If you’ve got the space, put it to good use.
That could be the mantra for Noah, the buzzy New York-based brand founded by Brendon Babenzien and his wife, Estelle Bailey-Babenzien, in 2015.
It’s been more than a year since they managed to secure the storefront at 199 Mulberry Street, next door to their SoHo flagship. The idea all along has been to create a space dedicated to the brand’s tailored clothing and more elevated products. But while the concept was percolating, they used the space first as a showroom and then as a gallery.
The gallery, called Window at Noah, featured three different artists for three-week installations, said Bailey-Babenzien, and the company created limited-edition T-shirts that were sold in the space with the proceeds going to the charity 1% for the Planet. Among the artists featured were Paul Ferney, known for his landscapes, beaches and portraits, and Shantell Martin, a multifaceted artist.
At that time, which was in between seasons, “it was a white box,” she said. “We did that for three months, closed and did a gut renovation. And now we’re opening it in all its glory.”
Called 199, the new store will open on Thursday, and will offer men’s suits and other high-end Noah pieces as well as a small selection of womenswear. Women make up 30 percent of Noah’s customers and most of the pieces are considered unisex. But there will be a selection of women’s-specific items including skirts, jumpsuits and dresses, she said.
The store has a cozy feeling.
In addition to the clothes, the space will also offer art by Ferney and Curtis Kulig, exclusive scents by Costa Brazil and Cerato, vintage watches by Alan Bedwell of Foundwell, and lamps and ceramics from Steffany Trần of Vyvoi as well as rare books, collectible records and other special objects.
Bailey-Babenzien, who designed the store, said the space is intended to be luxurious, cozy and intimate and will make customers feel at home. But in addition, “it will still have an element of a showroom or gallery,” she said. It features walls wrapped in solid cedar wood panels and handwoven rattan and there are brass hanging bars suspended with leather.
“It’s small,” she said of the 300-square-foot space, “but we wanted it to feel more private. We’re selling higher-end clothing and are offering a different experience.”
While the customers may be the same at both stores, 199 could draw a new shopper, she said. “It might be a slightly different clientele,” she said. “And some higher-end customers may not feel as comfortable in our regular store with the loud music and skaters on the couch.”
The Noah brand is influenced by skate, surf and music culture and speaks to Brendon Babenzien’s history as the creative director of Supreme. He also serves as creative director for men’s at J.Crew.
The original store, at 195 Mulberry Street, has already been expanded once. It was originally housed in a small space on the block but when the store next door became available, the Babenziens took the location and broke through the walls to allow for a larger shopping experience for customers. The store now spans around 1,500 square feet.
Bailey-Babenzien said there are no plans to break through again to access 199, “but there’s a secret door so if a customer really wants to go through, we’ll allow that,” she said.
In addition to the stores in New York City, Noah also operates two stores in Japan and one in Seoul. These units are larger than those in New York with the Seoul location also housing a café, she said.
And the plan is to continue to expand Noah’s retail footprint. “We’re opening a bigger space in L.A.,” she said. The store, in the Sycamore District on the edge of West Hollywood and Hollywood, is currently under renovation and is expected to open next February. Bailey-Babenzien said the location is perfect for the brand since it’s located near the Jeffrey Deitch art gallery and around the corner from popular eateries and coffee shops including Gigi’s Hollywood, Tartine and Sightglass Coffee.
But like 199, since the couple already have the space, “we’ll be doing things there” as well before the store opens, she said. At 5,000 square feet, that location is large enough to also house vintage furniture, a full kitchen to host events and an outdoor patio. “But it’s going to be a continuation of a comfy, cozy, homey space rather than just a retail store,” she said.