Saturday, May 30, 2009

Vintage Boutique Tour for Browsers

Yesterday's tour was unique.  It consisted of 2 women: one from Vermont and one from California.  They were on a short weekend getaway.  I could tell from the beginning that they weren't going to be big shoppers, which was completely fine.  I think what some people don't realize is that my tours are meant for shopping, but even if you're not a shopper, you'll have a wonderful time just experiencing the neighborhoods and browsing the boutiques.  On my tours, you can have an AMAZING experience even if you don't buy on thing.  

We began, of course, in Soho--but on the west side of Soho.  I always explain to people that the east side of Soho is where they have the more commercial stores (Old Navy, H&M, Victoria's Secret) and high-end designer stores (Prada, Chanel.)  I focus on west Soho on my tours because it's a quaint, clean, quiet area of Soho where there are a lot of individually owned, smaller boutiques.  In fact, there's actually something called "S3" (which stands for Shop Small Stores) that smaller, locally-owned boutiques have created to promote shopping in their boutiques.  At any rate, the ladies really seemed to enjoy the neighborhood immensely.  They weren't spending a lot of time in any of the stores because they were just browsing--not shopping but it still allowed them to enjoy themselves.  One of the ladies commented on how it was fun just simply exploring.

After Soho, we headed to the East Village and they really enjoyed Buffalo Exchange on East 11th Street.  They spent quite some time browsing but didn't end up buying anything.  It was the same with O Mistress Mine.  They loved looking through Wanda's (the owner's) collection but they didn't make any purchases.  Again--they were just having a nice time strolling through the stores and exploring.

On our way to East 9th Street something very exciting happened!  We saw Leonardo DiCaprio!!!  Yes--even though I'm a local, I admit, I was very excited.  We weren't sure if it was him so one of the ladies said she wanted to go back to the cafe where he was sitting to get a drink.  She didn't really buy a drink, of course.  It was just to confirm that it was him.  And it definitely was!  I couldn't believe how grungy he looked.  You know, he's one of those Hollywood stars that dresses very chic and sophisticated for the most part.  He looks very polished on the red carpet whereas someone like Johnny Depp tends to look a little more grungy.  But to my surprise Leo looked like a regular East Villager.  I do think, however, that he had to TRY to look this way.  He was TRYING not to stand out which was cool, I guess.

Anyway, on East 9th Street, they explored Fabulous Fanny's and Cadillac's Castle for a bit.  They were also excited to see AuH2O so we headed to East 7th Street immediately after that.  One of the ladies bought a pair of Obama earrings for her mom and the other tried on a top but didn't make a purchase because it didn't fit.  They definitely had a really strong interest in Kate's boutique though.  

We had a little time left after East 7th Street so I decided to take them to St. Mark's Place.  I figured they might enjoy seeing an area that was still a little "off the beaten path" but also a little more touristy and with shops that have some lower prices and some souvenirs.  (I knew they had teenagers they might want to buy for.)  So we strolled along St. Mark's.  I told them that was one of the perks to it just being the two of them.  I was able to show them something that wasn't part of the usual itinerary.

Following St. Mark's, I asked if they'd like to visit the West Village since we still had an hour left with the car service, but they decided to head back to the hotel.  They said that they had a wonderful time already and they were anxious to change clothes and have dinner before their show.  One of the ladies was actually waiting for her lost luggage to arrive at their hotel so she also wanted to get back to check on it.

I think the tour started out a little rocky but as time went on, the ladies realized that there was no pressure to shop.  I was happy just showing them around and they were happy just exploring.  

If you'd like to browse with ShopNYC Tours, visit www.shop-nyctours.com for more information about us!  I hope to shop--or browse with you soon!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Vintage Boutique Tour, Chic Boutique Tour and Teen Fashion & Fun Tour

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Vintage Boutique Tour - Erin Go Bragh!

Friday’s Vintage Boutique Tour was really a lot of fun.  I knew the tourists were going to be from Ireland but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  It ended up being three ladies on a girlfriend getaway for the weekend.  One of them currently lives in Seattle, Washington, so she met the other two, who still reside in Ireland, “halfway” in NYC.


When I arrived at the pick-up location I was happy to see three ladies.  I don’t mind having men on my tours (especially the Vintage Boutique Tour since there’s a pretty big selection for men in most of the boutiques) but I knew that if my customers were ladies, they were more likely to be there by choice. 


