Not only is Manhattan the unrivaled global shopping capital, but the striking streetscapes are filled with exciting shops that are only in my city! Be sure to explore these stores that are special in design, scale and experience; trust me they will invigorate your retail thinking!

Starting Downtown…

The Meatpacking District

Jeffrey: 449 W. 14^th St.

One of the first retailers to open a store in the Meatpacking District, this shopping hotspot is characteristic of the area’s chic reputation. The store is truly a designer merchandise playground with a selection that includes some of fashion’s most coveted labels like Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Jimmy Choo, Comme des Garçons and Gucci to name a few. Jeffrey carries apparel and unique accessories for both men and women.

Samsung 837: 837 Washington St.

Samsung has opened a first ever digital playground and Marketing Center of Excellence, in the heart of the District. The store is comprised of three floors, and includes an enormous digital screen, auditorium seating for performances and special events, a gallery featuring curated content experiences, a broadcast studio, and much more. The idea is to live their brand, and one can certainly do that surrounded by the world of Samsung here!

Noho

Bond No. 9: 9 Bond St. – Flagship, 897 Madison Ave., 399 Bleecker St. and 863 Washington St.

Bond No. 9 is a one-of-a-kind perfume house with a selection that celebrates New York City’s neighborhoods and landmarks. With place names like “Central Park”, “Wall Street” and “Madison Avenue”, each one is as distinctly different as the neighborhood it was designed to represent, in both smell and packaging. The design label has now unveiled nearly 60 different fragrances. Another thing that sets Bond No. 9 apart is its customized fragrances, wherein customers get to concoct their own perfume recipes with the assistance of the in-house noses, the “Bond Perfumistas”.

Nolita

BuckFeet: 266 Elizabeth St.

This forward-thinking footwear company collaborates with a global community of artists to design limited-edition shoes they hope spark conversations and create a brighter world. A different artist designs each and every shoe; they gain global exposure for their work, while you get an original pair of shoes that stand out as one-off creations.

MiN New York: 117 Crosby St.

This indie apothecary located on cobblestoned Crosby Street creates and curates niche fragrance, beauty and grooming products from across the world. This is a one-stop-shopping destination for men’s upscale shaving and grooming products, with perfumes for both men and women. And scattered throughout the store are curiosities that have been scouted from all over the world that are all for sale. A fun shopping experience for the connoisseur.

The Lower East Side

Claw & Co.: 101 Delancey St.

Streetwise fans know that Claudia “Claw” Gold, aka Claw Money, is one of the most admired and influential graffiti artists around; her signature claw icon could be seen all across NYC in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Today she’s a renowned artist, editor, author and designer and owner of this Lower East Side location which doubles as a highly curated shop and cool-kid gathering spot, featuring art, eyewear, sneakers, hoodies, tees and unique finds for men, women and kids.

Village

C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries: 414 6^th Ave.

One of the oldest and best kept secrets of the real New York, C.O. Bigelow has been providing us with a range of medicines, salves, balms, perfumes, and elixirs for nearly 200 years. The historic pharmacy has served the likes of Mark Twain and John Belushi and seeks to transport “customers back to a time and place of personalized attention, customized formulas, and healing, therapeutic preparations.” Fun fact; Kiehl’s was born at Bigelow.

Soho

Saturday Surf: 31 Crosby St.

The store has become a hangout for some of New York’s most influential artists, surfers, thinkers and scribblers. This clothing and lifestyle brand sells boards and wetsuits, as well as fine art, lifestyle accessories, while doubling as a hip espresso bar, which serves their own blend of La Colombe coffee that patrons sip while shopping or lounging on their sun-drenched patio out back.

Opening Ceremony: 35 Howard St.

Founded by California natives Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, and located at the intersection of SoHo and Chinatown in downtown New York, Opening Ceremony is at the center of this buzzing neighborhood. The innovative retail environment and global fashion brand bridges the world of style, travel and culture. OCNY has always doubled as a clubhouse for artists and designers and has become a social shopping hub for the “it” crowd.

Kith: 644 Broadway

Cool-kid streetwear label Kith teamed up with Nike for a pop-up shop at this location which opened in August 2016. This New York based menswear retailer is known for their expertly curated collection of street wear. Owner Ronnie Fieg is a major player in the New York City’s sneaker scene. His store is known for its selection of rare and limited-edition sneakers and apparel from streetwear labels with cult-like followings. The temporary store will be open until the end of December but I expect it to stay on because of all the love it’s receiving.

