Filed under: Design, etc, News & Trends
New York has some of the best decor shops in the world. So why are we so excited about the new HomeGoods?The first HomeGoods to hit Manhattan hosted a pre-opening happy hour last Thursday, opening their doors to a group of designers, editors and celebrities. Did Nate Berkus fight over the last set of discounted Pratesi sheets with Real Housewives' Kelly Killoren Bensimon? No, but it could have happened. All three were there.
Real Housewives love real bargains. Photos: HomeGoods.
It might seem baffling to anyone living in a city that already has a HomeGoods: Why the fuss? In New York we already have amazing shops like Ochre and Michele Varian -- if there's something spectacular we need for our homes, we have hundreds of chic options to choose from. But there's something kind of genius about the off-price retailer. Maybe it's the idea that you can take home a lamp for less than the cost of dinner, or the fact that anytime someone compliments that lamp you get to gush "Oh you'll never believe how much I paid."
At most New York store opening parties -- and there are many -- the focus is on toasting the new space with much too much champagne and getting your photo taken while looking impossibly glamorous. With HomeGoods, guests were zipping around with their carts and baskets, ignoring the passed hors d'oeuvres and sniffing out bargains. Why? Because getting a bargain in New York is harder than in most places: Things generally cost more and the competition for those few inexpensive items is high.
At that opening party, everyone was celebrating a place where it was actually easy to save money. And when the store opens to the public today at 8am, I have no doubt that those shoppers will do the same.
See more of our favorite places to shop here:
Secret Source: Skyline Furniture
Secret Source: Temporary Wallpaper
Secret Source: Jayson Home & Garden
And check out this video about where interior designers find their best pieces:
