Warby Parker

January 27, 2015

As Younger Renters Move to the UES, Trendy Commercial Tenants Follow

You don't have to tell us twice that the Upper East Side is trading its reputation as a stodgy, ladies-who-lunch spot for a younger, more hip vibe. Not only do we think it's a hidden hot spot for artists, but we recently profiled the unofficial "new" Upper East Side, the high 80s and 90s, clustered between Park and 1st Avenues. And let's not forget how the Second Avenue subway is already shaking things up. But with a new generation of Upper East Siders gobbling up the surprisingly affordable real estate offerings, it's no surprise that trendy commercial spots are also getting in on the action. Small, local shops and restaurants create little communities that you might expect to find in brownstone Brooklyn, and larger, big-name businesses like Warby Parker and Whole Foods promise to make it a neighborhood to rival Union Square or Chelsea.
More on the real estate trend ahead
November 10, 2014

Warby Parker Creates Upper East Side Literary Map

You might have noticed that hipster eyeglass emporium Warby Parker took over the former Lascoff Drugs store on Lexington Avenue and East 82nd Street. The community is quite satisfied with their thoughtful reuse of the historic pharmacy, and in return, the company seems to be very in tune with the neighborhood of their latest outpost. Warby's latest foray into the world of the Upper East Side is a map of famous literary locations, from the Barbizon Hotel, fictionalized as the Amazon in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, to Eloise's home at the Plaza Hotel.
More on the map here