Pop-Up Park Opens In Nolita

A pop-up park opened in OpenHouse Gallery at 201 Mulberry Street bwtween Kenmare and Spring Streets in Nolita over the weekend. The gallery converted three and a half rooms into an indoor park, complete with see-saw and piped in sounds of birds, as well as fake rocks, trees, grass, a "pond" and benches. Imagine if Ikea had a "park" inside their store; that's what it is. Which is not a complaint, just an observation. While inside on Sunday, the park was complete with comfortable people sitting on the "lawn" reading books, and vaguely Nordic looking people milling about the see-saw as their children pushed up and down. The park is open from 11-6 everyday until the end of the month. See more photos on NYC The Blog's Facebook page.

PlayBeautiful Re-Opens Temporarily After Temporarily Opening And Temporarily Closing

As previously noted, and in spite of temporary confusion, PlayBeautiful, a temporary World Cup "pop-up viewing-hub" is now open at 201 Mulberry. Though for whatever reason, calling it a "pop-up viewing-hub" is really just going to great length to avoid calling it a pop up store selling licensed sports apparel from Nike, Puma, Adidas and others.


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Update On World Cup Pop Up At Open House; 201 Mulberry Street

201 Mulberry Street is not a World Cup pop up store anymore. A "Mercedes-Benz R-Class Lounge" has taken up residence instead. Outfitted inside with a Mercedes-Benz SUV, lounge chairs, and ashtrays that have been used (tsk tsk), the store has not been open at anytime I passed, either early and late morning, or late evening. What's more, Mercedes-Benz occupied the space only three days after the aforementioned concern, PlayBeautiful, was photographed busily at work setting up for their World Cup "pop-up viewing-hub," set to open June 20 according to their website.

NYC The Blog emailed PlayBeautiful inquiring as to what happened to the pop-up store that was present just few days ago; they responded, advising the store will be "open again" on June 20 and offered a "media preview" when they were set up. Open again? What happened? Were they just in a test run last week? A follow up email requesting more information was not returned.

The vague subterfuge is not surprising, when I photographed the storefront last week, an employee of PlayBeautiful was none to pleased, sternly instructing me I was not allowed to take photos.

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Top Secret Photos Of World Cup Pop Up Store In Nolita

These photos of a World Cup pop up store at 201 Mulberry Street were snapped yesterday under duress, and without the approval of the women working inside Open House, a retail space rented out for events, short term retail and pop up stores. L'internet tells us that an organization called PlayBeautiful will open the space on June 11 20 for a World Cup "pop-up viewing-hub." There was quite a bit of merchandise on the sales floor as well.

When the aforementioned women noticed me taking photos, she quickly exited the store to ask me if could help, and to request that I refrain from taking photos. When I explained my intent to take photos of the storefront, just a couple to document the neighborhood, she asked, "for who?" Either way, she continued, taking photographs of the store was not allowed. Explaining that it was indeed permissible in public, and that I didn't mean any harm, I took one more photo. At that, she immediately dialed someone on the phone to explain the situation and learn the next course of action.

Memory Lane: Here is video footage of Mulberry Street shortly after Italy won the World Cup in 2006. Believe it or not, the celebration had really settled down when that clip was filmed.

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