best bets

12 Newly Opened New York Stores

A selection of gifts from noteworthy brick-and-mortars.

Illustration: Naomi Otsu
Illustration: Naomi Otsu

This late in the holiday-shopping game, hoofing it around town is your best option for picking up truly special gifts — especially considering this year’s supply-chain-related shipping delays. Fortunately, since last year, when the city’s retail landscape felt exceptionally bleak, a surprising number of excellent small boutiques have opened, from a dinner-party-centric spot in Greenpoint to an animal-centric bookshop on East 9th.

154 Franklin St., Greenpoint
In August, Katherine Lewin, formerly in charge of restaurant coverage at The Infatuation, opened this shop that focuses on things you would need for a dinner party.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

Hand-caught; chargrilled with birch, beech, and oak; and tinned in Asturias, Spain.

175 Tompkins Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant
While there are bikes to be bought here (from Brooklyn Bicycle Co. as well as a handful of vintage cycles), the main draw is the well-curated stock of accessories, like burrito-shaped bicycle bags from Road Runner.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

The dome shape and steel, brass, and aluminum make it sound nicer and ring longer than your run-of-the-mill bike bell.

62 Allen St.
Hannah Richtman’s 6,000-square-foot space is meant to feel like a shoppable apartment — filled with cream vintage Prada dresses, turmeric soaps, and sandalwood-scented candles.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

Baina’s soft, woven-in-Portugal towels come in pool size, too.

30-38 Steinway St., Astoria
Bamboo cotton swabs from UpCircle Beauty and Tesa paper packing tape abound at this “zero waste” store. Behind the shop is a community garden, café, and free climate-focused library, where you can borrow some Naomi Klein.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

Honeymilk-scented and made in Astoria by Puertorriqueña textile designer Desirée.

32 E. 2nd St.
Adrian Rew, he of experimental label Ergot Records, opened a shop of the same name right off the Bowery. He keeps both lesser-known releases (Brussels composer Dominique Lawalrée’s LP) and a healthy collection of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours for $25 apiece.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

This rare 1978 jazz collaboration between two guitar greats typically sells for double what Ergot is asking.

48 Hester St.
Owners Frank Carson and Bijan Shahvali’s always-changing inventory is full of Zizmorcore deep cuts like decades-old MoMA-exhibition tees and WNYC mugs.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

1.    Leisure Centre sells these hats whenever its “unnamed source” — who discovered them among a supply of deadstock official HBO promo materials — sends more its way.

1 Rivington St.
The mysterious founders (who go by simply “MB” and “LP”) sell a range of cult menswear brands like Acronym and Byborre in their downtown space.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

This water-repellent Japanese tote-backpack hybrid has a secret, secure outer pocket.

8.

Lolo

192 Amity St., Cobble Hill
Designer Lauren Williams stocks a cheery collection of Memphis-inspired knickknacks, like a candlestick made from chain links and a polka-dot squiggly pillow in a gentle green.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

Ugly Rugly makes its hand-tufted vases (which come with a glass insert) out of a Bushwick studio using New Zealand wool.

1134 President St., Crown Heights
Designer Tione Trice sources antiques from across Africa, Asia, and Europe to fill his gallerylike shop. Currently for sale: an array of imperfect ceramics and baskets that get their deep-charcoal color from being immersed in a mixture of water and soil for weeks.

$795
Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

An early-1900s piece from Central Africa; other seating options include an ornate Tibetan chair and a pair of checkered stools.

328 E. 9th St.
At author Cleo Le-Tan’s animal-specific bookshop, you’ll find The Story of Babar in the elephant section and Octopus Protests in the water-animals corner.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

A Snoopy-themed cookbook from the ’80s with recipes for vaguely western dishes like ham hocks and lima beans.

11.

Tangerine

616 Lorimer St., Williamsburg
This concept shop carries obscure womenswear brands (Alterita, Anna Fiedler) as well as hard-to-find objects (the verawood scalp combs from Japan sell out quickly).

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

Hand-knotted in Japan, each pair of recycled-cotton slip-ons is slightly different.

12.

Colbo

51 Orchard St.
Part shop (it has, for instance, a camel-colored Hed Mayner overcoat), part gallery (Mexican artist Cazso recently showed work), this spare space was opened by vinyl seller Tal Silberstein.

Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor

Caps designed by Silberstein and made by Nicole Lane Fulmer, who has done knitwork for designers like Connor McKnight and Emily Adams Bode.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

The Best Gifts at 12 Newly Opened NYC Stores