NYC Men's Fashion and Retail Blog | The Bespoken: For Gentlemen

When Shopping Was Fun

I remember shopping at a Woolworths (5 & 10) when I was just a kid. I think I was given a whole dollar to spend however I liked. There was a lunch counter where you could get a grilled cheese sandwich and a vanilla milk shake and still have enough change for a tip. Woolworths was known for its musty wooden bins, filled with paper fans, coloring books, comics, Silly Putty and Super Elastic Bubble Plastic, jumbo bubble wands that promised to make the worlds largest bubbles, record albums, yo-yos that lit up, wooden tops that whistled, and a hundred things I had to have. I came home with a goldfish in a fluted glass vase, and three giant size Tootsie Rolls. (Note to readers: the Tootsie Rolls lasted longer than the goldfish.) Shopping was fun. It was a treasure hunt--how much garish stuff could I get for so little!?
 
When I was in Junior High School, the Livingston Mall opened up. It was slick and modern, clad in white brick, a weekend excursion that my family took without fail. I spent hours at Azuma, an import store that sold glass toothbrushes; three book stores, one that sold “The Nothing Book;” Wick’s & Sticks, where they sold candles that smelled like fresh mown grass; Spenser Gifts, with its psychedelic and black light posters. I trolled the hierarchy of suburban chic retailers, shopping from Macy’s (high-end) to Sears (low-end). We ate jumbo chocolate chip cookies from Mrs. Fields. I could window shop at Roots (men’s clothing) and the Mod Shop. I went through every poster at The Poster Mat. There was a kiosk called Bonsai, where bonsai trees were sold along with Japanese calendars made out of bamboo shoots. The mall was safe, enclosed and free from the constraints of weather. Most importantly, I could break away from my parents--shopping was a rite of passage for an adolescent, providing the caveat that I returned to the big fountain by the exit at the designated time to meet them.  Shopping was fun. It was a scavenger hunt. How many self-defining things could I find in so little time?
 
Shopping traces my life. If I did not write my autobiography, but just wrote about shopping, you would still have a fairly comprehensive view of my life.
 
Shopping is still a primary occupation in my life. I seldom buy, I long ago reached the saturation point, but I do shop. Do I enjoy it? Yes, definitely. Is it “fun”? Sometimes to seldom. Shopping was once a fun thing to do. It was an adventure, riddled with surprises. Shopping was meant to entertain, delight and amuse. Those days are long gone. Shopping has become a serious activity. It’s a task, a chore. It’s brand trumping price-point, it’s price-point trumping product, it’s product trumping visual. The paradigm is set in stone like the 10 commandments; thou shall not have false stores before me, and honor that retailer.
 
The experience of creating an environment reached beyond the shade of the ivory wall and how dark the stains on the wood fixtures are. Case in point, Banana Republic (many years ago) had an iconic jeep crashing out of their store's exterior; they sold used silk parachutes, pith helmets and cargo pants in camouflage print. Walking into their store, you were transported into the African dessert, or an Egyptian archeological dig. Today, I’m transported back to my office. Yikes, that’s not fun, I just came from there.
 
Store windows once were theatrical, whimsical, topical, dramatic, poignant, funny and a thousand other adjectives. They had the hand of an individual stamped on them. Windows today are more predictable, familiar, derivative and rigid. They have the stamp of approval from the Director of Sales, the Director of Visual and Creative Services, and the Director of Operations. Alas, none of them seems to know what I want, or how to sell it. I could be in Ann Arbor or Istanbul. Esprit and ZARA look the same, city to city, country to country. Creativity and uniqueness are no longer trusted values, sameness and uniformity are. Lest I be accused of painting the picture all black, there are lots of exceptions--the two that come first to mind are Bergdorf and Barneys, which are always fun. It isn’t rocket science, it's common sense tempered with imagination.
 
Product assortment is indistinguishable. I can get a pistachio green v-neck sweater at Nordstrom, Aeropostale, JCPenney, The Gap, Uniqulo, Polo Ralph Lauren, Club Monaco, H&M or Brooks Brothers. So where’s the incentive? When something (or someone) embraces “fun,” it’s extraordinary. When retailers merchandise the same or similar product differently, we are drawn to it.
 
With nods to Cindi Lauper, “Shoppers just want to have fun!" When was the last time you had fun shopping? Do tell.

