Steve Madden to Bring Cheap and Janky to Bleecker

Just when you thought Bleecker Street was getting too fancy and expensive, along comes the news that Shoe manufacturer and ex convict Steve Madden will be transforming the unassuming storefront at no. 355 pictured at left into a boutique.
Yes, we are brimming with excited anticipation, too.
Of course, as we all know now, this is what happens when rents in a formerly charming shopping area skyrocket and the shops that made it interesting are forced out. It turns into a free-for-all for retailers with the deepest pockets, whether or not they are actually right for the street. Steve Madden would probably make more sense (and more money) nearby on 6th Avenue, instead of down the street from Mulberry and Brunello Cucinelli. While it appears they have only forced out the Bleecker Mini-Mart, our guess is that the residents of the neighborhood would rather have their deli back.