I knew this was going to be a good tour because when I started the tour videos of the Soho stores, they were super-excited about what they saw and they couldn’t wait to shop. 


First stop was Flying A and they started shopping immediately when they walked in the door.  They were picking up items to try on in the dressing rooms, trying on accessories, etc.  I was glad to have them stay at their first stop for 30 minutes because I knew that they had a true interest in what I was showing them.  Sometimes when people aren’t shopping, I wonder if they aren’t liking the tour, if they were expecting something different, etc.  I think the case lately for non-shoppers is simply that they enjoy browsing and they want a unique experience of the city.  Also-with the suffering economy, it’s definitely understandable when people don’t want to buy.  If the economy were booming, I would expect pretty much all of my customers to spend money on my tours.  But in this difficult time, I (along with the boutique owners, sales associates) completely understand and expect it.


So after Flying A, we headed over to Chelsea Girl Couture where they tried on some truly amazing vintage dresses.  This store never ceases to amaze me with their absolutely stunning collection.  David, the store manager, is also a gem when it comes to selling vintage.  He has an amazing knowledge of the business and really enhances my vintage tours both in the videos and in person. The ladies had a ball trying on several dresses each.  One of the ladies made a purchase and despite a slight misunderstanding about the discount, left the store very pleased.


So following Chelsea Girl we, of course, visited their other store, Laurel Canyon Vintage.  Laurel Canyon is geared toward more of a college customer, but still, they have some really great 60s and 70s apparel that can appeal to appeal to all ages.  After a quick stop, the ladies decided they were ready to head to the East Village. 


Once again, on the way, watching the store videos got them excited about what was coming up next (especially AuH20.)  First stop was East 11th Street, as usual.  They took a strong liking to Tokyo Joe’s, which is really well known for their amazing collection of designer consignment such as YSL, Prada, Fendi, Ferragamo, and Louis Vuitton, to name a few.  When I saw that they were loving these consignment items, I knew that they would absolutely love Tokio 7.  So I let them know in advance about it so they didn’t spend all their money in one place.  Again, that’s one great thing about a small group.  I can actually cater to their preferences. 


We made a quick stop at O Mistress Mine since they loved the video of it and I spoke so highly of the owner, Wanda.  They didn’t make any purchases here but were still highly impressed with the collection.  I knew they had their heart set on the designer consignment so I suggested we head to Tokio 7 next and they strongly agreed. 


We stopped along the way on East 9th Street at Mudd Coffee for a bathroom break and a pick-me-up.  Mudd Coffee is amazing at giving a late afternoon boost.  The Irish ladies even said so themselves. 


When we arrived at Tokio 7, I waited outside with their coffees (it was a beautiful day) while they browsed around consignment “heaven.”  Almost 45 minutes later, they walked out with items like a beautiful Chloe handbag and an elegant pair of Chloe dress pants among several other items.


Last stop was AuH20.  After seeing the video of it, they were very excited to visit Kate’s unique boutique.  They tried on quite a few vintage and recycled items and made several purchases.  Kate, being her sweet self, was very happy to have them.  And it was great seeing her new space (she moved to the boutique next door from where she was originally.)  I also had the pleasure of meeting the owner of the new boutique next door who carries some amazing handbags that are made in New York.  I may end up working with her too! 


After the East Village, they asked if I could drop them off on 46th Street at Bourbon Street, where their other friends were having drinks.  I was happy to do it since it was just the three of them.


I think they had a lovely time.  They gave me a lot of compliments and they were very curious as to how I started my business, when I came to NY, where in the city I lived, etc.  So it was another success, I hope.  As usual, I’ll patiently await the reviews! 


For more info about my shopping tours and my upcoming web series, visit www.shop-nyctours.com.  Hopefully I’ll be shopping with you soon!

 

 

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

ShopNYC Tours' Favorite Trends for Spring/Summer 2009



Geometric Shapes : Printed clothing, shapely accessories, and clunky shoes.  Just cuz you didn’t like class doesn’t mean you have to fail this season.





The Goddess :  Feel like Athena, Venus and Aphrodite with this flowy, drape-like look.





Jungle Safari : Think Troop Beverly Hills and feel like a Girl Scout again (except you don’t have to sell the cookies.)




Marrakech Fantasy : Gold embellished slippers and shimmery jumpsuits make you feel like a genie in a bottle.





Vaudeville : Perform your own show with corsets, lace, beads and sequins.




