Warburg Blog

Meet Josiph Stamevski, General Manager at Chelsea Manor, a small, trendy lounge in the heart of Chelsea. Their ten-dollar lunch special makes it a popular place for a quick bite to eat and their delicious cocktails ensure that Chelsea Manor always has a crowd.

Chelsea Manor

138 West 25th Street

New York, NY 10001

How would you describe Chelsea Manor?

We are a small lounge that offers affordable lunch, dinner and late night entertainment. Starting in the fall we will also offer delivery.

When did the Chelsea Manor first open?

We opened in January 2011.

Who are your typical clientele?

During happy hour we have a lot of businessmen and of course it varies on the weekend. Friday and Saturday are definitely the busiest nights.

Tell me about the menu and the items served here?

We have a full dinner menu with American tapas and entrees. The martini list is very popular. Personally, I like the passion fruit martini!

What was the best event you’ve hosted so far at the Chelsea Manor?

That would have to be the Cinco De Mayo party we hosted for Forbes magazine. The crowd was huge…a lot of interesting people…a lot of beautiful people – it made for great people watching! It was very extravagant. But we also like to host more modest charity events here – those are great because we have a chance to give back to the community. We contribute part of the proceeds to the charity that is hosting the party.

What was the most creative party at the Chelsea Manor?

We had a birthday party here once that was pretty crazy. Our guest was Brazilian and chose to theme the entire party after his culture – the food, the dancers, everything! The dancers even did flips! I’ve never seen anything like it.

Best thing about running a bar?

It’s challenging because weekends are difficult when it’s busy, but it’s a lot of fun to work here. The staff is like a big family!

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

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Meet Jay Gurewitsch, owner of Chelsea’s elegant-yet- affordable gift shop, Arcadia. Gurewitsch has traveled far and wide to find souvenirs that embody his motto, “simple is beautiful.” He is known, among both New York locals and far-from-home tourists, for his whimsical and exclusive international products.

Arcadia

228 8^th Avenue

New York, NY 10011

Tell me a bit about the history of Arcadia.

When I decided to go into this business I said, “Do we really need another gift store in Manhattan?” If you want all the brand names you can go to Bloomingdales and if you go to gift stores in Manhattan you’ll see 99% of the same product. At Arcadia we do have some mainstream products because they’re requested by our customers, but 90% of what we specialize in are rare pieces from around the world.

What are some of your favorite items that you sell?

It’s hard to say because we consider all of our pieces to be unique and special. But we just got in the book “Go the F**k to Sleep,” by Adam Mansbach. The book is very accurate — especially for anyone with children under the age of 12.

Another great item is the Zipper Bowl by Lilach Lotan. It’s literally a white, porcelain bowl with a zipper on it. And Roger Wood is another great artist who makes one-of-a-kind clocks from old watch and clock parts.

Do you live in the area? How has Chelsea transformed in the past 11 years?

I’ve lived in Chelsea for 15 years now and it’s very different now than when I first moved here. At that time, there were parts of Chelsea that didn’t feel safe at night. Today, it’s not like that at all – I am always explaining to tourists that Chelsea streets are safe at any hour…day or night.

What’s your favorite thing about Chelsea?

The park at the General Theological Seminary is great and very few people know about it.

What’s your favorite place for lunch in the neighborhood?

I’m a big fan of Nisos – it’s a nice Greek restaurant right down the street.

How did you come up with your slogan, “simple is beautiful?”

The story behind the slogan comes from the last phase of my Bar Mitzvah Torah portion. The text was about how God doesn’t want your sacrifices and money — he just wants you to live a simple and ethical life. This phrase left an enormous impression on me. I applied it to my store because I don’t like to sell items that are complicated with instruction manuals. I want life to be simple because simple really is beautiful.

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

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Meet Joey Gonzales, owner of Barry’s Bootcamp. With a new location right here in Chelsea, Barry’s Bootcamp brings its famous “Best Workout in the World” to New York City.

Barry’s Bootcamp

135 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011

Who is Barry?

