When Chris Green opened the doors to Ven Space in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens, he knew exactly what kind of business he wanted to create: an intimate neighbourhood shop with a steadfast loyalty to the traditional bricks-and-mortar experience. The multibrand menswear boutique, which stocks a thoughtfully selected range of luxury clothing, shoes and accessories, does not offer any online shopping options – if you want access to its meticulous curation, you have to come in. 

Green is on the floor every day. “Retail has gotten away from the idea of the shopkeeper,” he says. Ven Space (ven means “friend” in Danish) is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, while Mondays and Tuesdays are dedicated to private appointments.

On the shop floor, you’ll find a mix of brands including Japan-based Auralee and Dutch label Camiel Fortgens. T-shirts from Our Legacy sit beside Dries Van Noten button-downs and even the shapely handcrafted ceramics dotted around the boutique are for sale. Green, who is a longtime resident of the leafy enclave that is Carroll Gardens, handpicks every item, guided by his personal taste rather than seasonal trends. “I don’t want to be everything for everybody, and I don’t think anybody can be – if you do, you lose the strength of your idea and your point of view,” he says. “So I started by thinking about what I would actually want to wear.” 

His commitment has paid off. Despite opening just nine months ago, Ven Space has already gained a devoted following, with regular customers popping in to snag new launches. “We pride ourselves on getting to know the people coming through the door,” says Green.
ven.space.com 

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