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November 20, 2009

Huh? Benetton for Bed Stuy Stretch of Bedford Avenue

We wouldn't believe it if we hadn't seen it with our own two eyes...Benetton has opened a store at 741 Bedford Avenue between Flushing and Park Avenues. Seems like an odd location for the upscale brand's only store (as far as we know) in ~~Brooklyn~~ the area. Maybe some exec in Europe was given orders to open up a store on Bedford Avenue and found the cheapest rent he could on Bedford Avenue not realizing it was a far cry from Williamsburg! GMAP

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Comments

I don't like your tone and innuendo.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 20, 2009 9:03 AM

bright colors are de rigueur for Hasidim.

Posted by: dittoburg at November 20, 2009 9:06 AM

i think there are benetton stores in bay ridge and williamsburg.

Posted by: 11214 at November 20, 2009 9:10 AM

Yes the Bay Ridge Benetton has been their for years. Its on 86th and 4th ave.

Posted by: italiana71 at November 20, 2009 9:13 AM

From the Streetview it doesn't look like this place is going to get much foot traffic. Looks like the apartment building it's in was built specifically for the Benetton.

I suspect the whole real estate transaction was not "arms length"

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 20, 2009 9:15 AM

Isn't there a Benneton on 7th Avenue in Park Slope? Or did that close?

Posted by: Boerumresident at November 20, 2009 9:18 AM

It's popular among Hasidim. Seriously.

Posted by: zinka at November 20, 2009 9:37 AM

There is a Benetton on 13th Ave. I grew up in Boro Park and there was one years ago. Not sure if it is still there though. But the choice of this location is the Hasidic Jew market. Not sure why but they like Benetton. I remember walking down 13th Ave as a kid and could not understand what it was doing there. The non-jews in the neighborhood certainly couldn't afford it.

Posted by: bpjay at November 20, 2009 9:41 AM

It's popular among Hasidim. Seriously.

Posted by: zinka at November 20, 2009 9:37 AM

For what, underwear???

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 20, 2009 9:44 AM

I think the Benetton of today is rather different than the Benetton of 1985. I don't really think of it as upscale anymore. I don't think they think that either.

Posted by: Ringo at November 20, 2009 9:44 AM

There's been a Benneton on 13th Avenue in the center of the Borough Park shopping district for a long time. Apparently the long-sleeved high-necklined clothes Benetton sells elsewhere are really popular among Chasidim.

Posted by: PacosHusband at November 20, 2009 9:46 AM

"PacosHusband" As in Paco's Husband??? I'm very intrigued.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 20, 2009 9:52 AM

The Park Slope store has been closed for 15 years(?) at least.

Posted by: IMBY at November 20, 2009 10:00 AM

It's an international company with highly paid marketing types, a big part of whose job is to study where to locate stores. It's possible their analysis of the marketplace and the potential for success surpasses even Mr. Brownstoner's. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

Posted by: East New York at November 20, 2009 10:04 AM

"It's possible their analysis of the marketplace and the potential for success surpasses even Mr. Brownstoner's. "

What?!?!?! Impossible!!!! Mr. B. and his amen corner have a lock on good taste.

Posted by: benson at November 20, 2009 10:13 AM

Maybe they were looking for Bedford, NY.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 20, 2009 10:13 AM

Haven't you ever noticed the little Hasidim girls in their perfectly matching sweater sets, plaid skirts and sensible wool winter coats? Rather adorable -- reminds me of photos of the British royal family in the 1950s and 60s. Adding Benetton to the mix makes lots of sense if you want to brighten up the colors but keep the same conservative style.

Posted by: grand army at November 20, 2009 10:14 AM

"We wouldn't believe it if we hadn't seen it with our own two eyes..."

That just somehow sounds like two Cyclops talking.

Posted by: JIPS at November 20, 2009 10:14 AM

grand army - thats the thing tho - isn't benetton known for very bright colors? The window display does show some subdued lilacs however. Perhaps they've moved on.

Posted by: dittoburg at November 20, 2009 10:21 AM

People still shop at UCOB?

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 20, 2009 10:30 AM

Let's all go buy striped rugby shirts, crank up the reggae, and believe in world peace.

Then do some nitrous shots at our private party.

Posted by: infinitejester at November 20, 2009 10:40 AM

who knew that Benetton even still existed. Almost retro by no.

Posted by: Petebklyn at November 20, 2009 10:41 AM

15 years? really? Yeesh.

Posted by: Boerumresident at November 20, 2009 10:44 AM

I saw this store and assumed that it was specific for the community. Through the window you see lots of dark colors, lots of black and white stripes. I am just surprised that the Hasdic community provides enough support to Benetton to open a store on such a desolate strip. I don't think I would go in there and shop though and not just because Benetton is wack!