Courtesy of www.retaildesigndiva.com where it appeared on February 24, 2010

 

Is My.Suit Your Next Suit? (part two of two)

Made-to-measure perfection in men’s suits used to be a privilege for the most fortunate few. With My.Suit and www.mysuitny.com, the fit of a better men’s suit is now available to all New Yorker and for those fortunate to travel through New York. Within the next few years, My.Suit plans to have additional retail locations throughout the tri-state area and beyond.

When A Suit is An Event

Last night a 12” blanket of snow had already fallen on New York. Not ideal precipitation to hold an event, undaunted, the grand opening received a terrific turn out. With several hundred guests happily consuming an intoxication champagne, wine, and martinis. The hors d’oeuvres were sumptuous. I go to an awful lot of these events, and seldom do the refreshments warrant comment. The warm orange shrimp, the bruschetta with goat’s cheese, and the guacamole and sour cream tarts easily made braving the inclimate weather well worth it. There was event lighting, a mini-carpet to be photographed on, and live DJ, “Kreemy” Rashid aka Karim Rashid, who in addition to his musical accomplishments. is a noted industrial designer.

There were no models, but there was no absence of handsome men. Now if you will, imagine a room with good-looking men in custom made suits, men dressed with immaculate attention to detail, men strutting like roosters swathed in shades of charcoal, steel and midnight black. Men as polished as their shoes. Imagine it under the influence of two champagne cocktails. Men in suits are gorgeous.

The Holy Commandments of My.Suit…

The customer goes online to www.mysuitny.com and makes an appointment to be measured at one of three Greater New York My.Suit retail locations. The appointment is made, and a confirmation and reminder is then sent via email. I think you can call the store too, or stop in to make an appointment.

At the on-site appointment, a fitter and style consultant measures each customer, recording up to 30 measurements, and entering them in a store database. As the measurements are taken, there may be questions asked about personal preferences regarding such items as looseness in the sleeves, or the location of a break above the shoe. This process takes about 15-20 minutes.

Once the measurements are recorded, My.Suit has the essential metrics it needs to make a perfectly fit suit. Yet, there’s one more ingredient that brings a My.Suit to an entirely new level… the style, and here the customer has the final verdict. Using an in-store consultant, or an in-store kiosk, or the My.Suit, “Suit Builder” function, the customer sees the range of style selections for their My.Suit suit. Then they select the jacket style, the pant style, the pockets, the liner, the vest, the button schemes, the stitching schemes, the belt loops, the cuffs, monogramming and other styling details, each of these are stored each step of the way. All along the selection process, tips are offered so the customer can make an informed choice as to his level of fit, and avoid making unwise style combinations. Online, an illustration (designer croce) of your suit takes shape based on each selection.

Next, the fabrics are chosen by the customer. In store, there are model suits showing fabrics and liners for the customer to look at, touch and consider, and there’s a “fabric bar” from which to choose a full range of textiles. Online, high-resolution photography truthfully renders each textile swatch, with information and considerations about fabric weight and seasonality.

After all the selections are entered online or in-store, a confirmation is provided asking the customer to verify the choices he has made, the selections online are shown in a concise summary that is easily inspected by the customer. A price also appears, from $495.00 to $995.00 based on the style and fabrics chosen. Any changes can be edited at this time, to correct any inaccuracies or allow any modifications, and a new confirmation and tally is offered. Note to readers: not, repeat not, a bait and switch operation, (there are plenty of others online) Note, half the fabrics offered through My.Suit are at the $495.00 price point. They’re perfectly great fabrics too.

A customer is asked where the suit, once it is completed, is to be delivered, either at a My.Suit retail location, or to an address of the consumer’s own choosing. Additionally, customers of New York are assessed a New York local and state sales tax. Depending on the final delivery address, a shipping and handling fee also is assessed.

If the customer agrees with the order summary and the price, then the transaction is conducted by cash, debit or credit card in-store, or securely by debit or credit card. The ordered suit automatically gets stored in “My Closet” unique to each customer with order details and history available for inspection at any time.

A delivery address is selected by the customer either at one of the My.Suit retail locations, or at an address chosen by the customer. Once payment is rendered, the order is sent electronically to the My.Suit factory in Puebla, Mexico. Here My.Suit’s team of cutters, sewers and supporting equipment goes to work to make the My.Suit suit perfect to the customer’s measurements and style specifications, and quality checked through the process. The suit is then inspected and packaged in a secure garment bag with hanger, and is shipped.

