The Ever-Changing face of Ludlow Street Retail

In 1997, the New York Times said, “it seems more guitars are being carried along Ludlow Street, between Houston and Stanton Streets, than on any other block in New York City.” This then “unspoiled” eastern Bohemia proudly wore the ethnic stamps of its immigrant population who lived in the century-old tenements only visible today at Ludlow’s southern tip. But while the spirit of Lou Reed lingers in legend some twenty years after the NY Times article, the stamp you’ll wear is probably on your wrist from the bouncer at the door of Dirty French or Pianos nightclub from when he checked your id. Institutions like Max Fish, the Pink Pony Cafe, Motor City Bar, Ludlow Guitars and Earth Matters health food store were slowly squeezed out over the past decade by the glass condominiums buildings which dwarf the still-thriving Katz’s Deli on the street’s north-eastern corner.

Now Ludlow Street appears in the glossy pages of style bibles rather than in newspaper columns. Katz’s Diner is the location for Vogue magazine’s August editorial featuring Fall’s runway looks. It’s somewhat symbolic of the optimistic wave of retail that clamors to call the street home, along with three luxury hotels, and the bacchanalian wealth of bars and restaurants. Because when ODD, that emporium of eclectic, overseas, or difficult-to-find young designer labels, left the street last August, there was concern the street’s fashion credentials might be cancelled.

ODD’s founder Judson Harmon cited the need for more space as the reason for his move, saying in a press release, “The Ludlow location was the incubator and birthplace for much of our concept which has evolved, or rather transformed, tremendously over the past 5 years.”

The street continues to draw independent boutiques

Indeed incubation and evolution have proved to be the key to the prominence of Ludlow Street. One of the longest-standing boutiques is decade-old Yumi Kim, located on the corner of Rivington, a perfumed, vintage-inspired, girly sanctuary from the industrial minimalism associated with much of New York retail. But Yumi Kim represents the old guard as rebirth begins just a few doors south.

At number 138, indie Williamsburg-born brand Oak popped up, attracting fans of their moody draped items in every shade of charcoal. Opposite stands the first brick and mortar presence of digital native retailer of Made-in-the-U.S. goods, Bishop Collective, which opened in June. Co-founder of Bishop Collective, Dimitri Koumbis, told FashionUnited he had been location-scouting for over 2 years when he and his partner decided on Ludlow and the 700 sq. ft. former real estate agent’s office, which satisfied their “laundry list of necessities including price, neighborhood, pedestrian foot traffic, accessibility to public transportation, and natural light.” The added value of “the quintessential NYC retail boutique aesthetic with exposed brick, concrete floors, a gorgeous skylight, unique large storefront windows and exposed staircase” which were no longer so easy to find made the space special. Koumbis says, “It was a gift from the universe, adjacent to the Ludlow House, several hotels including the prestigious Ludlow Hotel, and like-minded brands such as Reformation. It was the true community space we have been dreaming about since opening online in 2013.”

With rent prices comparatively lower than Soho or Nolita, the store benefits from the diversity of businesses on the street. Koumbis describes a “customer base that is a bit more eclectic, from college-age fashionistas to rock and roll grandmas, all of whom are professional, educated, and interested in engaging with brands on a more intimate level.”

Ludlow Street’s art and music history

Greg Armas, owner of Assembly New York, which sells a well-curated mix of designer, vintage and unisex labels, at number 170 Ludlow Street, who has a second location in Los Angeles, told FashionUnited he chose the street because of its long history with music and art culture on an independent level. “Before it was Assembly, our space was Alleged Gallery, Aaron Rose's first gallery. And our basement was a recording studio in the 80s, hosting bands like Liquid Liquid and Sonic Youth. Assembly has always been rooted in art (my background is gallery curation) and music, so Ludlow was an appropriate home. Our building is from 1899 and we still have our original storefront; because this originally was a poor tenement neighborhood and a lot of the businesses and architecture had remained untouched over time.”

Assembly has been on the street for 10 years but only 7 of these occupying the current address. A certain amount of flitting about on Ludlow Street is not uncommon. Dana Foley, vendor of vintage, now located at 138 was previously installed at number 151, and before that she was one half of retailer Foley + Corinna whose store was just around the corner on Stanton Street. Clearly a fondness for the area motivates retailers to do all they can to navigate the city’s notoriously ruthless landlords.

Armas says, “Relationships in NY are everything. We have had a wonderful experience growing together with our landlords, they have always been very supportive. That being said, the rents in all of downtown have become inhibitive for most independent businesses, and Ludlow at one time was home to almost exclusively small businesses owned by artisans, artists, etc.” However, Armas agrees with Koumbis in that there are still more competitively priced opportunities in this neighborhood than adjacent areas.

Essex Crossing project will bring further change

While well-dressed twenty-somethings continue to make a Saturday afternoon post-brunch pilgrimage to Reformation, a vast, wooden-floored store selling repurposed clothing headquartered in L.A, and the restaurants and bars hop for at least five nights a week, the street is poised for ever more influx. The once forgotten area of Ludlow Street below Delancey is currently under construction with the Essex Crossing project, which includes 450,000 square feet of retail space over nine sites connected by bike paths and green space, as well as the new home of the International Center of Photography, continuing Ludlow’s history with visual arts. Essex Crossing’s website promises the arrival of a diverse mix of large and small retailers “inkeeping with the neighborhood's rich history.”

Asked how the street has changed, Armas responds, “Wildly in ways and in other ways not a wink. This street has always maintained a very late night crowd and is littered with music venues, clubs, and bars, that will likely never change as it really is part of the DNA here. What is different now is the immense amount of international tourists.”

While those tourists are lining up outside Katz’s Diner to honor Meg Ryan’s scene in When Harry Met Sally more than the Velvet Underground’s early gigs, and while the guitars have been replaced by earbuds and iPhones, and while the Bohemia is represented more by Yumi Kim’s tarmac-grazing bold floral dresses, than the clashing immigrant and artist cultures, one fact remains: Ludlow still vibrates with youth.

Fashion editor Jackie Mallon is also an educator and author of Silk for the Feed Dogs, a novel set in the international fashion industry.

Photos from top: Assembly New York, Ludlow Street, Yumi Kim, Reformation, by FashionUnited; Bishop Collective store front by Bishop Collective