August 6, 2008

travel brooklyn new york shopping

On Location

Red Hook

A far-flung slice of Brooklyn finds its groove. By Nicole Anderson

Tucked away in the hindermost corner of Brooklyn, Red Hook feels akin to a far-flung seaside village with its derelict cobblestone streets, industrial warehouses, and sweeping water views. While gentrification has quickly spread like an epidemic to adjacent neighborhood, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook has retained its small-town vibe and emerged as an artist enclave and home to a slew of new stylish boutiques, bars, and restaurants.

Over the years, Red Hook dwellers have used their isolated surroundings to their advantage—giving birth to an interesting cross-pollination of ideas and collaborations between stores and local artists and endowing the neighborhood with a rare and seemingly contradictory homespun sort of sophistication. Although further development hovers nearby, Red Hook preserves its rustic allure—a place that's undergoing a cultural renaissance, but still feels as if it has yet to be discovered.

Shop.

• Brooklyn Collective, 198 Columbia Street, 718-596-6231

This Columbia Street storefront-turned art and design cooperative, Brooklyn Collective, was founded in 2004 by jewelry designer, Rachel Goldberg, and clothing designer, Tessa Philips. Together they offer up a communal space where a diverse roster of up-and-coming artists can exhibit their work without the imposed limitations of the traditional marketplace. Sharing in the zeitgeist of this shop-cum-gallery, the members of the collective split the rent and keep all the proceeds. Showcasing a range of work from clothing and jewelry design to artwork and hand-made perfumes, the extensive list of members have included Becky Yazdan, Niccole Ugay, Species By The Thousands, Jennifer Serchia, May Luk and Studio 1 a.m.

• Erie Basin, 388 Van Brunt Street, 718-554-6147

With a discerning eye and knack for uncovering the unusual in antique finds, Russell Whitmore opened Erie Basin in November of 2006. Beautifully curated with a vast collection of both contemporary and vintage 19th and 20th century jewelry, antique art objects, furniture, and obscure odds and ends, this outpost will remind you of stumbling upon a dust-covered attic filled with unexpected, almost-forgotten objects. However, amid the Victorian-era brooches and anchor candle holders, don't miss the work of contemporary jewelry designers such as Brian Crumley, Conroy & Wilcox, and Paul DeBlassie IV.

• Saipua, 392 Van Brunt Street, 718-624-2929

Derived from the Finnish word for soap, this whimsical, flower-adorned shop specializes in hand-made olive oil-based soap, floral design, and custom arrangements. Though this family-owned business is located in the Hudson Valley, the Saipua storefront serves as what, co-owner, Sarah Ryhanen, describes as a working "laboratory for creativity" where she and her partner, Eric Famifan, can "play with different aesthetics."

• Home/Made, 293 Van Brunt Street

Part-boutique, part-private party catering and event space, Home/Made is the brainchild of metal artist, Leisah Swenson, and chef, Monica Byrne of nearby Tini Wine Bar. Opened in early July, this new, Red Hook address mixes and matches contemporary design with relics of the past resulting in a well-edited lineup of industrial home furnishings, jewelry, antiques, and architectural salvages.

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