535 5th Avenue NY | Barami
Barami is a locally-based retailer of various contemporary women’s fashion lines (both for the office and leisure). The apparel Barami carries is geared toward the mature 30 and above female shopper.
In September 2012, this Barami outlet raised its profile and customer based by participating in the “Fashion’s Night Out” promotional event (held on opening night of “Fashion Week” in Manhattan).
530 5th Avenue NY | Fossil
Fossil is an American manufacturer best known for its watches. In addition, it also makes jewelry, clothing and accessories, sunglasses, handbags, belts, and shoes.
The brands this store carries include Fossil, Relic, Abacus, Michele Watch, Skagen, and Zodiac Watches.
In addition, Fossil also makes watches for brands such as Adidas, Emporio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Burberry, DKNY, Diesel and Armani Exchange.
529 5th Avenue NY | Best Buy
The consumer electronics retailer “Best Buy” decided to set up a 28,000 square ft. retail outlet in this busy stretch of 5th Avenue in 2005 (after men’s clothing retailer “Today’s Man” went bankrupt). The reason for their move into this location was obvious: to sell its line of PCs, flat-screen TVs, cell phones and other high-demand electronics to tourists and others. It also sells DVDs and DVD players. In addition, for those who are not too “PC savvy”, Best Buy provides “Geek Squad” house call service for customers who need their PCs and peripherals installed and running at home.
Best Buy’s major challenge seems to be providing decent customer service. Various frustrated consumers have gone onto “Google+” to air their horror stories and complaints about the bad service that Best Buy workers give them. In addition, the prices on many items (especially flat-screen TVs) are consistently higher at Best Buy than its major New York-area competitor P.C. Richard. Customer service at P.C. Richard tends to be better, too. In addition, there’s some bargaining room at P.C. Richard that’s non-existent at Best Buy.
Best Buy’s subsidiaries include CinemaNow, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, Cowboom, and in Canada operates under both the Best Buy and Future Shop labels. Together, they operate over 1,150 stores, along with over 100 Best Buy Express automated retail stores or “ZoomShops”, operated by Zoom Systems, in airports and malls around the U.S.
521 5th Avenue NY | Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters (based in Philadelphia, PA) decided to cash in on the heavy tourist traffic in this part of 5th Avenue by opening a store in late 2010 – in time for the Christmas season. Like its other stores, this Urban Outfitters carries casual men’s and women’s clothes, footwear and accessories. Its management proudly says that the store exists to serve the 18 to 30 year old crowd.
The product line has evolved from vintage, bohemian, retro, hipster, humorous, and kitschy apparel and furniture to include luxury brands and several designer collaborations.
This billion-dollar retailer currently operates in over 170 locations in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden.
510 5th Avenue NY | Joe Fresh
Canadian apparel retailer Joe Fresh took over this 5th Avenue space near 42nd Street, fueled by its initial success with a store it set up in the affluent vacation enclave of East Hampton, NY. This location (formerly occupied by Chase Bank) is a landmarked 1952 space that’s considered an icon of modernist architecture.
Joe Fresh’s orange (and white lettering) logo is hard to miss. Even though it has “Gap-like” apparel lines for men, women and children (as well as shoes, handbags, jewelry, beauty products and bath items), Joe Fresh has made efforts to appeal to college students by conducting discount promotions specifically for them. Mayor Mike Bloomberg and other VIPs attended this location’s March 2012 opening night launch party. One visitor to this store commented “consider it the Uniqlo of Canada. Clothes are stylish, classic, and young. Perfectly fit for those looking for something decent and without logos.”
Joe Fresh is distinctive in that it got its original retail start in Canadian grocery stores. It hopes to expand upon its New York entry into other parts of USA. The store’s self-described “must have” items for women include its turtle necks, neoprene jackets, gold jeans, fringed skirts, silk blouses and chunky knits.
505 5th Avenue NY | H&M Retail
The Swedish apparel retailer H&M grew in popularity in America over the years, which is reflected by its 11 locations in Manhattan. It initially made a splash selling affordable fashion items to local consumers at its first New York location (51st Street & 5th Avenue), before making its citywide expansion afterwards. Like its other stores, this H&M location is bright, with giant mannequins displaying the latest looks, and house music thumping throughout. Beware of crowded dressing rooms, thanks to the popularity of its clothes with tourists and bargain-hunting locals.
Along with its popular stores at Lexington Avneue & 59th Street (near Bloomingdale’s) and 34th Street & 7th Avenue (across the street from Macy’s), H&M opened at this spot near to catch the heavy 42nd Street foot traffic from both local office workers and tourists.
