Monday, April 24, 2017

Au Revoir, Anne & Valentin! French EyeWear Boutique To Close Smith Street Location

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Anne & Valentin, a high-end French eyewear boutique that got its start in Toulouse, has just announced that it will be closing its Boerum Hill location at the end of this month.  An email to current customers reads:  "We chose your neighborhood because of its strong and vibrant community and we have loved being part of it. It felt like home and we will dearly miss it. Anne & Valentin and its entire team want to sincerely thank you for your tremendous support. It's been incredible being your neighbor!"

Gabriel, the reader who sent PMFA the announcement regarding the closing of the store, wrote:
"I have been a longtime fan of their glasses, pricey but stylish, and was surprised when they opened a store a few years back. But I always wondered how our neighborhood was going to sustain a whole store. It seems like Smith St. might not be ready for high-end retail, despite what I am sure the landlords wish."

Anne & Valentin had opened at 200 Smith Street in early 2015.
Customers can continue to find them at their two other locations in Manhattan, 2 Prince Street and 248 Columbus Avenue.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The problem with Smith St locations is that in landlord efforts to get maximum rent, there are very few stores that merit a daytime shopping trip down Smith, because it's mostly bars and restaurants.

Is See Optical still open?

Anonymous said...

not surprised. there was never anyone in here and it seemed intimidating to walk in this store. frames are probably $800 a pop. hopefully whomever takes that space next is something more in line with what the neighborhood needs. hopefully doesn't stay vacant for long!

Anonymous said...

One less optical shop means one more nail salon. Seriously. Smith street ain't the Champs de Elysee. And Boreum Hill isn't exactly filled with lazy rich housewives with nothing. Enter to do but buy eyeglasses. Stores like this just don't compute. Look a Michaels craft store just opened on Atlantic! That's the future for idle hands. Scrap booking. Not fancy peepers.

Anonymous said...

Meh. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Surprisingly I can think of 3 eyeglass shops in a 8 block radius from there. Not even including CVS/Rite Aids there is that one on court and amity near the funeral home, another one on court and sackett across from what was funeral home and then on Smith and sackett or something like that. If someone should open a nail saloon/eyeglass/area kids shop in the old Buschenskank.