The Flatiron District

ABC Carpet & Home: 880-888 Broadway

Located in the heart of Broadway, ABC Carpet & Home’s twin flagship buildings feature every possible home décor aspiration: plush couches, massive chandeliers, high-end housewares, opulent bath products and luxury linens. And, fittingly, as ABC is the largest single retailer of rugs and floor coverings in the world, there are rooms and rooms of carpets.

Paragon Sports: 867 Broadway

With four extensive floors, this is the quintessential Sporting Goods and Specialty Store with only one location in the world and that is in our city! It stocks everything from tennis racquets to rock-climbing gear and ping-pong paddles. The selection is impressive and the prices are right in line with the big-retailers.

Murray Hill

Dover Street Market: 160 Lexington Ave.

Located in Murray Hill, this is a seven story experience with an art gallery spirit created by Rei Kawakubo. DSM New York contains a cluster of mismatched pieces by an array of well-established brands as well as up-and-coming designers. DSM New York is also home to exclusive collections from Nike, Louis Vuitton and Prada that cannot be found anywhere else.

Midtown

Microsoft Flagship Store: 677 5^th Ave.

The five-floor technology temple is jaw dropping. None of the devices are tethered to the tables, so you can pick up laptops or phones to get a better feel for them. Upstairs, you can play games. Downstairs, the store’s designers placed stools beside the knolled tables to encourage visitors to sit, stay and get to work. Wood tables and wood floors give the store some warmth. There is an answer desk even if you didn’t purchase the product there, HTC Vive virtual reality experience, workshops, training.

Caruso: 45 E. 58^th St.

Menswear mansion appears as though it belongs in the center of Milan – with furnishings, fixtures and all of the décor sourced from Italy, including Italian oak floors and terra-cotta tiles made with clay gathered from the floodplains of the Po River. A VIP room in one corner of the store is dedicated to the famous Teatro alla Scala opera house and features velvet-lined walls as well as posters and other memorabilia from the tenor Enrico Caruso. Premier wines and delicacies are also available for clients who wish to linger and enjoy a taste of Italy while they shop.

Bergdorf Goodman: 54 Fifth Ave.

The world’s most exclusive specialty store—a New York institution. Two buildings facing each other across Fifth Avenue of pure designer bliss, including spacious in-store boutiques from couture’s royalty. Fashionable tidbit: Bergdorf Goodman is responsible for Michael Kors’ and Oscar de la Renta’s careers. Premier service reigns here unlike anywhere else.

The Upper West Side

Harry’s Shoes: 2299 Broadway

An Upper West Side neighborhood staple, Harry’s Shoes has been outfitting New Yorkers with stylish shoes for over eight decades. This footwear emporium for the entire family offers popular brand options like Merrell, Stride Rite and Ugg, plus a wide range of styles for all weather.

Town Shop: 2270 Broadway

This centenarian undergarment emporium on the Upper West Side has been owned by the same family since 1888. The Town Shop is known for its individualized attention to customers which has been their key to success for over four generations. The store carries an expansive variety of products including lingerie, shapewear, maternity bras, swimwear, and bridal lingerie.

The Upper East Side

Five Story: 18 E. 69^th St.

This skillfully curated Upper East Side luxury boutique features the latest eccentric trends and designers. Despite the name, the boutique only has two and half floors, but each is packed with brightly colored clothes, home décor, art, distinctive jewelry, and shoes. Owner Claire Distenfeld was inspired by Paris concept shop Collette. Her impeccable style and love of fashion helped her collect the most desirable designer brands under the Five Story roof.

The Row: 17 E. 71^st St.

This three-story townhouse features neutral palettes spliced with pops of Basquiat art pieces and modern custom furniture. Along with The Row’s ready-to-wear and accessories collections, customers can shop every item in townhouse from furniture to art pieces and décor. Fashion experience extraordinaire.

Forthcoming Frenzy…..

Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom will launch their inaugural Manhattan locations over the next two years.

“Retail is My Detail” so be sure to shop these special stores–you surely won’t find them in any other city!

Happy fall and happy shopping!

Faith Hope Consolo is the chairman of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Leasing, Marketing and Sales Division, New York, N.Y.

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