BrokerPulse is featuring real estate’s top industry leaders, bringing you their expert insights on the latest in New York real estate.
This month, BrokerPulse proudly welcomes the #1 Retail Real Estate Broker in the U.S., Faith Hope Consolo. In her Spring report, Faith shares her insider updates on everything happening in NYC’s luxury market, including fashion, jewelry, cosmetics, restaurants, and more…
(New York, NY) — On Madison Avenue, Armani continues his expansion with Emporio Armani returning to Madison Avenue at 58th Street (now a Collezioni store), and opening the first Armani Junior shop for children on Madison at 88th Street. Ippolita will replace Damiani at 796 for its first store in the city. Milanese jeweler Dodo is coming to 645. Qiviuk Boutique, just off the Avenue at 40 East 58th Street, features Peru’s finest cashmere, vicuna and alpaca. UGG Australia will open a men’s-only store next to its Madison Avenue at 58th Street unit. Rag & Bone will open on the avenue later this year.
On Fifth Avenue, Armani Exchange is running a temporary, “PopDown” shop in the Flatiron area at 129 Fifth Avenue through April 20. American Icon celebrates Americana at 277. Zara’s flagship opened at last at 666. Reports say Louis Vuitton may take 3 West 57th Street temporarily as it renovates its flagship at 1 East 57/743 Fifth. M.A.C. Cosmetics may be coming to 691 Fifth Avenue, perhaps at a record $3,000 per square foot rent. Sirio Maccioni will open Sirio, a casual Tuscan restaurant at The Pierre, 795 Fifth Avenue, late this spring.
In Midtown, football fans can find the NFL Shop at Draft, a pop-up lasting from April 2 through the end of the month at 1095 Avenue of the Americas. Home goods designer Daum and sister company Haviland are relocating to 499 Park Avenue. Be measured for a bespoke suit from Cad and the Dandy, which will pop up at the Grand Hyatt (109 East 42nd Street) for a few days in April and May. Universal Gear’s apparel has a second location at 715 Ninth Avenue. Baked by Melissa is dispensing sweet treats at 977 Eighth Avenue. Brasserie Pushkin brings traditional Russian food and 22 types of vodka to 41 West 57th Street. Peacock Home will sell home furnishings at its new showroom for the trade at the Decoration & Design Annex Building at 222 East 59th Street. Near Times Square, Laurent Tourondel’s BLT American Brasserie is expected to open at 70 West 45th Street sometime in the first half. Grand Central Terminal will add a café in Vanderbilt Hall as part of its centennial celebration kicking off on February 1, 2013.
Near Herald Square, DSW held its grand opening on 233 West 34th Street. Donatella Arpaia reportedly will expand from restaurants to bakeries with a cupcake/cake shop somewhere on 34th Street. In Greenwich Village, Saturday’s Surf will open a second unit at Perry Street and Waverly Place. 12 Lion Studio offers short-term retail leases for local artisans who can’t afford a shop of their own, at 684 Broadway. Tea Magic’s second location will be at 120 MacDougal Street. Bluemercury has opened at 865 Broadway, near Union Square. Perla marries modern and traditional Italian cuisine at 24 Minetta Lane. Café Blossom, an Upper West Side headquarters for vegans, has taken two levels at 41 Carmine Street. Village Grill 82 will offer Turkish food at 82 Second Avenue this spring.
In Nolita/Tribeca/Lower East Side, Ivana Helsinki brings women’s wear from Finland to the United States at 251 Elizabeth Street. Japanese menswear retailer Entrepreneur New York has come to 29 Kenmare. Tahari signed for 466 Broome Street, next to Catherine Malandrino’s new shop at 468. Craig Hopson, former chef of Le Cirque, will open The Brewster, a market/restaurant at the Brewster Carriage House at 372 Broome Street. The Butterfly will offer cuisine from chef Michael White’s home state of Wisconsin at 225 West Broadway. Maritime will offer an oyster bar and restaurant at the former Ivy’s Bistro space on North Moore Street. Blue Ribbon is coming to the Thompson LES Hotel at 190 Allen Street.