In 14 days, the My.Suit suit is delivered to a My.Suit store, where the customer can pick it up, or have it shipped to the customer’s chosen delivery point via courier service (usually within 72 hours). The customer tries it on. Hopefully, they love it and they go out and change the world, but if not fully satisfied, the suit can be returned to a My.Suit store or return shipment for a full refund. That full as in FULL.

At any time in the Suit Builder process, as long as the customer’s measurements have been taken in-store, Suit Builder selections can be named and stored in an area called “My Closet” and revisited for later referral. My Closet is a username and password-protected area of the site. If a customer wants to get an identical style of a suit already in My Closet, he can pick one of his favorites and “clone” it for easy re-ordering in another fabric.

 

 As a gentleman, I dare say that my shower of praise for My.Suit is based solely on my observational skills. I’ve never had the good fortune to purchase a suit through them. I know that the blog-o-sphere is full of smart-alecky sites devoted to criticism, humiliation and telling us what’s wrong, or how someone has failed. I opt whenever possible to focus on the positive and affirmative. No, I’m not a Pollyanna, or paid spokesperson. The only thing I’ve ever received from My.Suit is a pleasant welcome. In today’s dog-eats-dog retail landscape a welcome is a very appreciative gesture.

For Further Information…

My.Suit Appointment Scheduler & E-Commerce Site: http://www.mysuitny.com
The My.Suit Shopping Experience: http://www.mysuitny.com/website/msexp_experience.html
Current My.Suit Television Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/mysuitny#p/f/0/SEKexeShJd0
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mysuit
YouTube: www.youtube.com/mysuitny
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mysuitny

　

　

Is My.Suit Your Next Suit? (part one of two)

 

Madison Avenue is home to many of the worlds best menswear retailers, including Brooks Brothers, Paul Stuart, Sarar, Hickey Freeman, J.Press, Dunhill, Charles Tyrwhitt, Moreschi and Burberry. Each has a distinctive voice bringing their unique sartorial flair to life. When a relative newcomer dares to open shop on the Avenue one can almost sense the disdain. Men’s row sometimes becomes men’s rowe. Even gentlemen can get their ire up. Despite the competition, and a still stagnant economy, relative newcomer, My.Suit www.mysuitny.com has entered the tailoring tirade…pardon that’s trade.

At the crux of it, unlike “ready to wear,” My.Suit custom makes “made to measure” suits for 495.00 (starting) in as little as two weeks. Suits worn by gentleman. The question remains, can you build a store that is as distinct as the merchandise it houses.

 

The 3,000-square-foot flagship store at 360 Madison Avenue (between 45^th & 46^th Street) is designed by architect, and interior designer, Ji Kim of UnSPACE, New York City. www.unpsace.org.UnSPACE reports that their design philosophy is to find beauty in simplicity, by eliminating or reducing unnecessary elements to express the products’ true beauty in bold and uncluttered space. Their goal is to introduce less design, and introduce more artistic expression, by being true to an area’s form and space. Clearly this is carried out. The store has a modern aesthetic, wavering on the Zen, and true to form has an over-scaled black columned canopy to define the center of the mostly white box interior. There is a cleanliness and holistic approach, where the physical space supports the merchandise.

Today’s consumer wants (sometimes demands) eco-sensitive materials. Retailers who embrace this value are likely to succeed. The custom furniture design including benches and display platforms are by Uhuru. (Think of the beautiful Nichelle Nichols, as Uhura, Swahili for “star” in Star Trek) Uhuru (ooh-HOO-roo). www.uhurudesign.com is a design and build furniture company dedicated to sustainability. (Big plus!) Uhuru builds each piece by hand in its Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York studio. (Big plus! Big plus!) Uhuru’s mission statement references the Shaker assertion “that beauty rests on utility“. They report that they strive to make furniture, and products that are beautiful in their simplicity, with an acute awareness of materials and craft. To wit, white tufted leather ottomans snuggle around a glass topped table housing an art installation like video screen.

Artwork is found on the tray ceiling, albeit unconventional, very successfully, and throughout the store, in-between columns. It was custom created by Ivan P. aka Mr. Mustart www.flicker.com/operation.art and is abrtract, with splashes of a bright and warm colorful palate, and a pop art style font. Picking up on one of the key colors, orange leather bound scrapbooks are available for customers to look at the choice of buttons, linings, threads etc… available.

