Barney’s Co-op to Open October 14th

By on October 7, 2010 8:31 pm in Shopping

While walking past the Barney’s Co-op construction (on Atlantic Ave.) this morning, I poked my head inside and asked the guys when they would be finished. “Next Thursday!” they said, rather cheerfully. I suppose they’re as happy to be done with the renovating as we are to get our hands on the goods. I’m getting a little long in the tooth for Urban Outfitters, though I can still get away with their floral ensembles for another couple years, maybe. It’s not as bad as if I were shopping at Contempo Casuals or something. (Am I dating myself yet?)

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  • John Sean

    Well at least they should not have bed bugs!

  • Jorale-man

    I just hope the Barney’s doesn’t have an adverse effect on the small business that give Atlantic its character. That’s what happened on the Upper West Side – the neighborhood became more upscale, wealthier businesses moved in and the mom and pop stores were pushed out. Now Broadway is a sea of drug stores and bank branches.

    And yes, Urban Outfitters and TJ’s have been there for a while but Barney’s is a much more upscale brand. Will be interesting to see how it shakes out over time.

  • nabeguy

    Welcome to Brooklyn, Mr. Pressman. It’s my greatest hope that, having arrived on our side of the river, you’ll revert to the discount policies that drove me to take a train into the “city” to buy an off-price Pierre Cardin suit for my high school graduation in 1974

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales

    I’m remembering a Barney’s TV ad circa 1970, when I first moved to New York, that featured a bunch of middle school age boys talking about what they wanted to do when they grew up. The first few to speak had the usual ambitions: play baseball, be an astronaut; then one of them said, “What about you, Barney?” Cut to a skinny kid with black-framed glasses: “Well, one thing I know–you’re all gonna need clothes.”

  • AEB

    But where exactly will it be? The south side of Atlantic, I’ll bet, thus placing it just beyond the BH pale.

    I know, I know: what’s the big deal about crossing a street? To which I refer you to Lady Bracknell in “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

    Trying to determine if her daughter’s suitor, Jack, will make a socially acceptable mate, she asks him where he lives.

    Jack tells Lady Bracknell his address in London

    “Lady Bracknell: The unfashionable side. I thought there was something.
    [she reaches for the bell, but reconsiders and pulls back] However, that could easily be altered.

    Jack: Do you mean the fashion, or the side?

    Lady Bracknell: Both, if necessary, I presume! “

  • nabeguy

    Claude, I remember that ad…I had the same glasses at the time. Now, they’d certainly be considered retro and probably cost beaucoup bucks at Barneys. How’s that for revenge of the nerds?

  • Henry

    Unfortunately my age is showing because I remember it when it was “Barney’s Boys’ Town” which was well before it became chic. It was the Robert Hall for boys.

  • Macman

    Jorale-man…

    While I’ll admit that I’m not a Barney’s shopper, it’s not like Barney’s is a Wal-Mart which pushes out local business that can’t compete on price. Barney’s is by any measure a very high-end, exclusive retail store focused on a very specific market. I don’t see a slew of other high-end, exclusive retail stores on Atlantic (which, come on, isn’t exactly a quaint, picturesque street) that are going to get pushed out. Barney’s opened an outpost in SoHo, and SoHo is still jammed with very high-end retail stores. Nor do I see the presence of Barney’s raising lease prices in the area so much that businesses can’t afford it – there are tons of empty spaces on Atlantic and Barney’s could very well bring a lot more foot-traffic to an area that could benefit from it. We didn’t see the local food stores on Court and Smith get pushed out when Trader Joe’s opened. Maybe some more new businesses will open nearby due to the fact that Barney’s will be there and will drive traffic to the area. I do hope, however, that local mainstays won’t be forced out (e.g. Montero’s Bar), so I’m with you on that point.

    Please, everyone, don’t use “the upper west side” and “Brooklyn Heights” in the same sentence. Ever. The upper west side is lame, and has always been lame. Broadway/Amsterdam was for a very long time not just lame, but dangerous and seedy. The presence of more banks, Duane Reeds, Jamba Juices, etc. may make the are no longer so dangerous but it’s still lame.

  • Teddie Boy Eddie

    Any idea when the Chess King opens?

  • hicks-ter

    Bonus points for Contempo Casuals shout-out! Takes me back to shopping at the Galleria in the 80s.

  • http://heatherquinlan.com Heather Quinlan

    @hicks-ter “At the Galleriahhhhhh!!!”

  • I wonder

    Do you really think this neighborhood is ready for a high end store such as Barney’s? I get the impression that residents and workers around here dress very casual, and are not interested in spending a lot of money on their clothing. I’m curios to know if there is really a market for this type of store.

  • I wonder

    What do you think?

  • Heather Quinlan

    I think people are going to lose their minds over it. We’ll see tomorrow.

  • nabeguy

    Given Barney’s prices, they’ll probably lose their shirts first.

  • Jorale-man

    It will appeal to a certain demographic. As I mentioned before, I worry about the damaging effect it could have on some of the long-term businesses on Atlantic if it sets a new standard for rents on the strip.