Posted by: roofrights at November 20, 2009 10:52 AM

Hasidim like Benetton because they are only allowed to wear natural fibers. Since benetton clothing is mostly made of wool, silk and cotton they have alot to choose from.

Posted by: italiana71 at November 20, 2009 10:54 AM

> who knew that Benetton even still existed

My thoughts exactly.

Time to dig out the Girbaud pants.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 20, 2009 10:59 AM

LOL, Snark, I had a pair too. :(

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 20, 2009 11:13 AM

I remember the Benetton on Montague Street years ago. Gap was a block down. It was funny to see the difference in clientel between the Gap and Benetton back then. Even funnier now that they are both relative footnotes (I know Gap is still around but I don't see them as ubiquitous as they were in the late 80s early 90s)

Posted by: christopher at November 20, 2009 11:18 AM

Clearly they researched the zip codes of their shoppers from other NY locations. And Hasidim love Italian childrens' goods. Take a look at what's for sale in their other places. Italian carriages, clothing, accessories, etc. The wearing natural fiber thing, though? Where'd that come from? Jews can wear polyester.

Posted by: linkinplace at November 20, 2009 11:52 AM

"Hasidim like Benetton because they are only allowed to wear natural fibers. Since benetton clothing is mostly made of wool, silk and cotton they have alot to choose from."

Not true. Not sure where you're getting that from. Hasidim won't wear clothes made out of fabric that mixes wool and linen, since that's shatnez (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatnes) but there's no restriction on articial fibers.

Posted by: bkre at November 20, 2009 11:54 AM

The non-jews in the neighborhood certainly couldn't afford it.

Posted by: bpjay at November 20, 2009 9:41 AM

Oh puhleeze.

Posted by: bxgrl at November 20, 2009 12:35 PM

I bike through that part of town often and was surprised as well when I saw the sign go up... that is until the rest of my bike ride I noticed three Hasidic woman with black long-sleeve shirts with the words "United Colors of Benetton" across the front. No joke. They must be huge purchasers of the brand. It will be interesting to see what colors they decide to stock. There should be pretty good sales on neon pink short skirts and shorts ;)

Posted by: cmar7785 at November 20, 2009 12:54 PM

Knockoffs. Don't have to trek to Canal.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at November 20, 2009 1:20 PM

This makes me love brooklyn even more - multinational companies attending to the needs of a specific ethnic group! Next we will learn that Uniqlo will be opening a location in Kensington because the Bengali's love their stuff...

Anyway, I have a programming bone to pick with Mr. B - can you make the pages stop resizing when viewing pics or logging in? It keeps resizing to 1/2 size and pissing me off. Should be a 2 minute fix. Thanks!

Posted by: lalaland at November 20, 2009 1:29 PM

lalaland- if you use firefox that might be the problem. Sometimes does that.

Posted by: bxgrl at November 20, 2009 1:34 PM

Deja vu - this came up on Racked back in September - same surprised post, same comments. And yes, the consensus among those in the know, then as now, is that orthodox jews like Benetton a lot and the company is just going where its market is.

http://racked.com/archives/2009/09/04/storecasting_the_strange_case_of_the_williamsburg_benetton.php

Posted by: WBer at November 20, 2009 2:12 PM

i hope a Cinnnabon is next!!

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at November 20, 2009 2:29 PM

> can you make the pages stop resizing when viewing pics or
> logging in?

AMEN from the CORNER.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 20, 2009 3:43 PM

We had a long walk around here one Sabbath with DH's mother, who grew up in the area before it was Hasidic. Someone had removed the stoop from her brownstone and put in a balcony -- looked horrendous. It was very peaceful with no cars on the street, and everyone strolling around in groups chatting. We checked out some of the stores and they are full of Hasidic clothing with very unlikely designer labels, notably Juicy. We saw quite a bit of the Burberry plaid pattern. Also mentions of Chanel and St. John. The clothes themselves were actually quite beautiful, with sumptuous trims such as pleats and ribbons. Everyone was dressed quite beautifully. I particularly remember three girls all wearing black velvet skirts. We couldn't figure out if Jewish private label clothing companies are comissioning Hasidic style clothing with fake labels from Chinese factories or what. In the case of Bennetton, it's probably legit. Anyone can be a Bennetton franchise and the owner does the buy, so it could be a Hasidic or Orthodox owner who is picking out the dark, long-sleeved clothing.

Posted by: mopar at November 20, 2009 5:01 PM

The non-jews in the neighborhood certainly couldn't afford it.

Posted by: bpjay at November 20, 2009 9:41 AM

Oh puhleeze.

Posted by: bxgrl at November 20, 2009 12:35 PM

? what do you mean bxgrl

Posted by: bpjay at November 20, 2009 5:36 PM