Mannequins and display forms are from Bernstein Display, www.bernsteindisplay.com, and RHO, www.rho.ca The window mannequins are painted in the same color as the artwork, vivid pops of color, they are exuberant, and posed to look like men joyfully jumping in the air with clinched fists like the Yankees just won the World Series. Aside of the mannequins are three vintage TV sets stacked like a totem pole with continuous loops produced by My.Suit. The interior mannequins are in traditional gloss white, headless and unfortunately demonstrate my biggest bug-a -boo…no shoes. Men in suits with bare feet, it will never do! I can only hope that My.Suit heeds my pleads.

Additional elements like vitrines and a fabric bar of hung material samples greet customers as they enter the store. The walls open up into mirrored closets and drawers for stock, keeping the interior free from eye numbing clutter, suggesting a kind of meticulousness to detail. The displayed suits on mannequins, and hung on lavalieres show prominently as a result. There are several dressing rooms on the sales floor draped with grey silk and embroidered with geometric tabs, that open up to tri-fold mirrors, and carpeted with the company’s icon. A white ottoman provides seating while you undress, and is easily climbed upon then a tailor needs to make an adjustment with brio or straight pins, on your pant cuff.

Thus far, the architecture and visual stack up, and seem to be in accord with the store concept.

 

Why My.Suit?

I only noticed My.Suit last week, as the retailer seemed to open up overnight. I’m on Madison Avenue all the time, so I was taken aback. I did know a little bit about them as they have a thriving internet presence, where anyone can log on and with a series of clicks, custom make a suit through a series of options. They maintain a shop in Herald Square, which I’ve walked by, photographed, but never ventured inside to visit.

I introduced myself to the staff one day, welcomed them to the neighborhood and wrangled an invitation for my class to visit. My class is coincidentally studying store design and planning and are working on a menswear challenge. My students liked the store when we visited, and were impressed with the products affordability, considering that they could have a hand in designing the item. One of a kind clothing resonates in a world of sameness for today’s consumer. Actually having clothing that fits resonates with today’s consumer who is weary of ill-fitting attire.

So how does My.Suit do it?

My.Suit is part of a privately held global company with more than 40 years of manufacturing and retail experience. My.Suit was founded in New York City in 2008 by Korean and American interests, with its sole production facility in Puebla, Mexico. Labor in Mexico is a fraction of what it is elsewhere.

My.Suit sells directly to the customer. On average, a consumer pays at least double (usually way more) the wholesale cost when they buy a suit at a retail outlet. While it does cost more in time and materials to create a made-to-measure suit, it isn't double the cost, so both the consumer and My.Suit benefit from the direct-to-consumer sale.

My.Suit benefits from on-demand production. Because of the costs of maintaining large inventories, (stock) many apparel companies, as well as other industries, now manufacture on-demand rather than anticipating markets. Technology is transforming us. More efficient electronic and shipping infrastructures also have contributed to the reality and profitability of on-demand production. My.Suit leverages this supply chain for consumer advantage, and most importantly for an individual customer and his own sense of style.

Many men (even gentleman) don’t know the rules of tailoring or design, but they aspire to dress well. My.Suit has consultants ready to help customers through every step of the measure-design-and-buy process, and their website does the same. “Made-to-measure suits and individual style have been married, precisely, and are now available to most anyone,” said James Hancock, Vice President, Sales, My.Suit. “Through My.Suit and www.mysuitny.com, any man who wears a suit can now afford a perfect fit. With each customer,we create a suit that reflects both traditional tailoring benchmarks and true individual style to assure a man he’ll look and feel absolutely on point.” Hancock is a local boy made good, Brooklyn born, with prior work experiences at Joseph Abboud and Macy’s Herald Square. He started out advising clients on their securities investments and that’s when he fell in love with dressing well.

If a custom made suit is in your future, you now have another option to exercise. If you are a student of retail and the economy you now have another retail to cite. If you are a suit fetishist, you now know where to go. If you are a love architecture and design and want to see an example of form following function, you now have a credible resource.

For Further Information…

My.Suit Appointment Scheduler & E-Commerce Site: http://www.mysuitny.com
The My.Suit Shopping Experience: http://www.mysuitny.com/website/msexp_experience.html
Current My.Suit Television Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/mysuitny#p/f/0/SEKexeShJd0
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mysuit
YouTube: www.youtube.com/mysuitny
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mysuitny

Return in a day or two for part two of Is My.Suit Your Next Suit?

