Scoop on Steroids in SoHo
February 19, 2007
Scoop has taken the upper hand in its rivalry with Intermix and Barney's Co-op. Last Friday marked the opening of the largest unit in the mini-chain to date with an enormous 10,000 square foot flagship combining all the company's store concepts under one roof. The previous SoHo branch, a relatively tiny 2,000 square feet at Broadway and Spring Street has been turned into a clearance outlet and renamed Scoop It Up, which is exactly what happy customers were doing on Saturday, as Scoop's clearance prices routinely go as low as 75% off. Who needs that warehouse sale? But back to the main event, that gigantic store on Broadway just above Grand Street. It extends from it's entrance clear through to Mercer Street in the back, offering a refreshingly uncluttered environment compared to other branches which often feature racks and tables crammed with closely hung and stacked goods. The décor maintains the typical Scoop mininmalist aesthetic with a SoHo style exposed ceiling and a central register area backed with blue plexiglass strewn with Scoop logos. The vast space allows the merchandise to breathe a little, making it much easier to shop. One side is devoted to women's, the other to men's and the rear section holds an expanded children's department from the same designers, for anyone who fells it necessary to clothe their toddlers in Earnest Sewn jeans they will surely outgrow in a matter of months, if not weeks. The designer lineup features all the expected favorites like Diane von Furstenberg, Milly and Tory Burch among other labels and every premium denim line of any importance. They are also expanding their own label of shoes and accessories which are showcased here. The Men's side also contains the usual suspects, and as at other Scoops, the labels are all mixed in together, merchandising the store by look and category rather than by brand. This continues to work exceedingly well in the women's area, as the trends create new interest every season, but not as much on the men's side, mostly because for all their women's fashion leadership, Scoop is surprisingly timid on the other side of the store. Their buyers continue to cling to the patterned shirt-denim-printed pseudo vintage tee formula that is wearing thin. Even great pieces from a designer as innovative as Neil Barrett get lost in a sea of jeans and striped button-downs. Men's footwear is again limited to the latest Pumas and Nikes, but with so much space, one would have hoped co-owner Stefani Greenfield would have taken a few more chances with the men's merchandise mix. Does anyone really need to see one more shelf of faux '80s concert tee-shirts? Uninspired men's merchandising and absurdly extravagant children's wear aside, this giant version of Scoop should go a long way in solidifying the store's prominence in the minds of those who throng lower Broadway every weekend, as well as draw that traffic further downtown past Broome Street. Look for the narrow sidewalks of Grand street to get a bit more crowded this year.
Scoop 473-475 Broadway between Broome & Grand Streets, SoHo
Scoop It Up 532 Broadway between Prince & Spring Streets
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