Seminar SA 2: Williamsburg Reflection

My experience, exploring retail stores and consumption locations in Williamsburg, led to some interesting discoveries.  I identified the area’s aesthetic, an obsession the redefinition of art. It is an example of a modern renaissance. People have found beauty in urban renewal.  Individuals today love the idea of making use of waste, there is a new found respect and beauty in creating solutions: the art of the make-over. In a way Williamsburg encapsulates modern art, which no longer thrives on discovering new techniques, but rather on creating a collage of various techniques with old works to create new works.  People want a connection to their roots, that’s why they go to specialty shops in Williamsburg and spend $80 on jeans. People are paying for attention, detail, care, and quality. The idea of going to such stores for products is ancient. Post 1990s people discovered a means of attending one store for all their needs — two examples being the department store and the supermarket — giving up selection and quality for convenience and lower prices.  However, today people’s priorities have changed. The public is willing to pay a little more for organic, gluten free, and locally raised ingredients. Also, since shopping can be done online, people have prioritized attending locations that will provide them with the value of experience. These speciality stores address such desires. They exploit their retro location through the art that subjugates their walls, the style of their products, and the design/layout of their buildings.  Raggedy Threads, a specialized denim store in the neighborhood, has a rustic theme, which creates a homey and personal vibe, conveyed through the use of old personal objects throughout the store, such as old teddy bears, dolls, magazines, and signs. They even had their own old sewing machine in the back for repairs, creating a unique environment. I also noticed stores in Williamsburg take advantage of juxtaposition, they have fun with conflicting ideas. For example, Brooklyn Standard, took its industrial ceiling, replete with vents and pipes, and juxtaposed it with eggplant coloring and silver chandeliers.  This duality creates a welcoming and lighthearted atmosphere, a perfect workspace for the creative mind.  

In retrospect, had I been previously informed of the assignment, I would have researched the neighborhood and located vintage stores, thrift shops, and interesting themed locations of consumption prior to the journey, so that I wasn’t walking around aimlessly searching for stores that fit my group’s topic for 2 hours.  I would have been more productive had I been able to research and plan a map before embarking on the journey. On the other hand, exploring the neighbourhood made me realize how easy it is to recognize its aesthetic. There is a clear duality present, between commonplace and creative (delis vs. speciality stores), old and new, and industrial and glamourous, which the area seeks to expose and exploit through the design of their buildings, interior design of retail spaces, and products.  In a way grazing the streets made me realize just how disconnected Williamsburg is from the chaos of Manhattan, making it a more livable community. Therefore, one can conclude that the way of life of the old and wretched has become new and untouchable, while the seemingly modern and accessible has become basic: the new retro.