New York, NEW YORK
My recent post about Milan’s la Rinascente department store including a Conran Shop may now read as a precursor to the latest news out from the British restaurateur, designer, author, and specialty retailer Terrence Conran.
The New York Times reports that after 10 years of operating on the far east side Manhattan the Conran Shop will close its doors and open a shop-in-shop at ABC Carpet in Union Square. The 8,500 square foot shop will open in April 2010.
Operating at about 50% of its original size the shop will focus on what the company is calling its more “masculine” categories of merchandise including furniture, lighting, kitchen, and under-glass products. The most noticeable categories that will be eliminated are textiles, bath, children's, stationery, and travel items.
For those who cannot do without a specific Conran item ‘til April they do deliver from the UK with complete instructions on the company website- www.conranshop.co.uk. In the most polite British manner would-be shoppers are instructed to call for details regarding freight, import duties, and taxes that may be incurred from packages headed for America.
The London and Paris Conran Shops were and still are very important travel designations for merchants seeking trends and sources while attending the winter and fall trade shows. I consistently found at least one key item in the gardening or kitchen departments. So, when Sir Terrance opened this business in New York I must admit I was a bit disappointed. This was another sign of globalization that affected me personally. As a California based merchant the unique treasures discovered here would now be much more accessible to other buyers who never even visited Europe.
I expect this may become the busiest area inside ABC Carpet and come this spring the downtown crowd will not have to trek all the way up to barren neighborhood of the Queensborough bridge to shop the latest Conran collection.
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