Seen & Heard: Menswear landmark edition

SEEN & HEARD
The J. Crew’s Men’s Shop at the Liquor Store at 2 White is closing on March 24. The word is that the company no longer appreciates that “Americana” aesthetic, and that they are reaching for something brighter and more minimal. I always thought that was the coolest chain store around – housed in a landmark building and minus the homogenous corporate logos. The shop opened in 2008; the building opened in 1809.

FREEMANS MADE TO MEASURE
I don’t get the business model, but I certainly get the appeal. Freemans Sporting Club now has a made-to-measure by-appointment-only shop at its offices at another local landmark, 508 Canal (at Greenwich), while they renovate their Rivington Street flagship over the next few months. There’s no sportswear at the location, and after a couple emails I couldn’t learn much else about it, but it is part of the LES cluster of businesses that include Freemans Restaurant on Freemans Alley, Freemans Barbershop and the clothing store that is Freemans Sporting Club.

WORKOUTS FOR THE STARS
According to Vogue, local workout spots Dogpound, Tracy Anderson and The Class make the top-nine list of gyms that models prefer, for what that’s worth.

GHOST SIGNS
Someone help this guy out:

 

7 Comments

  1. A full street address would help the identification.

  2. Justin Gelband is also on the list – his new studio is at 86 Walker Street.

  3. It’s not Tribeca.

    Seaman Lowerre, hardware, was listed at 307 Spring St from at least 1849 through at least 1876. (Listed in 1833 and 1838 at 515 Greenwich and in 1846 at 279 Spring)

    1842 or 1844 invoice (at 279 Spring St) “bought of Seaman Lowerre 2 latches, screws…Rec’d payment E. Myers” can been seen @ https://s3.amazonaws.com/pastperfectonline/images/museum_726/001/200639193230.jpg

    As advertised in “Real estate record and builders’ guide” v. 9, no. 204: February 10, 1872: “SEAMAN, LOWERRE & COMP’Y, Wholesale & Retail Dealers in BUILDERS’ HARDWARE, 307 Spring Street, N. Y.”

    In April 5 1884 edition of Real Estate Record and Builders’ Guide, Volumes 33-34, it is recorded that Lowerre apparently sold the building: “Spring st, No. 307, n s, 125 e Greenwich st. 25 x 100, three-story brick store and dwell’g and one-story extension on rear. Seaman Lowerre, Yonkers, N. ., to John and Henry Stemme. Mort. $10,000. April 1. 15,750”

    • The book “History of Architecture and the Building Trades of Greater New York” (1899) states, “The following appeared in the Post in 1844: ‘Builders Hardware,– Seaman Lowerre, 279 Spring street, between Greenwich and Hudson streets, offers for sale a general assortment of English and American cast butts, frame pullies, shutter hinges, wood-screws, cut, wrought and finished nails, brads, tacks, etc.’ ”

      • I’ll let Ghost Signs know!

      • Until the mid-1980’s the area of Tribeca around Warren and Murray Streets was a center for the builder’s hardware and lock trade. Companies such as Nulock Supply, Craftmaster, M. Zion, and Septon, among others, wholesaled locks, key blanks, locksmith supplies, and other hardware. The other major dealers for these items were on the Lower East Side, on Essex Street and Ludlow Street.

  4. J. Crew is closed and the windows are papered over, with movers emptying the ground floor.

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