It’s A Dark Day For The Soft Drink Industry

My mother always insisted on a healthy well balanced diet. Just like the moms on TV, we ate Frosted Flakes, and Pop Tarts, (I flaked off the crust which I couldn’t abide) and then I downed it with Tang or Carnation Instant Breakfast (I liked chocolate fudge) it all was served with wholesome 100% milk. I had a good 1960’s mom. Like many typical Americans at dinner we broke out the Coke or Pepsi to wash down the pork chops, Hamburger Helper, Frozen Fish Sticks (Fridays) or Swanson TV Turkey dinners with the scalding hot applesauce and that little cake that was soft as mud inside, because the gravy boiled over. Long story short, I consumed an awful lot of soda in my day. It was like gasoline.

Now as per the University of Minnesota who conducted a study of 60,000 people in Singapore, ( I guess no one in Minneapolis was available) a study that was conducted for 14 years, that people who consume two or more sugary soft drinks a week have a much higher risk of pancreatic cancer.  Sugar may be to blame, but people who regularly drink sugared sodas often have other poor health habits.

Researchers found that regular soft drink consumers were 87 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, even after accounting for factors like age, obesity, diabetes and cigarette smoking. The study only applies to consumption of regular soda, not diet soft drinks or fruit juices. Pancreatic cancer survival rates are thus one of the lowest among cancers survival rates, with less than 5% of those diagnosed with the disease reaching the 5 year survival mark. Complete remissions are extremely rare. According to the American Cancer Society, Pancreatic Cancer is the 4th leading cause for cancer deaths in the US each year.

Just this last month alone, pancreatic cancer took the lives of Robert Moshbacher (former US Commerce Secretary) Pernell Roberts, (Former actor Bonanza & Trapper John) Robert Dana (former US Poet Laureate). And that just the last few weeks! Yikes!

Can you imagine what’s going on at the corporate headquarters at Coke and Pepsi? This may not be a surprise to the American public, we all had that nerdy science teacher in high school who placed a steak in a tub of Coca-Cola, and a week later the soda had dissolved it. Yuck! We loved it?

Coke and Pepsi are quintessential American icons, loved globally; add/take billions of dollars into the economy. There are three things that define our nation, the American flag, the Statue of Liberty and the Coca-Cola logo. (Okay, Mickey Mouse runs a close fourth.)

Will this study be the undoing of the soft drink industry the way that the Surgeon Generals Office’s reports on the harmfulness of smoking did back in the 60’s and 70’s for the tobacco industry? Is this déjà vu? I’m not suggesting that the soft drink industry has been stifling information, but we’re all aware that over recent years they’ve be repositioning themselves within the industry by developing/acquiring non-carbonated drink and other food items, preferably for a rainy day.

 Well it looks like it’s gonna’ pour liters!

 

Click On This Link

Dear Readers,

The Bespoken: For Gentleman is on www.youtube.com with a special video presentation. It a short (five and a half minutes) film that takes you on an emotional journey through a series of images that tries to capture the essence of my site. Please turn your volume on, so that the musical accompaniment can be enjoyed!

This is a "sneak peek" just for you before it launchs officially.

Click on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmYFXc_0O7M

Sincerely,  
The Bespoken For Gentleman

Everything You Wanted to Know About Shopping (But Were Afraid To Ask)

 

In 1969, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) by Dr. David Reuben, was one of those books that my parents hide under the mattress, but that I could secretly linger at in the South Orange Public Library, as long as the librarian didn’t shoo me away. Regardless, it was one of the most successful books on the NY Times Best Sellers List, and sold over 150 million copies  It was even made into a film by Woody Allen. (Although I don’t recollect a chapter on marrying your step-daughter.) 
 
To me shopping is like sex. There is good shopping, and not good shopping. Shopping can be recreational, entertaining, a chore or marital obligation. Rest assured, sometimes even I don’t want to shop…I really do have a headache. Still, I think of myself as a part of the shopping revolution. I have a healthy shopping libido. 
 
I know you can’t judge a store by its size (even if your name is Bed, Bath & Beyond or Office Max). Still, I think that I’d rather test out a new department store than some dinky specialty retailer. Those are just the fact’s call me old fashioned. 
 
I’ll admit it. I am not a monogamous shopper, I shop around, but I don’t have a bad reputation, and I invariably come back to my devoted and dedicated, you know who you are. After all it’s not like we’re engaged, or I have one of your charge cards.
 
