RackedWire: Strange DNA on Broadway, Costume National Relocates in Soho, J.Crew Targets Tribeca
EAST VILLAGE—What appeared to be an in-the-works G-Star Raw store at 753 Broadway will actually be, per a commenter and The Shophound, a multi-designer boutique called DNA 2050. Apparently, the store has just opened, and alongside G-Star, is stocking "other labels including more upscale, contemporary fare like Adam by Adam Lippes, Generra, John Varvatos' Converse line and Susana Monaco that one might typically find in SoHo rather than around the corner from funky 8th Street." [Racked Comments; The Shophound]
SOHO—A Racked reader writes in about some strange doings at Costume National on Wooster Street: "Walking by the other day I noticed a 'store for rent' sign in the window. They were still open and seemed to be fully functioning as of then, but do you know what's up? Are they closing, relocating?" According to piece in the Sun, the store is packing up and moving to Mercer Street, though the article doesn't mention a specific address. [RackedWire Inbox]
TRIBECA—That men's-only J.Crew store we broke news of a few weeks ago will be opening south of Canal. DNR reports that the retailer has picked the old Liquor Store storefront at 235 West Broadway and White Street to test out the concept boutique, which is slated to open this summer. "It will carry 'the best-of-the-best' of the J. Crew men’s collection, including Collector’s Items, its upscale, limited-edition items. It will also offer the company’s 'list' of the items that every man should own...the store is 'a very short-term lease,' involving 'very little investment and risk,' that will allow the company 'to fool around and play with a men’s store. It’s going to be small.'" There's no word yet as to where the women's-only shop will land, but company CEO Mickey Drexler did reveal that he's searching for more locations for men's outposts. [DNR]
Photo credit
STUNNER: J.Crew Gets Divided by Gender
J.Crew awnings via epicharmus/Racked Flickr Pool
Looks like Mickey Drexler has taken the good 'ole Banana split concept with him to J.Crew. The chino czar is planning to open men's and women's-only J.Crews (a la Banana Republic), and he's already started recruiting for the stores. An eagle-eyed tipster passed along two J.Crew HotJobs postings that went up today, one a call for managers at a new women's-only outpost, and another a listing for a store director for a men's-only shop, both in Manhattan. Specific locations have yet to be named, but we'd guess that Soho's high on their list.
· Store Director - New Men's Only Manhattan Store: J. Crew [Yahoo HotJobs]
· Managers -- New Manhattan Women's Only Store: J. Crew [Yahoo HotJobs]
DelayWatch: Madewell "Can't Wait to See You" Tm Open!
As the above signage so cutely points out, Madewell—object of our affection, fascinating flagellum under our microscope—will not be opening its New York flagship at 486 Broadway and Broome to the public today as was planned. There's no reason given for the day-long delay, but an article in today's WWD gives clues as to why the place might not be ready to go. Seems as if J.Crew's head honcho Mickey Drexler wasn't ready to sign off on the interior of the place after a walk-through on Friday:
"Can we not bury the handbags?" Drexler asks, noticing they're confined to a couple of shelves and blocked by a fashion form. Then he examines the 20-foot-long denim bar. It's too high, but he likes the scope of it. On the staircase landing, there's a wall of mirrors that has to go. His biggest concern is upstairs, past the DJ booth, in an open room just beyond the "gallery" of graphic Ts and wall of crumpled scarves. "It's like you're walking into the main salon of a home and want to be blown away. But where's the exclamation point?" The merchandising is just too regimented—a short and a top, a short and a top, etc. He even pulls out a pair of shorts with a lattice pattern and asks, "Does anybody like this?"
Eeek. We're sure that the little retail elves we saw scurrying about the space this morning will be able to get the store shipshape for tomorrow, though. Or else.
UPDATE: That was fast. The sign is down, and the store is open.
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Showtime for Madewell on Broadway [WWD, subscription req]
·
First Look: Inside Madewell's Soho Flagship [Racked]
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Progress Report: The Opening of Madewell's Permanent Store Draws Nigh [Racked]
Madewell Popping Up Sooner Than Expected
J.Crew CEO Mickey Drexler can't be happy about the construction and red tape that has delayed the opening of the company's first Manhattan Madewell location. Instead of just watching the holidays go by Madewell-less, he decided to take action and is opening a temporary pop up store at 532 Broadway this Wednesday, November 21st, two blocks north of their permanent store (pictured) at 486 Broadway. According to WWD, the pop up will offer "a preview of the collection and several of the more popular-selling items, such as garment-dyed jeans, priced $110; leather "heritage" boots, priced $288; suede flat boots, $268; graphic Ts, from $25 to $35, and scarves, from $38 to $52." The temporary location will stay open till the permanent store is ready for business, which might not be until late January or even February.
· Madewell in Manhattan for Holiday [WWD, subscription req]
· Madewell To Debut In Late November [Racked]
· Fall Shopping Preview: Muji, CB2, Madewell Make The List [Racked]
· Madewell's Soho Space Slated For November Reveal [Racked]
