EXTRAORDINARY (Store on 5th btw Union Berk

furrygreyboy · December 2006

A couple of days ago I was window-shopping and looking for inspiration for holiday gifts on 5th Ave and wandered into "EXTRAORDINARY", a nice-looking place with lots of fancy vases and stuff. Within 30 seconds the sales assistant/owner(?) advised me that "pretty much everything in the store cost between $50-$150".

That's all he said, but I took it to mean "you don't look like you can afford to shop here". Ok, so I was wearing jeans, sneakers and a heavy winter jacket, but come on....

Am I being super-sensitive here or what? I've never had this anywhere else, even when I've window-shopped/dreamed whilst wandering around designer stores in the Village or on Madison Ave (although they did watch me very closely).

Don't think I'll be going back even though I can afford to shop there if I really want to.

sarajean8 · December 2006

Is that the store that is very white and minimal with UBER-designed items-- like a centerpiece bowl made out of small GI-Joe figures. It has a long console in the middle with a narrow passage on each side.

If this is the place, it defintiely had a snooty vibe.

sarajean8 · December 2006

maybe I'm thinking of the store Matter

captain salty · December 2006

i think you're just being a little crybaby. everything in the store is in that price range, or higher. salesperson was just telling you that.

i like that store, and have gotten several very well-received wedding/birthday gifts there.

drano · December 2006

I wasn't there and so I don't really know what this fellow's demeanor was like, but is it possible that he meant to be reassuring? I mean, those prices are more than I would spend on a vase or some other dust magnet, but they probably aren't out of sight for the area. Maybe he was just saying, "Look around, odds are good if you see something you like it won't be more than $150 and quite possibly less."

As I said, if the guy was a total snot my theory gets blown out if the water.

captain salty · December 2006

people who work there have been nothing but very friendly, and even when i walk past the store they wave to me.

furrygreyboy · December 2006

He didn't say it with any sort of attitude, so maybe it's just my insecurities showing through. I guess I just took it personally b/c I had literally just stepped inside the door.

Could also have been a heads-up to save me picking something up to check the price and then dropping it

rose · December 2006

I'm insecure about things like this too. But it doesn't sound like it was your clothing -- because jeans and sneakers in Park Slope doesn't scream "poor person." Probably their prices are not well-marked, so everyone has to ask, and they'd rather tell you than have you handle the stuff. Or maybe you picked up something snooty in his tone.

pitu · December 2006

sarajean8 wrote: Is that the store that is very white and minimal with UBER-designed items-- like a centerpiece bowl made out of small GI-Joe figures. It has a long console in the middle with a narrow passage on each side.

If this is the place, it defintiely had a snooty vibe.

yeah, that's Matter. Expensive and cool,
except I've found them to be nothing but pleasant
and I usually just drop in when they have a sale . . .

I think it was totally weird for "EXTRAORDINARY" to profile you, or whatever it is they were doing with the price tag disclaimer. Tacky!

linusvanpelt · December 2006

Snooty or not snooty, profiling or not, it's an awfully weird thing to say out of the blue. Has anyone ever walked into a store and said, "I'd like to buy something between $50 and $150, please?"

anonymous · December 2006

I think that store is really great and I've shopped there for gifts all the time.
I found the staff to be friendly and sweet.
Maybe you looked befuddled and they just wanted to help.
You must have taken it the wrong way.
Sometimes giving price information is not snooty, but just a way of helping you with your budget.

cabaki · December 2006

I would be glad if someone told me that upfront. I'd say to myself, "Gee, i dont want to waste my time looking around at things that are THAT expensive, because I only want to spend XX dollars." (if i was looking for something cheap.) Thats why I avoid even entering stores like Banana Republic and Diesel, but thats more of a self-control issue!

But it does sound strange to me that they told you that upfront, because if you didnt ask, it makes it sounds like it would be out of your price range, otherwise, why would they bother? Who knows...

8thandprez · December 2006

I've never bought anything at that place, but I've gone in a number of times to browse. The staff has always been very nice, taking time to tell me what materials things are made of, etc. $50-100 for a well-made bowl is not too out-of-place on 5th... I'd imagine he was trying to reassure you that things weren't insanely expensive.

veggiequeen · December 2006

I think I saw a sign up either inside or outside the store that says something like "everything is $50-$150". Maybe that's their marketing shtick and they were just bringing it to your attention. Nice stuff in there, though I've never bought anything.

the chipster · December 2006

Weird. That is NOT marketing schtick; especially in a time when the biggest spenders cannot be identified by their dress. The guy there is nice enough, but personally, I don't see how they stay in business.

alafairnadia · December 2006

that's just bizarre. seriously. it's one thing to have a salesperson strike up a convo with you, friendly-like, and find out your price range. or, it's another thing for someone to say "hey - our prices aren't clearly marked. just an fyi - everything is blah to blah in price". but the phrase quoted is pretty irritating.

EXTRAORDINARY (Store on 5th btw Union Berk

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