Retail

John Marsala and Becka Citron’s charming Brooklyn shop sells one-off pieces of furniture and other objects for the tasteful gentleman, such as a hardwood coffee table made from defunct telephone poles and railway sleepers. The clothing pick is equally impressive, with jeans by US brand Raleigh Denim Workshop, jumpers by UK-based Universal Works and more. The homely space is also stocked with men’s accessories and grooming products, and there’s a barber shop at the back. 

The story of Detroit’s creative resurgence has been well documented following the city’s bankruptcy in 2013 but nothing embodies it quite like Shinola. The company actually bought the name from the shoe-polish brand that was established in Detroit in 1907 but the new premise is very different: masterly crafted “Made in America” watches, leather goods and bicycles. Shinola’s Rockwell Group-designed Tribeca flagship evokes a golden age of Detroit, with black-and-white photos of city characters who watch over you as you decide on a handmade, individually numbered timepiece. 

Dan Snyder, the man behind Corridor (and its Sunshine Blues offshoot) has come a long way. Leaving a career in intelligence in 2013 to start his own menswear line of sporty gear that mixes a touch of northeastern preppiness with NYC savvy, he has graduated from selling online and through other retailers to having two of his own bricks-and-mortar outlets. Choose between this original Nolita flagship or the newer Williamsburg shop for clothes that range from plaid shirts to woollen crew necks.

Located in the leafy, village-like Brooklyn neighbourhood of Fort Greene (there’s a second space in Prospect Lefferts Gardens), Greenlight is just about the perfect neighbourhood bookshop. Strongly committed to helping sustain the local economy, it’s run by passionate staff, the selection is always on-point and browsing is a joy. One of the major highlights is Greenlight’s excellent line-up of author appearances in-store. Larger events are hosted at the historic Kings Theatre nearby; it was here that Ta-Nehisi Coates stopped off while touring of his debut novel, The Water Dancer, for example. Look out for a kiosk at the Brooklyn Academy of Music too. 

Situated behind the bustle of Broadway on quiet Crosby Street, Rachel Comey’s signature shop feels like a calm sanctuary. The single-storey building – a former mechanic’s garage – was transformed by Comey and her partner Sean Carmody, along with architect Elizabeth Roberts and interior designer Charles de Lisle. A concrete-stone slab sits in the centre, showing off Comey’s signature footwear. The designer, who started in menswear at the launch of her New York label in 2001, now focuses on her urban and chic women’s collection, which is carefully displayed on brass racks against the shop’s white stucco walls. With Comey’s studio situated in nearby Noho and her home just steps away, the designer’s presence is never too far from the serene space.