H&M’s expansion in Manhattan continued when it decided to open an outlet at 48th Street & 5th Avenue – just three blocks away from its 51st Street location. Its management felt it can afford to do so, there there’s heavy shopper foot traffic in that area (Rockefeller Center), especially during the holiday season.
505 5th Avenue NY | GNC
GNC (General Nutrition Centers) is a Pittsburgh, PA-based retailer of various nutritional supplements – supplying vitamins, minerals, herbs, sports nutrition, diet, and energy products to local health-conscious consumers. Like its competitor, Vitamin Shoppe retail stores here in U.S., GNC is cashing in on the current health craze among middle and upper income American consumers.
Along with this 5th Avenue location, GNC currently has over 6,000 stores in the USA (including 1,100 store-within-a-store outlets within Rite Aid drug stores), as well as locations in 49 other countries. In addition, its spin-off store “GNC LiveWell” currently has 41 stores located in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, Australia. GNC sells both its own branded items, as well as third-party brands.
500 5th Avenue NY | Zara Clothing
This major Spanish apparel retailer, which has stores at Lower 5th Avenue and the Upper West Side (Broadway and 66th Street), launched this prime 12,000 sq. foot 5th Avenue location in late 2008 to take advantage of the heavy 42nd Street foot traffic from both locals and visitors.
At each airy, split-level boutique, shoppers find sculptured blazers, slim trousers, and ethnic-edged pieces like breezy boho-chic tops and safari skirts for women; men can browse through the excellent selection of suiting, dress shirts, and knitwear. While most of the stock tends toward dressier, office-appropriate styles, casual sportswear like shorts, hoodies, and tees, as well as seasonal outerwear, occupies a solid chunk of the selling floor.
Its proximity to Bryant Park means that fashion-conscious Zara customers can shop there after participating in the “Fashion Week” events that are often held there every February and September.
485 5th Avenue NY | Andaz Hotel
The 184-room boutique Andaz hotel opened in 2010 by Hyatt’s boutique Andaz properties – directly across from the New York Public Library, which is meant to appeal to a young hipster crowd.
The Andaz Hotel offers guests a relaxed, upmarket place to stay with an informal lobby area, whose “hosts” mingle with guests and check them in and out with portable tablet computers in high-tech 21st century style.
The Andaz Hotel offers a wide selection of room types but décor is the same in all of them – a rather masculine palette of grey, cream and white with black porcelain and gold Travertine marble bathrooms. Wifi access is free, as are local phone calls and the snacks and soft drinks in the minibar. Large 42-inch flatscreen TVs, iPod docks, air conditioning, robes, safes, hairdryers and 24-hour room service are all available as standard.
This modern-minimalist hotel has a street-level eatery on the ground floor known as The Shop. It is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner in the week, and brunch and dinner only at the weekend. An open kitchen dishes up tasty New York treats such as bagels, pancakes, egg cream sodas, hand cut pastrami and daily specials. There is also a retail area selling cookery books and novels, jars of pickles and chutneys, and coffee and muffins to go.
A speakeasy-style bar in the basement (open 5pm-12am Monday to Friday and 6pm-1am Saturday) serves food, cocktails and wine, and has slate floors and brick walls. I didn’t get a chance to visit during the evening but I imagine it would attract a rather hip crowd at the Andaz Hotel.
70th Street & 5th Avenue NY | The Frick Collection
The Frick Collection (Museum), located at 5th Avenue and East 70th Street (facing Central Park) is one of the preeminent small art museums in America, with a high-quality collection of old master paintings and fine furniture housed in 6 galleries within the formerly occupied residential mansion. It is named after the former residence of steel magnate Henry Clay Frick. The house was designed by American architect Thomas Hastings and constructed in 1912-1914 (World War I period), and is set apart from 5th Avenue’s sidewalk by a garden that is enclosed by an iron rail fence.
The collection features some of the best-known paintings by major European artists, as well as numerous works of sculpture and porcelain. It also has 18th century French furniture, Limoges enamel, and Oriental rugs. After Frick’s death, his daughter, Helen Clay Frick, expanded the collection, with a third of its art works acquired since 1919. The Frick also oversees the nearby Frick Art Reference Library.
The Frick Collection opened to the public in 1935. The Frick was built at a time when almost every building on 5th Avenue above 59th Street was a private mansion, with a few private clubs and a hotel. Amidst this wealth, Henry Clay Frick’s home was among the most opulent, with private gardens both on the avenue front and in an interior courtyard.
