From our May print magazine, recent openings and relaunches on the Lower East Side:
Rothstein Hardware (106 Ridge St.): After 60 years, Rothstein Hardware was forced to relocate from 56 Clinton St., where a new 7-story residential project is planned. The new location, near Rivington Street, is a bit off the beaten path, but owner Raymond Rodriguez hopes the store’s long history in the neighborhood will give him staying power one block to the east. Rothstein’s shelves are jam-packed with every item imaginable from nails to kitchen supplies to paint and packing boxes. The store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Flowers on Essex (120 Essex St.): The flower shop that operates out of a storefront at 365 Grand St. now has an outpost in the Essex Street Market. According to proprietor Bill Frazer, the small stall, located on the south end near Batista Grocery, will serve as a purely retail outlet, while the original store caters to both commercial clients and walk-in customers. A variety of fresh-cut flowers are displayed in a space with a rustic, homey motif. A spokesperson for the city’s Economic Development Corp. which runs the market, said it sought out a neighborhood-based vendor because flowers are an amenity other public markets provide, which Essex Market has lacked.
Kristen Lorello Gallery (195 Chrystie St.): A former associate director at the well-regarded gallery Eleven Rivington is opening a tiny space on the sixth floor of 195 Chrystie St., a building that houses many creative firms and small startups. Lorello has taken a room that measures just 165 square feet. The first show, which opened April 17, featured two artists: Brooklyn-based Rachel Higgins and Giacinto Occhionero, an Italian painter. It closes June 1. The gallery is open Wednesday through Friday, from noon to 6 p.m. and weekends 2 to 6 p.m. After 5 p.m. and on weekends, it’s necessary to ring the intercom.
BeHotel (125 Canal St.): In mid-March, the small hotel began operating near the Manhattan Bridge, offering 40 boutique-style rooms on the border of the Lower East Side and Chinatown. A mid-April survey turned up rates starting at about $290 for the most basic rooms, although cheaper internet deals are available. There’s complimentary wireless service and a 24-hour business center. The hotel is located just to the west of Chrystie Street, in the building that once housed the Grand Sichuan restaurant.
