Lee & Associates NYC arranges Kiehl’s first Williamsburg store on Bedford Ave.

Brooklyn, NY Lee & Associates NYC arranged a 10-year retail lease for Kiehl’s, the skincare brand owned by L’Oréal, at 193 Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg.

Kiehl’s leased 1,350 s/f, comprising 850 s/f on the ground floor and 500 s/f of lower-level space, replacing Dr. Martens at the location. The store is expected to open in fall 2026. 

The lease marks Kiehl’s first location in Williamsburg, bringing the global skincare retailer to one of the city’s most sought-after shopping corridors.

The transaction was negotiated by Jordan Cohen, Brett Brownstein and Garry Steinberg of Lee & Associates NYC, who represented landlord Deegan Management. Joe Hudson and Duane Davis of CBRE represented Kiehl’s. Although the terms of the transaction were not disclosed, the asking rent was $395 per s./f.

“This deal speaks to how much Williamsburg has evolved over the past decade,” said Cohen. “Retailers aren’t choosing Williamsburg simply to have a Brooklyn address — they’re choosing Bedford Ave. because it has become one of the city’s premier retail corridors. Kiehl’s commitment to a 10-year lease reflects the long-term confidence retailers have in Williamsburg’s continued growth and its ability to drive both local and international consumer traffic.”

Over the past several years, Williamsburg has evolved into one of New York City’s most coveted retail destinations, with Bedford Ave. serving as the neighborhood’s premier shopping corridor. Once dominated by independent boutiques, the street has attracted an influx of nationally recognized and international brands seeking to capitalize on Williamsburg’s affluent residential base, heavy tourist traffic and reputation as a trendsetting shopping district. Today, Bedford Ave. is widely considered one of the most competitive retail corridors in New York City, commanding some of the city’s highest asking rents.

Kiehl’s joins an increasingly curated collection of premium retailers that have established locations throughout the corridor. Recent additions include Hoka, Ugg, Vuori, Breitling, and Reformation, while neighboring skincare brands Glossier, Jones Road, Aesop, CHANEL Fragrance and Beauty and Malin+Goetz have helped establish Bedford Avenue and the surrounding area as a destination for prestige beauty and wellness retailers. The concentration of these brands has transformed Williamsburg into a shopping destination where retailers increasingly look alongside SoHo and the Meatpacking District when evaluating flagship opportunities in New York City.

Founded in New York City’s East Village in 1851, Kiehl’s has grown into one of the world’s best-known premium skincare brands, operating more than 1,200 locations worldwide. The Williamsburg store will expand the company’s New York City footprint while introducing its products to one of the city’s fastest-growing residential neighborhoods and most active retail districts.