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Authentiques Past and Present

Location
255 West 18th Street
Neighborhoods
Authentiques Past and Present   LOST GEM 1 Collectibles Chelsea

The first time we dropped by this shop in its little niche of 18th Street, we spent the better part of an hour sorting through old New York postcards. Recently, we were there again and could not help but spend more quality time slowly sifting through trinkets and curios displayed behind glass. Partners for over fifty years, Robert Pusilo and Paul Lemma's reserve of vintage 1950s lamps, baby boomer cartoon memorabilia, Murano glass, barware, a substantial collection of 1960s napkin holders, and salt and pepper shakers is a treat to wander through. And if all of this is not enough, it is Christmas all year round at Authentiques. The collections of ornaments and other decorations is remarkable as are the shelves filled with Halloween merchandise. Most certainly, this well-filled shop on 18th is a fabulous place for anyone with a penchant for nostalgia.

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More places on 18th Street

Lost Gem
Rothman's 1 Videos Mens Clothing Founded Before 1930 undefined

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. ”