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Organic Modernism

Location
124 West 18th Street
Neighborhoods
Organic Modernism 1 Furniture and Home Furnishings Chelsea

Surrounded by prominent furniture stores, the lesser-known Organic Modernism stands out because of its uniquely modern, fashionable, and personalized furniture with a European flair. This family-owned flagship boutique is full of 1950s Scandinavian furniture, all manufactured in the United States. My intern, Emily, was drawn to the wooden, brass, and bronze work sprinkled throughout the store. Nick, the manager of Organic Modernism, explained that they always keep their doors open so that people feel comfortable to wander throughout the boutique or even stay for an afternoon. Nick invites his customers to have meetings at one of their tables or relax in a large comfy chair while sipping on a warm cup of tea that he is happy to prepare. As Nick says, “customers become family to us.” He likes to have coffee, tea, and Belgian chocolates available, because making personal relationships is important to him. Organic Modernism is about more than just purchasing a sofa. As Nick says, “You feel like you’re making a friend.”

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Organic Modernism 1 Furniture and Home Furnishings Chelsea
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France & Son

France and Son is a delightful maze stocked with mid-century, modern furniture pieces with a contemporary twist. A bold array of light fixtures hang from the ceiling while a mixed assortment of modern and classic couches and chairs fill the space. I spoke with Brad, one of the founders of France and Sons, who sat in his favorite item in the store, a brown leather modern wing chair. Brad has been responsible for building the company's retail brand and online presence. Brad and his partner, Kevin Wu, named their furniture store after a pre-existing Danish manufacturer from the 1950s. They settled on the name France and Son because it was recognizable among designers and others interested in furniture. Today, France and Son specializes in reproducing pieces designed in the 1950s and 1960s. Similar to the original manufacturer, their store has a mid-century feel. France and Son is in the midst of expanding their work to include more contemporary, high-end leather couches. As Brad explained, “it’s all an experiment. ” They are constantly trying out new designs to find what people want. Most of their customers are young professionals who are buying their first nice pieces of furniture, so they try to offer everyone a personal shopping experience. The two men pride themselves on their ability to allow customers the opportunity to rent anything on the floor and to purchase floor samples. As Brad said, “We don’t mind catering to the customers and doing whatever makes them happy. ”

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Rothman's

Ken Giddon likes to say that he went “from riches to rags” by leaving a career as a bond trader to reopen his grandfather’s men’s clothing store. Harry Rothman used to peddle his wares from a pushcart on Delancey Street in the 1920s before moving into a retail space. “He kind of created the concept of a discount clothing store, ” Ken remarked. Rothman's closed for a time after Harry’s death in 1985, but Ken revived the business a year later in a stunning, 11, 000-square-foot storefront on the corner of 18th Street in Union Square. “I love being on a side street. It gives us the ability to afford a bigger space while watching the movable feast that is New York walk by every day. ” Five years after the shop’s reopening, Ken invited his brother, Jim, to join him. “This is one of the true family businesses in Manhattan. ” The store, which carries both casual and formal attire from top designers, aims to make the shopping experience for men “as efficient and rewarding as possible. ” To this end, Ken and Jim scour the market, travel abroad, and attend numerous trade shows to find the best brands. “We try to provide our customers with that personal, small-town feel in the middle of the city, ” Jim said. Despite Rothman's more modern look and merchandise, the brothers strive to keep some core elements of their grandfather’s business alive, particularly by preserving his humble approach to owning a men’s retail store. As Harry used to say, “It’s not so serious what we do. We just sell pants for a living. ”