I firmly believe in safe shopping, that is, not heading into Saks Fifth Avenue with a credit card, otherwise you maybe come out with a shopping transmitted disease like Nordsromitis or Bergdorf Goodman’s Ailment. There is no anti-biotic or treatment on the market for that yet. But don’t use me, I don’t want to get shopped! While I’ve never engaged in retail prostitution, I know that Forever 21 fulfills a need for shopaholics, and I won’t judge, I just wish they would make it legal.
 
Yes, we all love a pretty boy or a sexy girl, but mannequins are only skin deep. Still, I’ll confide, those well dressed windows at Dolce & Gabanna does get me going. That’s why I believe that aphrodisiacs really work, providing they are 50% off sales signs, and shopping incentives, if you are a preferred shopping, which I usually am. 
 
I’ll let scientists and feminists debate if there really is a “G” spot. All I know is that something does come over you, a flushed, faint feeling when you try on a pair of jeans, and they fit just right. I mean I nearly fainted once in Diesel when the new washes came in. I may not have done a Meg Ryan, but oh my God! OH MY GOD, YES, YES!!! I’ll have a pair of those.

 

Not In My Backyard

I live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Two blocks off of Central Park, three blocks off of Riverside Park. The Upper West Side has long been the bastion of the upper-middle class, yuppies, left-wing radicals, intellectuals and therapy-practicing New Yorkers. It is a neighborhood filled with Glatt Kosher Pizza, and even Glatt Kosher Chinese takeout. It’s the neighborhood where Edgar Allen Poe wrote “The Raven,” when he lived on West 84th Street in an old dilapidated farmhouse. Add to the mix an amalgam of the long-entrenched Latino community, Section 8 projects, SROs, hostels for European tourists, and even the “Days Inn”,(a budget hotel) where Governor Patterson brought his mistress. Yes, I fit in just like a glove. We have Starbucks galore, Dunkin' Donuts, Duane Reade, Rite Aid, and so many banks that Ben Bernanke couldn’t decide what ATM to use first. It’s just a slice of paradise.

Well, you hear stories of those snooty neighborhoods where “decent” families don’t want sex clubs, electric towers, homeless shelters or sanitation plants, and you think, “Who do they think they are?” Yesterday the craft paper came down from the building across the street (from my part-time doorman building), which has been vacant for ages, and what is going to be there (gasp!)--a blue tongued Slurpee emporium, also known as 7-Eleven. Not in my backyard! I admit it! I am a snob. I think 7-Eleven is great if you live near the interstate or off of an exit on the freeway, but not on Amsterdam Avenue.

Granted, 7-Eleven has made some concessions, the façade is being clad in white marble tile, and I noted that the ceilings have been trimmed with a faux dentil crown molding as thick and obvious as the molding on the Emery Roth landmarked “Westwind” building catty corner from the new 7-Eleven. Other unexpected flourishes include enhanced lighting (not your standard fluorescent and neon) and better flooring, i.e., not gray linoleum. I’m not impressed. I can already see the “Little Debbie” cake displays artfully framing the auto and adult magazine racks.

7-Eleven is planning on opening up 100 stores in the next five years in Manhattan, either by executing new leases or through its business conversion program. The company is looking for sites from 1,700 sq. ft. to 3,500 sq. ft., in high foot-traffic locations that allow for 24-hour operation.

Gone is “Little Extras,” a charming children’s clothing and toy store that was in the same spot for over 25 years. If I open my kitchen window and smell chili dogs I’m going to take matters into my own hands and secure the next lease opposite Mike Bloomberg’s home on East 79th Street (between Madison and Fifth).

Okay, to be fair and balanced, I did visit the company website www.7-eleven.com and did find their “Fun Facts” page very informative and impressive, but I miss my independent retailers and family-owned businesses. When will America get wise? Coke or Pepsi is not a choice!

Courtesy of www.retaildesigndiva.com where it appeared on December 17, 2009

 

Not On Sale!

Forget the door busters, and big percentage off signs. Here’s a new retail concept, a huge “pop-up” store on one of retails best address‘, filled to the rafters with great and affordable merchandise, what’s the catch? None of it is for sale (scratch head, shrug shoulders). No, the store is not in bizarro world were everything is backwards. The store right here in New York, located next door to luxury retailer Bergdorf Goodman at East 57th and Fifth Avenue.

