There are vintage cases filled with delicate Kataoka jewelry and tables covered in Eyevan 7285 sunglasses.These days, anyone who opens a brick-and-mortar store likely hears the same question over and over: “Doesn’t everyone just shop online now?” That’s fair, but the thing about Debi Greenberg (the former owner of Louis Boston) and Denise Williamson’s new Tribeca shop, 180, is that it isn’t just a store. Walk in the airy, whitewashed space and you’ll find Chimala jeans on one rack, Anaak’s hand-embroidered linen dresses on another, and Visvim’s new women’s collection hanging nearby. There are vintage cases filled with delicate Kataoka jewelry and tables covered in Eyevan 7285 sunglasses. And there’s also a beauty section with products by Apotheke and Surface; a selection of vintage cookware and drinking glasses; a Greenfingers pop-up of leafy plants, mini cacti, and succulents; and a rotating schedule of events and classes. “I thought New York was kind of lacking a diversified place to go,” Williamson tells Vogue. “Big department stores can offer a lot of different products, but there wasn’t really a small, independent place doing that.” At the calm, serene 180(named for its address, 180 Duane Street), you can feasibly buy a new outfit, kit out your living room with decor and greenery, and refresh your beauty routine—then take it all home on a candy-color Tokyobike. “I think people do want a nice experience. In a world where things are moving so fast all the time and things are changing so much, it’s really great to have a place where you can explore and learn,” she adds. As the founder of Williamson PR—the office is in the same building as 180—she represents several of the brands in stock, including Visvim and the label Nanamica. But she’s also committed to discovering and supporting new talent, whether it’s a young New York designer or a ceramic artist from Japan, and the offering will constantly evolve and change. “We wanted to create a space where we could promote new designers and give them the opportunity to use it as a pop-up, or an event space, or just a way to test the market for new ideas,” she explains. “Here, they can try something out for a month, and we have the trained salespeople who can communicate their story. That’s something I learned from Debi—customer service and product knowledge are so important.” For many of these smaller designers, 180 is their only U.S. retailer, but even the established brands might not be able to afford the cost of opening their own stores in Manhattan, where rents are through the roof. Of course, for Tribeca residents, it’s a luxury to have so many brands at one address, and indigo-dyeing lessons, to boot. It’s safe to say they’re going to spend a lot less time commuting to Soho.
POST: 2024-04-29