Downtown shopping
Downtown residents can browse clothing, furniture, jewelry and crafts from over 40 Downtown stores next week in a special two-day marketplace designed to showcase the wares of Lower Manhattan business owners.
On Saturday June 11 and Sunday June 12, business owners from the East Village, Nolita, Tribeca, the Financial District and Chinatown will set up shop in Tribeca at the Borough of Manhattan Community College gym for the event—Downtown Shops, Downright Fabulous Downtown Finds. The Women’s Venture Fund, a not-for-profit that supports women entrepreneurs in under-served urban communities, organized the event, and representatives hope the market will help boost business for area storeowners.
“This is a way to bring attention to the stores that have survived [post 9/11] and to show how unique some of the stores in Lower Manhattan really are,” said Maria Otero, president of the Women’s Venture Fund.
Participating stores include Skella, a clothing store selling items such as obi inspired wrap tops and chiffon rave pants, Moo Shoes, New York’s first all leather free shoe store, Whipper Snippers, a children’s hair salon and toy store and Quisqueyana, a store carrying handmade cigars from the Dominican Republic.
Many exhibitors will offer special discounts during the event and will honor a new Downtown Shops Discount Card, available in the program brochure, which typically offers 10 to 20% discounts on merchandise. The discount card will be honored from June 11th through Labor Day 2004. A partnership between Women’s Venture Fund and Wall Street Rising and the Lower East Side Business Improvement District will allow stores that accept these organizations’ discount cards, the” Do It Downtown” card and the “Go East” card, to also accept the new Downtown Shops card.
Families attending the event on Saturday can also participate in special activities for children, such as face painting and martial arts exhibits. Downtown Shops will be open from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday June 11th and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday June 12th at the Borough of Manhattan Community College gym on N. Moore and West Sts. in Tribeca.
Event sponsors include the Borough of Manhattan Community College, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Community Board 1 and Downtown Express.
Art bars
In the hopes to get exposure for local artists and support Lower Manhattan businesses at the same time, the Downtown Arts Club have combined the concepts of an art show and a pub crawl, for their two-week Downtown BART installation which kicks off on June 8.
The event will feature the work of over 30 artists, whose pieces will be installed at approximately a dozen bars in Lower Manhattan including the Knitting Factory, Bubble Lounge, Kori and Steamer’s Landing.
“My idea was it would be great to promote culture, fun and business in lower Manhattan,” said Downtown Arts Club co-founder Mark DeMuro. “I thought if you have art shows in fantastic bars and restaurants Downtown and if artists invite their friends, it gives exposure to their work and it introduces all these people to the terrific hosting venues.”
Opening night for the event is June 8th and will start at 6 p.m. at all participating bars. The artwork can be viewed any day until the event concludes on June 25 and event-goers are encouraged to visit several of the hosting sites. Participation is free and open to the public and interested individuals can go to the Downtown Arts Club Web site at www.downtownartsclub.com to sign for up a volunteer-guided tour, which will be capped off with dinner at a Downtown restaurant.
I.P.N. flea market
This weekend the Independence Plaza North Tenant Association is having their fourth flea market of the year. The previous three flea markets, also held on the first weekend of the month, were attended by about 500 people. The final scheduled market will be held on June 5 and 6, from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. The market is located in the large common room on the second floor of 310 Greenwich St., and will include collectables, clothing and books, among other items. Admission is free, and all proceeds benefit the I.P.N.T.A.
C.B. 1 meetings
The upcoming week’s schedule of Community Board 1 meetings is as follows. Unless otherwise noted, meetings will be held in room 709 of 49-51 Chambers St.
On Wednesday, June 9, the executive committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. to discuss committee reports. The remainder of the agenda is to be determined.
On Thursday, June 10, the Financial District committee will meet at 6 p.m. to hear a presentation on the proposed improvements to the South Ferry subway station, a liquor license application for 50 New St., a proposed newsstand at the northeast corner of Pine and Water Sts., restricted access to the 45 Wall St. garage, and establishing street fair guidelines.
On Thursday, June 10, the landmarks committee will meet at 6 p.m. in room 501 of 49-51 Chambers St. to discuss a new 9-story building planned for 53 Walker St. and an application to legalize the installation of a bracket sign without L.P.C. permits at 30 Water St.