The” pop-up” shop is for eBay the online auction retailer. Also know as my imaginary magic closet where I have purchased a British imported Saville Row Gieves and Hawkes suit jacket, (36.00) a worn once Versace herringbone wool blazer (29.95) and even a “God Bless Moose Heart” commemorative ceramic dish (9.50) Not to mention the 238 other items I have purchased over the years. I’m a gold star rated shopper

The more than 5,500 square foot pop-up store in Manhattan is a first for eBay and will only last for a few weeks as a way to boost sales online. "We are cautiously optimistic," eBay's, Alan Marks, said. "We have seen our business stabilize this year. Sold items on the site are up. Consumers are trading down a little bit, as people look for value and bargains. And that's what eBay seller’s offer. You get great deals on eBay with an incredible selection of products." While you cannot buy any of the merchandise on display at the store, you can shop for it (sort of). There are more than a dozen computer terminals set up, waiting for your bid. If in the shear caprice you can’t find something they won’t sell to you anyway, there are more than 200 million other live listings on eBay. If you are an eBay novice and find something you just can’t live without salespeople cheerier than Santa’s Elves at Macy’s are quick to encourage you to hop on any of the various kiosks in the store and shop for a similar item on eBay (just click this).

The Manhattan pop-up store isn't the only marketing tool being used by eBay this holiday season. Mobile eBay stores have been driving through about a dozen cities around the country to drum up sales. Like other retailers, eBay has taken a hit during the recession, but are now seeing a bit of a comeback as consumers shop around for the best deals.

I was completely flummoxed, when I saw the store opened the other day, too, especially when I walked in and found so many interesting things in the store. Merchandise was suspended from the ceiling; there were great displays and a fun sense of merchandising. Wow, it looked just great! The store was arranged in clever categories like "eco-friendly," "stylista," “gamer”, “urbanite” and "kids." Each display is meant to serve merely as inspiration for the kinds of merchandise you can find on eBay, accompanied by the "average price" found on the world's biggest online marketplace, there was a “My Favorite Barbie” (34.00) to vintage Ray Ban sunglasses for ($32.04.) In fact, I found myself mesmerized by the averages on the signboards, the average Balenciaga bag sells on eBay for (470.00). That can't be right, especially when the average Hermes cuff sells (436.00). Have Nicholas Golspierre and Karl Lagerfeld been apprised?

Cast not your pearl before swine, EBay is joining the countless pop-up retailers who have constructed temporary shops in New York. In fact, come November 20, the online auction site will host a 57th Street location for just over a week; inside, it will stock exclusive fashions from the likes of Norma Kamali (who's doing a line especially for eBay this season), L.A.M.B. shoes, handbags from Michael Kors and Dooney & Burke, Anthropologie dresses, cosmetics from M.A.C., Smashbox and other brands, and the Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue and Vera Wang Princess fragrances. There will be electronics too, as well as some furniture and toys. Altogether, the collection, at least sartorially speaking, is a weird smattering of designers that will likely appeal to the masses descending upon midtown come holiday shopping season.

Putting the holiday spirit before profit, sales at the 5,500-square-foot store won’t be solely for eBay’s profits; in fact, many of dollars spent in the holiday shop, up to 200,000 will be matched by eBay to support Global Giving, Grammy in the Schools, Oxfam America, Right to Play, Save the Children, Share Our Strength, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Starlight, Toys for Tots, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and YouthAIDS EBay. Way to go.

This dull and dreary holiday season may not be so dark and depressive after all, the holiday tinge of bright red and green are shining right through the eBay logo.

Giving Thanks

Some of my ancestors came to America on the second or third sailing of the Mayflower. Little known fact, but the Mayflower made several voyages. Knowing my family, I presume my relatives didn’t board ship until they were relatively confident that things were okay over here. I mean, if you were my relative, would you go to a new country that didn’t have at least one strip mall? We all know from our grade school pageants that the Pilgrims, who were escaping religious persecution, were for the most part not a very celebratory group of people. Still, thanks to some generous Native Americans who probably could not make too much sense of these awfully strange people, we do have a fairly engrained custom of sharing our dinner table once a year, and the communal experience of sharing food along with expressing thanks. All in all, a lovely holiday custom.

Lest I be accused of being Suzie cheerleader, we all know that, while we’re all struggling, the economy has not gotten worse, and things seems to be on the mend, albeit slowly. Certainly, things are far rosier today than they were for our ancestors.

