All stories about "Relocations"

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So we understand that the UES is pretty empty during these hotter, muggy days of summer, but is that really an excuse for the diamond dealers of Madison Avenue to play real estate roulette? Taking a walk down Madison Avenue from East 65th Street to East 61st Street, an area already known for a concentration of diamonds and couture, we were struck by all of the "we're relocating" signs on most of the famous names.

Since these are small blocks with large reputations, most boutiques have only confusingly decided to relocate across the street, making for quite a lot of inbreeding among jewelry stores. Guidebooks around the world may need to be reprinted, but of course we've already laid it all out nicely for you.

CARROLL GARDENS—South Brooklyn residents may have noticed that a swath of boutiques on Smith Street were recently shuttered when the building that housed them went up for sale. Now blogger A Brooklyn Life reports that one has found a home nearby. "Flirt is no more on Smith Street, which is sad because it was one of my favorite neighborhood boutiques. The location in Park Slope is still active, however, so now I'll just have to schlep myself over to 5th Avenue. In better news, Refinery (a long-time neighborhood stalwart for great purses) is looking quite spiffy in its new space just a few doors down." [A Brooklyn Life]

SOHO—Submitted by a reader, a choice quote worthy of Overheard in New York: "'This place makes Prada look like Toys R Us.'—a man trying on clothes at the new Jil Sander store, this past Saturday." Zing. Prada employees, get ready to hang those vertical blinds. [RackedWire Inbox]

It happened just as our anonymous tipster said it would: after we ran an item on menswear boutique Sean and their supposed relocation plans, owner Sean Cassidy has emailed to confirm the news. Cassidy writes, "Everything is signed and it's now official that we are moving our Thompson Street store just around the corner to 199 Prince Street (between Sullivan and MacDougal Streets)."

The store, an exclusive purveyor of French menswear designer Emile Lafaurie's natty separates, be having a major moving sale in the Thompson Street space (no. 132) until July 31st, with up to 80% off men's pants, shirts, sport coats and more; the new store is slated to open August 1st.
· Rumormongering [Racked]

Good news, Manhattanites: Online shop Gargyle is packing up its Dumbo showroom's collection of reworked preppy gear from designers like Karen Walker, Built By Wendy, and Fred Perry and moving the whole lot across the East River. At the end of the month, the store will join the growing retail scene south of Delancey, opening at 16a Orchard near the East Broadway F stop. Also in the works: A new website, plus fall clothing from Acne, BBlessing, Foley + Corinna, and more.
·Gargyle [Official Shop]

When adorable boutique Shop departs its Stanton Street location for a new space south of Delancey, the Lower East Side is going to lose one of its most eye-catching windows. The store's candy-colored lingerie display has become something of a landmark, as the moving sign acknowledges. Sadly, although the new shop Shop is larger, it has less window space, which means the owners can't replicate the display. Still, they promise to do "something cute with a lingerie feel."
· I Love Shop [Official Site]
· Relocations: Shop Heading South, Adding Men's [Racked]

Here at Racked, we spill a significant amount of ink on the pop-up shops and other flash-in-the-pan collaborations. But occasionally, there is a store whose noteworthiness lies in its sheer staying power, and for which we must do a slow clap.

Just around the corner from Parsons and in the heart of the Garment District at 47 West 38th Street between Broadway and 5th Avenue, vintage trim shop Tinsel Trading has been dealing in gifts, glitter, glassware and gobbledygook since 1933. After sprouting two more stores on the same block (quirkily named The Store Next Door and The Store Across the Street) and a rousing 45 years at the present location, they're scooping up and moving a block away to 1 West 37th Street in August.

The whispers about Stanton Street boutique Shop's relocation are true: Staff of the LES mainstay are packing up the merch from a storefront at 105 Stanton Street they've called home for ten odd years and hauling it down to a new location at 94 Orchard Street (formerly a shoe store that specialized in alligator loafers). It's a risky move, since the streets south Delancey don't have nearly the foot traffic of those north of it. But according to the email just sent out by the Shop girls, the new space is much larger than the old one, allowing them to stock menswear along with their excellent offerings for ladies. Remember to look both ways, and bring your credit card, when crossing the street.
· I Love Shop [Official Site]
· Say It Ain't So: Shop Departing Stanton? [Racked]

After being forced out of the West Village storefront they called home for six years due to landlord issues, sweet shop Chocolate Bar reopened today in a new hood. According to the announcement that was just sent out, the store, at 127 East 7th Street, is offering a "Meet the Neighbors Special:" for the first month of business, customers receive half-price drip coffee and espresso and a free stencil bar with the purchase of a hot or iced chocolate drink. They're also selling their delicious truffles, chocolate bars and teas along with a "new line of traditional & artisanal egg creams." Thank god someone's finally around to show the Bald Man who's boss.
· Chocolate Bar [Official Site]
· Chocolate Bar re-opens in East Village [TRD]
· Breaking: Chocolate Bar Landing in Evill [Racked]
· Rumormongering: Chocolate Bar Migrating to East Seventh Street? [Racked]
· BREAKING: West Village Losing Chocolate Bar [Racked]

Brooklyn boutique mini-chain Bird is beloved by many ladies for it's excellent selection of designer merchandise from labels like Rachel Comey, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Tsumori Chisato. And soon, men will be able to get in on the action. We've just received word that owner Jennifer Mankins will be shuttering the current Bird Park Slope (at 430 Seventh Ave) to open another Slope store on bustling Fifth Ave. From the email:

Our new location in Brooklyn, 316 5th Avenue, will not only carry our usual hand-picked selection of women’s clothing and accessories (including the first shipment of our new line of eco-knitwear, Green Bird!), but will also carry menswear, which we’re super excited about.

Joyce Leslie leaving University Place

Local
· City officials trying to help mom-and-pop shops [Urbanite]
· Bloomies Mad Men-inspired windows [Material Interest]
· St. John's hunchbacked mannequin [Modelizing]
· Harlem may be getting a Costco or BJ's Wholesale Club [NY Times]

National
· The real cost of an iPhone is the service plan [Gadget Lab]
· A roundup of new online sample sale sites [Cheryl Shops]
· Steve Jobs looking frail these days [AppleInsider]
· Gap decides to shrink stores [Reuters]
· ...and to incorporate body, kids, baby and maternity into regular Gaps [DNR]

This should hit ladies who appreciate the perfect Charlotte Ronson mini or skinny pair of Siwy jeans hard: excellent, adorable LES boutique Shop—they of the amazing denim wall and the racks and racks of perfect (and pricey) pieces—might be forced to pack up and leave their storefront at 105 Stanton Street. A trusted Racked informant writes:

So, I used to work at shop. I know in the next couple of weeks a decision will be made regarding whether or not to move the store down to Broome, across (?-not sure the exact space) from Earnest Sewn. Basically the owner had something like a ten year lease which runs out this month. She was obviously paying what you could pay back when there was only Maxfish and whatnot. I don't know the amounts involved. I also remember some people who represented Marc Jacobs in some capacity coming in to scope out some potential locations.