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Bu & the Duck Is Closing
After nearly 15 years, children’s store Bu & the Duck is packing things up. It most likely won’t continue as an online business, but founder Susan Lane is keeping her options open. The shop will be around through Christmas, with items on sale until then (and that includes the antiques).
I don’t have kids, but I always admired the quality of the clothes and the overall vision (plus I just liked saying the name). It’s the kind of store that made Tribeca what it is, and it’ll be missed.
11 Comments
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This store will be very missed. The clothes are reminiscent of an era gone by. Susan and Sophia are two of the nicest shop owners in Tribeca. Every gift I have bought from Bu & the Duck is treasured. There really isn’t another store in the city like this. You will be missed.
This is terribly sad and this store will be sorely missed. Bu & the Duck had the finest quality AND the finest design of any kids clothing store, ever. I hope that Susan and Sophia look to do something new soon. There was never a children’s clothing store that measured closed to this one.
I am in shock and so very sad, I went by today to purchase my newest’s spring wardrobe and did a double take when I saw the closed sign. Greedy landlords will suck the creativity and artistry out of NY. Sophia and Susan are artists and good people, and we all are losing out now. Please open up a new location, I am so upset for you.
This makes me SO sad. Bu and the Duck was far and away my favorite shop in New York and I am now lamenting that we visited so infrequently. The clothes were beautiful. Elegant and timeless. Though the quality (and thus price) made them well beyond of our meager budget, I always tried to stop in when there was a sale and snap up a few things. I’ve worked in retail and I know that sale-only shoppers are not typically treated as well as the regulars, but Susan always made me and my son feel welcome. She remembered his name and always engaged us in interesting conversation. What a loss!
I agree with these other customers who write before me. I would travel all the way from Boston just to visit and purchase in this shop for the Grandchildren. When I arrived I would often spend 90 minutes walking around and around ! Not only that, for 5 years I told everybody about this shop., anybody who was interested in design or fine clothing What is there to replace the craftsmanship, uniqueness and the quality? Nothing.
Even though my daughter has long outgrown the exquisite clothing from Bu and The Duck, we still loved the shop. I would by ribbons, socks, dolls , whatever I could find to appease my love for young children’s clothing. I am going to miss the shop tremendously. I never had the priviledge of meeting Susan but had many many wonderful conversations on the phone. We would get so excited when a box would come UPS to the house! We would have a fashion show for sisters and brother and daddy and had a very hard time not buying every piece in the box! I did meet Sophia twice and my daughter, Piper named her new doll after her . We bought her during one of our NY trips while visiting the shop.I would try to visit the store every time I went to Ny from Louisiana and Texas. My youngest child wore their beautiful clothing and shoes for years until I couldn’t squeeze her into it anymore. I was so upset when I found out they were closed. My older daughter just moved to Manhattan and actually went by the shop to hand them a resume…..that’s when we found it closed. Susan and Sophia, I wish you all the best in whatever you decide to do in the future….but ,I know a lot of people who would love to see your beautiful creations for sale again. I have saved every piece for my “hope to have grandchildren” one day!!
Grateful if anyone knows how to get in touch with either Susan or Sophia; I bought a boy’s tweed coat the week before Bu closed & agreed that it could stay behind to have the missing horn buttons added to the cuffs. I have 3 weeks until I see my godson whom I planned to give this to, and would love to be able to do that. Please mail Therheeds@yahoo.com if you can help.
Wow, I had a children’s clothing store in Connecticut 14 years ago and I use to buy clothing for my store and my children from Susan, I found her at her first show at the Javitts center…
I keep all her cloths my kids wore and the shoes were amazing… She sent a box for me when my son was born to pick and choose what I wanted for him as, I could not get into the City for awhile after his birth….
Susan store was the best there ever was!!!!!
“Rock on” Susan in your next venture….
xoxo
Melissa Lee
Best shop ever!!! come back. seriously, Bu is an institution.
Bu and the Duck was legendary. Susan is an exceptional person and her designs were the best in the world. Both my children adored her clothes and the quality is so high that every item has been passed down over and over again to cousins and friends. my daughter wore one of her silk dresses every day for two years when we went on a trip round the world and it is still in perfect condition. Please let me know how to reach Susan. We know live in Cape Town and were devastated to find Bu gone when we were back this week. Thank you Susan for being such a wonderful designer and friend. you are missed.
Oh no!
We used to visit Bu and the Duck whenever we were in New York — and we live in Canada! My children still cherish the things we bought there — George the Giraffe for example.
Please keep selling the wonderful crocheted blankets and toys, and the aviator cap. Was hoping to buy another alpaca crocheted blanket — this time for my son — as well as an aviator cap. It would be a wonderful online business!
We are very sad we won’t be able to visit any more… Bu and the Duck will be very missed.