Upscale, Uptown
The story behind a skin-care and beauty products store in Harlem is the focus of an article in the New York Times business section.
"....Wedged between an H&R Block branch and a pawn shop, the light-filled store stands out on an as-yet- ungentrified stretch of 125th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard. 'We’re trying our best to provide a Madison Avenue mentality to 125th Street'....."
And the question remains: Does Harlem have any real interest in getting into a Madison Avenue state of mind? Here's the article on Lisa Price and and her cosmetics business, Carol's Daughter.
posted by Rachel Natalie Klein at 8:16 AM
10 Comments:
If Madison Avenue is coming to Harlem, I think Harlem should go to Madison Avenue. If we import Upper East Side culture we should then export some amount of Harlem culture onto Madison Avenue. As is, it's a one-sided relationship.
I've actually shopped at Lisa's store since she first opened over in Brooklyn. I love her products so I dealt with the stank attitudes of the staff at that location. The Harlem location is better but now she is changing the formulation and discontinuing some of my favorite products. It irritates me because she is now catering to a different clientele from the one who helped her build her business.
I love Carols Daughter - but im cheap lol so the 14 dollar foot scrub is kinda high for me
Why does everypost about upscale retail in harlem always have a double edged sword. Yes there are affluent blacks in harlem who are the demographic Carols caters to. Carol has been around a long time bagel. Her move to harlem is welcome. Quit with all the posts about can harlem support upscale retail that always contains underlying assumptions that the hood cant afford it. Case in point the "N" botique on 116th. You doubted that, and its thriving.
#4, You can count on two hands the number of upscale retailers & restaurateurs in Harlem. Yes there are affluent blacks here, but the overwhelming majority of Harlem's population is far from being in a 'Madison Avenue state of mind'. Of course Carol's is welcome in Harlem, that's not the issue. What's central is how business on 125th street will be for her, as she is surrounded by pawn shops and 99cent stores. other upscale businesses considering a move here will be watching her 125th street shop very closely.
Harlem Gourmet...whaaaatttt??? Save your keystrokes. Oh yeah, and do some research about where the "black" dollar tends to go.
Harlem Gourmet is right
Prove it
It ain't easy bein' Bagel. Oy!
Also a nice store with fancy creams and what not - BOMA on 126 and 5th. They have a spa, too. I can't afford it, but if you can I'm sure it's swell.
Can anyone explain to me why certain businesses insist on putting up shop in places where they are out of context? Carol's tutti-frutti creams shop is the case in point?
Post a Comment
<< Home