He was our first trainer at the West Hollywood location.

How did Barry’s Boot Camp make its way to Chelsea?

New Yorkers who visited the original studio in West Hollywood have been begging us to open a Barry’s Bootcamp in New York City for years now. We decided that it was time to share our success with the East Coast!

What kind of workout do you offer?

Our classes are one hour. They consist of 30 minutes of cardiovascular on the treadmill and 30 minutes of strength training using weights. And we’re the only treadmill/weight class in New York! It’s a very well rounded class of exercise techniques.

How can people manage to devote time to staying fit despite busy schedules?

I don’t think that work should be an excuse. Barry’s Bootcamp was originally built for actors in the industry who work crazy long hours and still managed to take 5:30 a.m. classes. The truth is that everyone really has time.

How many sessions before you see results (be honest!)?

For people who really want change, you should attend 4-5 classes a week in the beginning.

Any age restrictions?

My father takes the class. He’s 75!

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

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Meet Romain Lamaze. He’s the managing director and co-founder of La Bergamote Patisserie, located in the heart of Chelsea, and a native of France. Hailing from a family of bakers who love to eat, Lamaze is proud of his traditional, Old Country recipes. He always dreamt of sharing his love of and of French pastries with the residents of New York City. The fabulous French cakes, tarts, croissants, Viennoiseries and other mind boggling delicious treats sold at La Bergamote Patisserie are enough to leave you in a Parisian daze.

La Bergamote Patisserie

177 Ninth Avenue

New York, NY 10011

Tell me about the history of La Bergamote.

My partner and I, Stephane Willemin, opened the first location across the street in 1998. Stephane trained as a pastry chef and used to work with my father. At one point, we decided to open up a business together. There weren’t many French pastry shops in New York City in 1998.

How has the Chelsea neighborhood changed since you opened in 1998?

It’s changed completely. When La Bergamote opened in 1998 there was nothing around here —we were one of the only shops. Now you can see there is so much more. Every corner, every storefront is now occupied. It’s like a mushroom town. Buildings keep sprouting up. And we moved to this current location in 2010 because we’re planning on adding a restaurant to the patisserie.

Do you live in the area?

Yes.

What’s your favorite thing about Chelsea?

The short commute!

How did you decide on the menu for your restaurant?

Well, there’s not really a menu. We sell the same traditional French pastries that you would find in a patisserie in France.

Are there any secret ingredients in your cakes?

Our pastries are unique. Stephane took the traditional French recipes and enhanced them into finer recipes. We work with our demand. The cakes are customized for the clientele while maintaining the basic French recipe.

Do a lot of celebrities stop by?

Every day. But I don’t want to give any names.

What’s the most desired item on your menu?

The croissant. Of course.

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

Meet Ariel Norwood and Andrew Smith. Norwood is Marketing Team Leader and Smith Associate Team Leader of the specialty department at the Whole Foods Market in Chelsea. Norwood and Smith are dedicated employees who strive to maintain the organic, sustainable and farmer friendly feel of Whole Foods. The market’s success and popularity is due, in large part, to the very close relationships they’ve built among their experienced staff members and with the regular Chelsea shoppers.

Whole Foods

250 7th Ave
New York, NY 10001 USA

Tell me about the history of Whole Foods.

AN: We’re a 30-year-old company based out of Austin, Texas. We were originally a very small team with only a handful of members. But the company has obviously grown.

How does the Whole Foods team operate?

AN: From a production standpoint, we like to encourage people to think out of the box and be creative. We’re very open to team members bringing in new products for their sections of the store. This is really empowering for the people who work here because they have the opportunity to express what they’re interested in.

AS: Also, we’re not labeled as managers at Whole Foods because there’s no task that we don’t do, from the most complex to the most mundane. The other day I spent three hours cleaning out drains! The structure at Whole Foods is such that the leaders delegate while leading by example.

When did the Chelsea location open? How does it compare to other Whole Foods stores around the world?

