From our December 2014 magazine, recent openings on the Lower East Side:
The Sill (84 Hester St.) The potted plant specialist operating for more than two years as an online company established a brick-and-mortar outpost on the corner of Hester and Allen streets last month. Their mission is to “make the experience of discovering the perfect potted plants as wonderful as the plants themselves.” Visitors to the shop can pick their own plants and custom-designed planters. The Sill will also create designs for residential and commercial spaces. Complementary delivery is available. The shop is open seven days a week from noon–6 p.m.
Object-ify 139 (139 Essex St.) Bogota-born artist Maria Candanoza opened what she calls an “art object and book store” on Essex Street, north of Rivington Street. She’s selling her own creations as well as books, zines and items from other New York artists. The shop is open Monday–Friday from noon–8 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Foley Gallery (59 Orchard St.) Dealer Michael Foley made the move from Allen Street to a larger space in the “Pink Building” at 59 Orchard St. The new Foley Gallery debuted November 19th with a group show called “Select Cuts & Alterations,” featuring more than twenty artists who cut, crumple or crease their materials. The 2,000-square-foot exhibition space, the gallery explains on its website, offers “prominent storefront windows that will become their own curated project space.” The storefront’s previous tenant was Cellini Uomo, a shoe store that moved further up Orchard, above Delancey Street. Foley had a strong desire for a location with more foot traffic, in the heart of the LES gallery district. While he has been focused on photography, the new space will allow the gallery to expand its horizons and to feature a wider variety of mediums. It is open Wednesday–Sunday from noon– 6 p.m.
TBD Gallery (97 Allen St.) Tomasz Nazarko opened a new art space in the storefront previously occupied by the Foley Gallery (see the previous listing). The inaugural show, running through Dec. 18, is a group exhibition titled “Talk Like Sex.” The gallery is open Wednesday–Sunday from 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Flow Life (58 Orchard St.) A “holistic lounge” offering a variety of products to inspire the mind, body and soul opened in narrow space that used to be home to the Little Shoe Store (that business moved to 40 Clinton St.) The homey, tranquil space features wellness teas, organic juices, soaps, candles and other items. There’s also jewelry from Nepal and Israel. The store carries Kabbalah-inspired King Solomon Seals jewelry. The store is open daily from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
