Friedland Realty, Inc., the Manhattan satellite office of NAI Friedland Realty, Inc. in Yonkers, NY, recently closed a long-term lease for 2,380 s/f at 635 Madison Ave. for Camper, a Spanish shoe company. Gene Meer, president of Friedland Realty, Inc., represented the tenant and landlord, West Land Corp. Camper, a 120-year-old shoe company, is well-known throughout Europe for its distinctive styling. The Madison Ave. property, selected after a five-year search, is Camper's fourth location in the U.S. and will serve as its brand store in the Plaza District. Camper has 150 stores worldwide in 70 countries. "Camper and I worked together to find a strategic location in a highly-trafficked area of the city," said Meer. "Even in a weak economy, this deal on such a terrific corner was impossible to pass up." In addition to locating the property, Meer helped Europe-based Camper to navigate and understand the U.S. leasing process. The location, on the corner of 59th St., is scheduled to open in the fall. According to the Real Estate Board of New York, rents in the Madison Ave. area go for $1,000 per s/f. "Real estate history tells us that the economy will eventually right itself," Meer said. "In this particular transaction, each side needed to know they were getting a fair deal. For the tenant, the location is unmatched. The landlord was assured that my expertise in the area and the knowledge of my customer guaranteed them a great addition to the building tenant roster." Meer has enjoyed a 28-year history working with landlords and tenants on Madison Avenue and in the Plaza District. He recently coordinated a deal for the David Yurman brand townhouse at 712 Madison Ave. and has leased space to many other top retail brand names, including A/X Armani, Bice, Chanel, Chopard, Mikimoto, Roberto Cavalli, St. John's, and Valentino. Meer also is the exclusive broker for Liberty Travel and Sprint/Nextel.