AN: We just celebrated our 10-year anniversary this past February and this is the oldest location in New York City. Specific to Chelsea, we work hard to build partnerships with other local businesses. We like to give back to the community and our customers. For example, over the holidays we did a MacBook Air giveaway and “tweet-away” in conjunction with Tekserve. We also donated one hundred apple pies to the local Holy Apostle soup kitchen and Tekserve provided iPod shuffles to the volunteers.

Does this store host any classes?

AS: No, due to space limitations. However, once a month we invite three to five beer vendors to the market. They bring in their beer samples and we pair them with food that will attract customers. Where else can you go for three hours and get to sample 20 different beers?

How does Whole Foods contribute to widespread movements like “Support Your Local Farmer” and sustainability?

AS: We really excel at telling the story of where our products come from. If you look at a piece of our chicken, cheese or meat, you can trace it back to the farm. I think our customers appreciate the connection that we have with our farmers and distributors.

AN: Yeah, everything at Whole Foods is very transparent. For example, we’ve started color-coding and separating our meat so people know how it was handled.

How has the neighborhood transformed in the past few years?

AN: Chelsea is experiencing a renaissance and food revolution. There’s been a lot of construction, building developments and new openings like the Limelight Marketplace. There’s so much more life in the neighborhood and it’s very exciting!

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

For this week’s blog post we have a very special guest: Marc Palermo, real estate agent at Warburg Realty and lucky winner of the Classic Car Club’s weekend giveaway. Since Carriage House was once home to Manhattan’s longest-operating garage, the developers decided to team up with Classic Car Club for the building’s recent launch party. By entering his business card into the contest, Palermo won the keys to a Classic Car of his choice for a weekend. We were interested to see what Palermo planned on doing with his prize—or as he prefers to call it — his ‘blessing’!

How did you feel when you were announced the winner of a Classic Car for the weekend at the Carriage House launch event?

I was very surprised. You always enter your name into these contests hoping for the best. I was especially thrilled because I love classic cars and even have my own classic Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

What do you plan to do with the car – and which car have you chosen?

I chose the Shelby Cobra. I have a country house so I’m probably going to pick a beautiful weekend in October when the foliage is at its prime. It will be a scenic drive with the roof down.

What did your wife say when you told her you had won a Classic Car for a weekend?
She was very excited! Now we have to figure out if we can fit a car seat into it.

As a long-time agent specializing in the luxury market, tell us your thoughts on Carriage House?

Carriage House offers the ultimate in luxury: a boutique lifestyle in one of New York’s best neighborhoods. It’s a perfect marriage of pre-war character and modernity. Also: the amenities and finishes of the building are outstanding.

Are the other agents at Warburg jealous of your prize?

Warburg has a really great group of agents. I really felt that they were happy for me although I’m sure a few of them would have loved the prize themselves. I’ll be sure to park the car outside of the Warburg office for a few hours on the first day—just to, you know, tease them a little bit.

Is this the best prize you’ve ever won?

I’ve never really won a whole lot. I like to call the car a blessing rather than a prize!

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

For example, meet Caroline Bell. She’s a longtime coffee connoisseur and the owner of four Café Grumpy locations in New York. Caroline’s particular passion and entrepreneurial spirit was the inspiration behind her cafés, where New Yorkers can sip lattes in a relaxed environment in the heart of a bustling neighborhood. Café Grumpy’s Chelsea location, which opened in 2006, is a popular destination for locals, tourists and coffee addicts just passing through.

Café Grumpy

224 West 20^th Street

New York, NY 1001

212-255-5511

Tell me about Café Grumpy and how it got started.

In 2005, my husband [Chris] and I opened the first Café Grumpy location in Greenpoint. Since then, we’ve added cafés in Park Slope, Chelsea and the Lower East Side.

Are you from the local area? What did you do before?

I’m from Ramsey, New Jersey. Prior to the restaurant business, I worked at a variety of different jobs, including at an art gallery. We always hang local art around the café. It’s great exposure for artists. Akane Ogura’s colorful portraits are currently displayed around the café.

