Just Opened: Stuart & Wright

An area on the verge of change, Fort Greene is seeing an influx of new stores sprouting up, and the newly opened Stuart & Wright is on the forefront as what's to come in the 'hood. "We were worried about the old timers," confesses co-owner Celeste Wright. "But the reaction has been really positive." Wright and her partner Alec Stuart decided that after three years together at Steven Alan ("We used to take the dreaded G-train in every morning") they would try their hands at running their own shop a little closer to home.

The self-described workaholics wanted to create a space with a laidback vibe, where people could "come in and hang out," without being turned off by a snooty atmosphere. The planning and designing of the store quickly came to fruition, and in just five months Stuart & Wright had transformed from a dilapidated French dry cleaners (the giant Eiffel Tower sign still looms high above the storefront) into a chic glass and wood emporium for low-key fashion.

"We definitely live the casual life," explains Stuart. "We have an appreciation for more formal clothing but personally we're both very casual." The sentiment is reflected in the store's architecture (designed by their Norwegian friend, Ole Sondresen); its crisp white walls and polished blond woods give the vast space an unimposing airy feel.

The clothing selection is equally inviting. For guys, it's wearable everyday basics like A.P.C. and Earnest Sewn mixed in with heavy wool jackets by Engineered Garments and Mason corduroys. For the ladies, it's chic Mina Stone shift dresses and soft, silky tops by Lyell. Some of the store's other must-haves include fleece hoodies by Engineered Garments, the La Petit Mort 1960s vintage knit crop jacket, and most importantly, the season's new anti "It" bag, the Rachel by Gryson.

Fort Greene welcomes a comfy new addition to its blossoming retail scene.