In Fidi, Pier 17’s owner is replacing the old building with a stunning (and larger) glass edifice, reportedly to include high-end shops. Umami Burger is coming from LA to an unnamed location downtown.
In Soho, Diesel Black Gold has opened at 68 Greene Street. Replicating their strategy on Bleecker Street, Sandro and Maje have signed for adjoining spaces at 8 and 10 Prince Street. Aldo has taken 181 Broadway. Grey Area offers jewelry, furniture, art and home goods at 547 Broadway. Jitrois debuted at 98 Greene Street. Reiss is opening in-store boutiques at Bloomingdale’s, most recently at the unit here. The city’s first Pandora store had a grand opening at 412 West Broadway. DIGS, an acronym for “done in great style,” is now at 284 Lafayette Street. Acne has taken 33 Greene Street. Modell’s reportedly is looking for an outpost in the area. The Koi Group from Los Angeles will open a Japanese restaurant at the Trump Hotel SoHo.
In Chelsea/Meatpacking, Rufskin’s denim and sportswear for men has come from San Diego to 235 West 19th Street. Upscale home furnishing designers Artisans of the Anvil, VW home, Holland & Sherry Ltd., and ALB-FT Hospitality are sharing in the new ALB Design Center of Chelsea on West 23rd Street. Toosh’s trendy apparel and shoes are relocating from West 8th Street to 46 West 14th Street. Steven Alan comes to the High Line at 144 Tenth Avenue. Moss Design Emporium moved to 256 West 36th Street. Nicholas Kirkwood’s shop at 807 Washington Street has debuted. The new NoMad Hotel at 1170 Broadway has opened, and features a shop from French music and fashion brand Maison Kitsuné, as well as the NoMad restaurant from Daniel Humm and Will Guidara of Eleven Madison Park. Simon Oren’s Chef Driven Market, the owner of Five Napkin Burger and Nizza will open a new restaurant in Union Square Park.

On the Upper West Side, L.K. Bennett’s shoes are coming to Time Warner Center, as are C. Wonder, reportedly in part of Borders’ former space, H&M and crewcuts. Look for Lululemon to open at 2139 Broadway. Michael’s Arts & Crafts and HomeGoods have opened at Columbus Square, the new mixeduse project at Columbus Avenue between 97th and 100th Streets. Paper Source will offer greeting cards, stationery and more at 309 Columbus Avenue. Rumor has it Harry’s Shoes may move to 2299 Broadway after Talbots downsized its store there. Gastronomie 491 offers gourmet goodies at Columbus Avenue at 83rd Street. Scoop continues to scout locations in the neighborhood.
On the Upper East Side, Pier 1 has taken three floors at 1110 Third Ave. (65th Street). Anthropologie has debuted at 1230 Third Avenue. Village mainstay Il Mulino will open another restaurant at 37 East 60th Street. Kaia brings South African cuisine to the area at 1614 Third Avenue. In Brooklyn, A Thousand Picnics offers home goods from around the world at 171 South Fourth Street in Williamsburg. Caitlin Mociun opened at the Wythe Avenue Lofts. Theyskens’ Theory and Helmut Lang pop up in Zoe at 68 Washington Street. TJ Maxx will join H&M at the Offerman Building at 505 Fulton Street downtown. Appropriately, Adidas will come to the borough with a store at the Barclays Center, scheduled to open in September, in time for the Nets’ arena debut. The Gap has just opened at 400 Fulton Street. After a long zoning battle, Whole Foods will open at Third Street and Third Avenue, as well as at 242 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. Sephora reportedly will enter the borough at the Municipal Building, 210 Joralemon Street. The new Hotel 718 will feature The Marrow, a restaurant from “Top Chef” winner Harold Dieterle, at 231 Duffield Street. There’s so much going on, it will take through the fall and beyond to see and do it all – spring into spring!
Happy Shopping!
—Email fconsolo@elliman.com