'm assuming that RKF has had many inquiries for this location as well. Only time will tell.....but for now, Nusraty Afghan Imports, Inc. is open for business (7 days a week/ 12pm - 9pm)." [Racked Comments]
Rumormongering: Black Fleece Replacing Nusraty Afghan Imports on Bleecker?
Every since we heard the news that Black Fleece, designer Thom Browne's collection for Brooks Brothers, would be getting its own Bleecker Street store, we've been dying to find out just where those fitted blazers would land. As far as we can tell, a prime candidate is the 850-square-foot space that currently houses Nusraty Afghan Imports (351 Bleecker/215 W 10th), which is profiled on retail leasing company RKF's site now. When called for comment, the owner of Nusraty Afghan Imports said his store might be closing in a month to be replaced by another (yet-to-be-named) shop, but that "things are still up in the air." Sounds...less than promising. If anyone out there does knows more, do hit up that tipline.
· 351 Bleecker St [RKF]
· Experiments in Retail [Racked]
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