What are we seeing that denotes positive, if not praiseworthy, thanks?

The market seems to be correcting itself. Retailers that overbuilt are scaling back to reasonable and realistic numbers
Retailers eager to expand are benefiting from finding space in better neighborhoods with more affordable rents.

In an effort to survive, smart retailers are reinventing themselves. They may look leaner, but they’re operating more efficiently.

Consumers have learned a valuable lesson, not everyone should be in the luxury market, and not everyone needs the most expensive this or overpriced that. We can get by with less and our happiness is not really sacrificed. Mid-range and low-range retailers like Zara and American Apparel are fashionable and hip.

Visual Merchandisers have had to work more magic with smaller budgets and create displays that are visually exciting, clever and communicate more clearly to the customer. It doesn’t matter if you’re Bergdorf Goodman or Anthropologie; everyone is “upping their game.”

Like comfort food, many consumers are revisiting old friends, mainstays that are classic, whether it’s J. Crew or Campbell soup or Levi’s or Wheaties.

Consumers are still purchasing, but not the same way--they’re cost-comparing, researching product online prior to purchase, and more likely to pick up an accessory than a new piece of clothing. Last year’s coat with this year's scarf works just as well, which is why I’m going to H&M to get that groovy gray knit neck ring.

Across the board, retailers are becoming more attentive to servicing the customer. You may find this hard to believe but the security guard at Versace actually smiled at me!

Granted, we can all complain, and have just cause, but can you imagine what the Pilgrims would make of our wealth and abundance?

Courtesy of  www.retaildesigndiva.comwhere it appeared on 12/01/09

Love On A Rooftop and Grape Jelly

Sometimes we really are dopes! Everywhere we look the words “green” and “sustainability” filter into our consciousness…as well they should. We tend to think of ourselves as being superior to generations past, whom we tend to think of as polluters. There may be some truth to that, but it’s not the whole story.

Retailers, listen up I have a million-dollar idea for you! Okay, I didn’t actually think it up, but give me some credit.

Last night, I was watching the implausible 1966 TV sit-com “Love on A Rooftop,” starring the very cute Peter Deuel as Dave, and even cuter Judy Carne (pre-“Laugh In”) as Julie. They’re a young, optimistic, newly married couple trying to get by on his miserly starting architect's salary of $68.50 a week. All they can afford to rent is an old storeroom (with no windows) on top of a high rise (no one else would rent it). By the way, it’s like a 30-story high rise with no elevator, but who cares, it’s the ‘60s, and they are young and in love, and, more importantly, happen to have access to the roof...hence “Love On A Rooftop,” where Julie uses the skylight as a table when she has company, and she hangs her laundry out to dry on the residents' TV antennas (very green). Did I mention that the rooftop overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge?

Okay, so Dave is eating his breakfast when is overbearing father-in-law drops in and spots him eating peanut butter for breakfast, and bellows, “Why are you eating peanut butter…for breakfast?” “I eat peanut butter and jelly every morning,” replies Dave. “But, why?” protests his father-in-law. Dave, with his dimpled smile, plaintively states, “Well, we need the glasses, and Julie wants to complete the set!” The father-in-law is none too pleased that his baby (Julie) is drinking out of peanut butter and jelly glasses.

Like a repressed memory, the floodgates open, and I recall that when I grew up (in 1968, I was 11 years old), we always recycled our peanut butter and jelly glasses. We never threw them away. We kept them. They were not made of non-recyclable, benzene-ridden plastic with a screw-on lid; they were recyclable drinking glasses with a pop off cap. They were decorated with colorful prints of daises, “The Flintstones,” “Batman” and the Presidents of The United States (there were only 36 at the time). So not only did you get a jar of Welch’s grape jelly or Skippy peanut butter, but you had a reusable glass (for free!). Less landfill! Less carbon footprint! Brilliant!

So food manufacturers, give consumers an incentive to buy your product, which is sitting quietly next to your competitors--give us free glasses. In today’s economy, who wouldn't want a pretty drinking glass, for free? Help us to recycle, reuse, renew. Okay, skip the corny old-fashioned commercial ties ins; instead, have some designer do a limited-edition jar. I’d pay twice the amount for a Burberry Plaid peanut butter glass, and maybe three times the amount for an Alexander McQueen grape jelly jar.

Ka-Ching! That’s the sound of a happy customer going home with your product!

Courtesy of www.retaildesigndiva.com where it appeared on October 22, 2009