Depression Chic : Dress like it’s 1929 – flapper frocks, sack dresses and for the country gal - prairie home companion.








Sporty Spice : Running pants, hoodies and bodysuits aren’t just for the gym this season.


Saturday, May 16, 2009

Private Shopping Tour for "New to the City" Local

Saturday's tour was definitely a nice surprise.  I'm so accustomed to giving tours for people from other parts of the country and especially other parts of the world that when I asked my customers where they were from (a cute, 20-something couple), I expected to hear the same.  But I didn't.  I was shocked when the girlfriend said she lived on the Upper East Side.  I always thought my tours would be great for locals, but it was cool to have a local finally attend one of  my shopping tours.  It made much more sense, however, when she told me that she had just moved to NYC and didn't know where to go for shopping, dinner and nightlife.  So "New to the City" is a customer base that I've now experienced.  It was definitely different, but also relatively easy and fun.

Even though the girlfriend lives in NYC, and her boyfriend visits her from Philly every weekend and they explore together, the couple needed some guidance about where to shop, go to dinner, go out, etc.  They knew about some of the obvious places, of course, but seemed really impressed with my extensive knowledge about the more "local" side of the city.  They asked how it was that I knew so much and I explained that having lived in the city for five years and having given tours for four of those five years, definitely helped.   

We started the tour in Greenwich Village on University Place.  Some of the girlfriend's favorites included Pia and La Petite Coquette.  Well, at least that's where she made her purchases.  Her boyfriend seemed to enjoy La Petite Coquette too, of course.  I mean, what guy doesn't enjoy shopping for lingerie for his lovely lady?  They were looking for some coffee along the way and I told them about one of my favorites - Grey Dogs: great coffee, great sandwiches and a great chill, downtown atmosphere.  

Next up was Soho, and what was great about the tour being private for just the two of them, was that I could cater to their taste and their needs.  Rather than taking them to the more commercial stores in Soho that I usually take customers to on the Chic Boutique Tour like BCBG, Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui, I decided that they'd like something a little more unique.  So I added some vintage and consignment shops that my Vintage Boutique Tour visits in West Soho.  They really liked INA (well, at least the girlfriend did) and the boyfriend seemed to enjoy the selections in Flying A.  I thought they would have a little more interest in Laurel Canyon Vintage but it wasn't one of their favorites.  

After shopping, I pointed out 60 Thompson as a great spot for happy hour and/or dinner.  I raved about their rooftop bar which I've never been to personally, but have heard amazing things about.

I insisted after the Soho stop that we visit Darling in the West Village/Meatpacking area.  I had gotten a sense of the girlfriend's style and knew she would absolutely love it.  So they enjoyed their champagne en route in the comfortable towncar and I took a cute photo of them.  I also showed the video of Darling, but I'm not sure if they really got the point of it--or the point of any of the tour videos for that matter.  We'll see what they have to say in their review, I guess.

When we arrived at Darling, the girlfriend tried on about 10 different items.  Her boyfriend sneaked one to the register to surprise her for the next day, which I thought was sweet.  The boyfriend, who was from Naples, said they wanted wood-fired brick oven pizza, so I dropped them off at Napoli on Carmine Street at the end of the tour so that they could have an amazing pizza dinner.  

I'm anxious to hear what this couple thought of the tour.  They were trendy, young and hip so they could end up being a very difficult customer to please.  I'm hoping they decide to write a  review so I can post it.  I'd love to get their feedback.  In my experience, locals can be tough.  But I guess I'll just wait and see.....  Thanks for reading.  Don't forget to visit my website http://www.shop-nyctours.com and stay tuned for the new ShopNYC Web Series coming soon!






Thursday, May 7, 2009

Vintage Boutique Tour Review

I was happy to find out that my "Last Weekend's Vintage and Teen Tours Were a Success" statement was true.  Here's a review from one of my customers that attended the Vintage Boutique Tour:

The tour was better than expected. Our guide was very personable, informative, and accommodating. She provided interesting facts about the neighborhoods along the way as well as the shops we visited, and showed us introductory videos of some. The store keepers were friendly, and we never felt rushed or pressured. There was a good mix of clothing styles, price ranges, and aesthetic presentations to hold our interest. My thirteen year-old granddaughter said it was one of her favorite parts of our NYC trip. We had a great time on the tour and got an insider view of some of the city's most famous neighborhoods that we would not otherwise have had.