How has the Chelsea neighborhood changed over the past 5 years?

I definitely feel like it’s gotten busier. There are more people walking through, especially towards The High Line. A lot of stores along the avenue have changed and there’s absolutely more places to eat.

Speaking of, what’s your favorite lunch or dinner spot in the area?

Le Zie is pretty great. They have a bar and a restaurant.

Any secret/specialty coffees that only the regulars know about?

Yeah, one drink that’s not on the menu that regulars like to order is the Gibraltar. It’s a stronger form of a cappuccino that you’re supposed to take in a shot.

How did you choose the name “Café Grumpy”?

When we were coming up with the name for the café we would talk to people who specialized in coffee and realized that they always had a little attitude. It became our joke and eventually my brother designed the Café Grumpy logo.

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

Meet Haroldynne Rannels. A long-time business owner in Chelsea, Haroldynne, co-owner and manager of Olde Good Things, has an eye for beauty and a knack for uncovering treasures even in the unlikeliest of places. It seems quite fitting that Haroldynne, who breathes life into unwanted objects and materials, has been front and center of this neighborhood’s own incredible transformation.

Interview with Haroldynne Rannels

Co-owner/Manager Olde Good Things

124 West 24^th St. (between 6^th and 7^th Avenues)

Tell me about yourself and Olde Good Things.

I’m Haroldynne Rannels, co-owner/manager at Olde Good Things. We buy and sell architectural and altered antiques. The store has been open for about 15 years.

What are some of the items you sell?

Marble mantles, stain glass, chandeliers, lamps, statues, hardware and windows. We also make things with salvaged items such as tables with reclaimed wood, or mirrors with our ceiling panels.

How do you usually find your pieces?

People come to us, but most often, we buy and sell to antique dealers. We also do our own salvaging and often work with demolition companies. And we travel quite far, actually. We’ve been to Texas, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Ohio, Canada… all over.

What are some exceptional pieces you’ve come across?

We got marble mantels from the Plaza Hotel a few years ago, when they were renovating. We received all the windows from the Flat Iron building, as well as from Cooper Union. Right now, we have stained glass windows from the American Airlines Terminal at JFK.

How many locations do you have?

We have two other locations in New York: 5 East 16^th Street (Union Square) and 450 Columbus Avenue on the West Side. We also do wholesale. In addition, we have a truck –which looks like a circus truck –with all sorts of antiques on display. We have someone driving the truck all over the city, which also helps advertise the business. Our warehouse in Scranton is also open to the public.

What kind of space was this before becoming Olde Good Things?

It used to be a warehouse space, a real disaster when we first got it. We tore out the walls; and the skylights were sealed, so we opened them up. We also added another floor.

What is your favorite café/ restaurant/ after work place in the area?

I get my black coffee every morning from Corner Café (on 24^th Street and 6^th Avenue.) I love Italian food, so Bella Napoli (on 7^th Avenue and 25^th Street) is great! I often get the Chicken Margherita.

What was the area like 15 years ago?

It’s changed tremendously in the past 10 years. It used to be mostly manufacturing companies. Slowly but surely, it’s evolving. Now there are boutiques, Whole Foods across the street… and great condominium buildings!

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

Meet Kyle Garcia. As sales associate and manager at parke & ronen, a trendy boutique catering to fashion-conscious men, Kyle knows a thing or two about style. The store, which opened 14 years ago, offers all the latest fashion essentials – and is particularly well known for its private-label swim collection.

Interview with Kyle Garcia

SALES ASSOCIATE and MANAGER at

PARKE & RONEN

176 9th Avenue (between 20th and 21st St)

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m Kyle Garcia, a sales associate and manager at parke & ronen, a New York-based clothing store featuring men’s fashions by two exciting designers – Parke Lutter and Ronen Jehezkel. The store has its own collection, parke & ronen, which is particularly known for its swimwear.

Can you tell me more about the store: How long has it been open? What items are you known for?

