6pm, September 1st at 151 Ludlow Street, NYC the doors of The Inutilious Retailer opened.
6 months to plan, 2 weeks to build and the guests of honor were all those who either came to the Art Sundays or helped create the store. These were the only people who were allowed to see the whole store without being customers, and they got the best shop front manufacturers to create the front for the shop.
It had gone from an empty shell to a complete store, lounge and art workshop in just 2 weeks and the renovation came in under budget at $2,300!
Photos were banned behind the secret wall of the store and I am so appreciative that nobody in the whole time it opened ruined the surprise of the secret back area by taking any sneaky photos. There was media interest from the media, such as New York magazine but I refused to let images of the back part be published.
And social media interest too but all respected my desire to keep the back area secret
But now, all can be revealed…
The Store
The Interior
Lit only by the giant barcode, it had consumerism’s “costs” on the left side and “values” on the right side
Clothing is hanging on umbrellas, still with price tags from the Salvation Army and if you showed an interest in anything, there was no salesperson (the door was always open too but nothing was stolen) but a voice came from nowhere, then the wall mirror flipped forward and at last, the customer knew there was more to this minimalist store than met the eye….
A person asks you to pull the slot machine to prove you have an imagination
and if you come up with your own idea of what might be on the reels of the blank slot machine, you have just proved you have an imagination and are told you have won the garment you like for free – with one condition.
You have to come through the hidden door into the secret back area and make something to replace it.
Then you enter the wonderland where you sit down, relax with a coffee or glass of wine, pick a new piece of clothing off the rack to paint on and then start planning what you are going to create for the next random person who comes into the store. Taking as much time as you need and doing whatever art you want, without judgements….
The Lounge
The Workshop
