FIREPLACE 409: Hidden Gem of The West Village by Donna Hellberg

from W27 The Collage Issue (February/March 2022)

An Excerpt from Clemens by Margo Żak

Since I got blessed with my West Village apartment I’ve made it a point to walk around and discover new places and shops whenever I find the time.

Over the summer I stumbled upon this shop called Fireplace 409. Located on 409 Bleecker Street, it is a small boutique that makes a point of selling curated pieces from upcoming designers with diverse vibes and backgrounds.

Just two weeks ago, the sad news reached me that Fireplace would be closing their doors in Greenwich Village due to the rent on their store (which they’d initially gotten at COVID pricing back in January 2021) being set to go up beyond their means at the moment. Despite them probably having shut their doors by the time this reaches print, I feel that Fireplace 409 embodies the essence of FIT and will give you all an inside look into it.

**The Fireplace 409 storefront on 409 Bleecker St**

I was fortunate to get the opportunity to talk with one of the co-founders of Fireplace 409, Emily Bogner, on a rainy Saturday morning. We sat down at the front of the store as it was business as usual when she’d agreed to meet. The store had good traffic with about 10 or so customers coming in to browse while we were chatting.

**Emily and Alex - Co-founders of Fireplace 409**

Emily told me that, in four words, Fireplace 409 can be summed up as a “Curated Functional Art Hub.” She explained to me that Fireplace 409 was created to bring the community back to the West Village. Indeed, she felt that with big brand names slowly taking over Bleecker St, it was time for small high-end designers to get a space and be sold together and for the creatives of the area to have a place to congregate. In her words, “most people come here because they know the store.”

She expressed that one of the reasons that she’s loved running Fireplace 409 is the freedom to do what she wanted to do, and it all being up to her. Despite running into some issues in fields outside of her comfort zone she always found the challenge of coming up with engaging events as motivating. In fact one of the events she brings up is a fashion show they hosted in the middle of Bleecker St right outside of the storefront. The event involved a diverse group of models, one of which VOGUED down the concrete runway. A true celebration of personality and creativity.

I was intrigued by Emily, and could definitely see how the store was an extension of her personality. She immediately came off as approachable cosied up in a beanie, oversized sweater, and jeans. Bogner comes from a styling background and came up with the idea for Fireplace 409 through the many small designers she met while styling. Her eye for design is also what came in handy when picking designers for the store on a continuous basis. Her focus was finding pieces that would have the same quality as you’d expect from a luxury brand like Chanel but more unique; most designers featured, considered their pieces unique art works. Emily also kept an eye out for vintage pieces to create a juxtaposition between the old and the new. Interestingly, many of the designers that they brought in were also recommended by consumers who felt they knew someone that would be a great fit.

So far, her favorite find was Mia Vesper. Fireplace managed to become her only retailer after much effort, and she consistently provided the store with amazing designs that were almost always the top sellers of the month.

I still cannot get over the fact that this design oasis has to close its doors. BTUt we can all continue to support Emily and Alex in their future endeavors by following @Fireplace409 on Instagram, and keeping an eye out for where they pop up next.