| Issue #35, November 24, 2006 |
When In Manhattan...by Oliver Peterson
Black Friday
Thanksgiving is over and now the true holiday season begins. The month between Turkey Day and Christmas is usually marked by a panicked buying frenzy. We wake up on Friday, nursing a turkey and wine hangover, when it dawns on us – the mother of all holidays is around the corner and there’s nothing to wrap. It’s at this moment that we dodge our lingering relatives and head out for our first day of shopping. Unfortunately, everyone is in the same predicament. The stores are packed. The lines are long. Hot items are always in short supply. This is the madness called Black Friday. We get a bit of it here on the East End, especially in the Bridgehampton Commons, but to really participate in the biggest shopping day of the year you should go to Manhattan. Exactly why you would want to subject yourself to the mobs and attitudes reflective of the summer in East Hampton is beyond me, but it’s an experience, I suppose.
New York City is the East Coast’s and maybe the national and even international center of commerce. Manhattan has something for everyone. One can tailor his or her day of shopping from the quirky and off the beaten path, to the major chains like Best Buy and Toys “R” Us. A man who was camped outside a Putnam, Connecticut Wal-Mart for a chance to get one of the first of the new Playstation 3 consoles was shot just after 3 a.m. For some odd reason I would expect your chances of getting popped for a Playstation to be slimmer in the big city. It’s just not as easy to get away, and cops are everywhere. So for that reason alone, maybe Manhattan’s lack of armed rednecks is a good reason to try waiting in line there. The city never sleeps, so camping out also might not be such a bore. On the other hand, with all the unique offerings in New York, large electronics chains that are in every town along Jericho Turnpike seem like a waste of time. Though, if you’re looking to pick up some of the hard-to-get items like Playstation 3 or TMX Elmo the expansive collection of Long Island malls and strip malls will probably be your best bet.
There are literally thousands of great stores in Manhattan, but if you’re shopping for your kids or simply want to soak up a spectacle of holiday spirit and joy, FAO Schwartz is the place. If you’ve never been, the icon of a toy store was featured in the Tom Hanks classic, Big, when Hanks and his future boss famously share a moment playing “Chop Sticks” on the dance-on, light-up, floor piano. The piano has been in the store since I was a kid and it’s still fun (and quite improved) to this day. Performers tap out all sorts of tunes on the keys throughout the day. German immigrant Frederick August Otto Schwartz began his business importing toys from Europe to his shop in Baltimore in 1862. By 1870, he opened his first shop in Manhattan. It has since grown, changed locations a number of times, and now has a second location in Las Vegas. FAO Schwartz is a stop on many tourists itineraries especially during the holidays. Other highlights within the almost 50,000 square feet of toys are the vast menagerie of life-sized stuffed animals, the sized-down luxury cars for kids, the first floor ice cream parlor, motion simulator ride, and some really cool Lego displays. First and foremost, the store is a place to shop, but it feels much like an amusement park when you’re there. For kids it’s a magical place that they won’t soon forget.
Before heading into town for Black Friday or any of the shopping days left before Christmas, it might be wise to consider what and for whom you will be buying. Starting here, figure out which neighborhoods have what you’re looking for. If it’s fine art, go to Chelsea and Soho, for designer clothes try 5th Avenue or Soho, and for items created by the city’s various ethnic cultures, seek out the corresponding areas. Good planning will save you time, and don’t worry, no matter how well you plan there will always be those gem-like surprise shops that appear in your path. It’s part of the beauty of shopping in Manhattan.
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