The store has been open for 14 years at this same location. We have a wide range of swimwear: from bikini-style to long shorts in a variety of colors, styles, patterns and fabrics. The parke & ronen line also features other items such as slacks and t-shirts. Plus, we do carry a lot of cashmere, and hats for fall/winter collections.

Do you have a typical clientele?

We get a lot of neighborhood customers – regulars who stop by to see our new collections. But people from all over the city come shop here. It is our only location in New York.

Do you carry any other brands in the store?

We do: New Balance shoes, Retro-brand shirts, Tretorn shoes, Levi’s jeans.

Is the parke & ronen line designed in New York?

Yes, everything is designed and made in New York. In addition to being business partners, Parke and Ronen are also a couple. They have a showroom in the city and a boutique in Los Angeles. We also sell our clothing wholesale to different boutiques in New York and Miami – including Barneys New York .

What’s your favorite neighborhood place? Any favorite morning coffee? lunch spot?

The food at Buddakan is really good; I like Asian-fusion cuisine. And I’ll always die for a chocolate cookie from Billy’s Bakery!

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com

Meet Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz. The fabulous duo are owners of the world renowned apothecary and lab, Malin + Goetz. Their combined expertise in cosmetic design and architecture led to the store’s immediate success. Between the beautifully designed, effective products and the store’s stunning interior décor, Malin + Goetz has become a skin care haven for people far and wide, ranging from neighborhood locals to loyal customers world-wide.

Interview with MATTHEW MALIN AND ANDREW GOETZ

Malin + Goetz

177 Seventh Avenue (between 20th and 21st St)

Tell me about the history of Malin + Goetz.

AG: We launched our first location in Chelsea seven years ago in March of 2004. The idea was that the store would be a mix of my world and Matthew’s world; my background is from working with the design manufacturer Vitra and Matthew specializes in cosmetics—he previously worked for Kiehl’s and Helmut Lang Perfumes.

What kind of products do you sell in your store?

AG: Products for skin care, body care, hair care, perfume and apothecary instruments.

How did you two meet and start this company together?

AG: We met seventeen years ago at a bar in the East Village. We’ve been living together for sixteen years and working with each other for seven.

What’s the most popular product?

AG: Our grapefruit face cleanser followed by our vitamin E face moisturizer. What’s interesting about the brand is that we have four categories: face, body, hair and then we do candles and fragrances as a separate category. While we’re known for our skin care line, every category does really well.

Where are other Malin + Goetz store locations?

MM: We have stores in the US in San Francisco, Santa Monica and the Upper West Side. Then we have a store in Osaka, Japan and Taipei, Taiwan. We love Japanese food!

What type of clientele do your products cater to?

MM: Our clientele is 50-50 women to men. Couples come here and shop together. Or maybe they just steal from one another!

Tell me about the graphic design of your products.

AG: We work with a really great design firm by the name of 2 x 4. We brought them an old apothecary bottle and told them our idea: to modernize the apothecary bottle. We loved the design of the old apothecary bottle but the glass shape was impractical.

What sets your cosmetics apart from other products?

AG: We aim to make our products modern both in terms of packaging and formulation. We don’t use unnecessary dyes, perfumes, and fragrances because our line caters to those with sensitive skin. Our skin care products are simple and irritation free.

Do you also live in the area?

MM: Yes, we live right around the corner.

What’s the best thing about Chelsea?

AG: The galleries and the High Line. In terms of convenience, Chelsea is extraordinarily accessible.

MM: It’s a real, thriving neighborhood and has remained very diverse.

What is the best kept secret about Chelsea?

MM: The gardens at the General Theological Seminary are really special and beautiful. Many people don’t realize it’s actually open to the public.

Does a Chelsea customer differ from someone from another part of the city?

AG: Yes. They are a little bit more laid back, educated, sophisticated and they like to shop. In New York, the neighborhood chooses you, you don’t choose the neighborhood.

For more information on Carriage House or to set up a site visit, please feel free to contact me at JTurken@warburgrealty.com, call 212.24 House (4-6873) or visit the website at www.Carriagehouse24.com