If you’re looking to get a basic cup tea or something far more exotic, then look no further to T Salon, located in the Chelsea Market. There is perhaps no tea that can’t be found within this establishment as, once inside, it seems to be a vital component for supporting the ceilings.
In addition to selling over 400 different blends of tea in looseleaf, which are stored within a multitude of large glass containers lining the inside walls, the “Salon” also sells coffee, alcoholic beverages and gourmet food that includes tea ingredients. “[Miriam Novelle] trained me to be knowledgeable about the teas but the most difficult part was memorizing some of the names,” said Jaya Saliem, the manager of T Salon. All employees at the Salon are required to be proficient with each of the teas’ names, backgrounds and medicinal purposes.
Operating for several years in Soho since its establishment in 1992, it then moved two more times until re-opening in the Meatpacking District in May, 2007.
One of the Salon’s staples is its ccommitment to the environment. The interior’s construction is composed of bamboo, which is produced with little to no environmental damage. Ink used for printing on all of the store’s products is derived from soy, which is both non-toxic and biodegradable. Many of the cups used for selling tea are made from “corn plastic” that is made from, you guessed it, corn, and is also eco-friendly.
In addition to the upscale clientele that visit the store like Anne Hatheway, Sandra Bernhart, Whoopi Goldberg and Giselle Bundchen, it’s the everyday customers, according to Mr. Saliem, that make working at T Salon a pleasure. “[Everyone] is young and respectful. There isn’t a sense that we’re on different levels…we call people by their first name.”
Of all the restaurants and bistros in the Meatpacking district that pioneered chic and posh culture, few came close to that of Florent’s diner. Located at 69 Gansevoort Street, the restaurant opened in 1985 and has been a staple of of the neighborhood for over two decades. Due to rent increases, however, it is running the risk of being closed.
Florent Morellet has owned and operated the trendy eatery since its conception in the mid 80’s. He may have to shut down unless he strikes a deal with the landlord, Joanne Lucas. Unfortunately, there are no laws permitting commercial rent control. Ms. Lucas plans on raising the rent from the original $6,080 to a whopping $43,000. According to her lawyer, there is $24,074 in unpaid rent whereas Morellet’s attorney states that he has in fact overpaid taxes connected to the property by as much as $27,000.
Ms. Lucas’s ability to adjust the property’s rent at a whim highlights the double edged sword that exists with commercial development in the Meatpacking District. There are a variety of establishments in the area that have grown from pre-mature beginnings during the early to mid 90s into thriving businesses.
Restaurants like Florent’s must battle with landlords given the demand for space in the district. Offers from higher paying corporate conglomerates cancel out those of small businesses that give character and identity to a neighborhood. He states that, “It would be a mistake to open another Florent because everyone would compare it to this one. Florent began organically from the space itself - you can’t recreate that.”
As I walked West on 14th Street, the surrounding area began to open up around Eighth Ave. Tall high-rise buildings descended into eclectic sequences of lofts that exceeded no more than five stories. Asphalt streets receded into cobblestones that produced a retroactive aesthetic contrast to that of the modern, architecturally infused buildings; I had traversed into the Meatpacking District.
Just below the Highline (a soon to be park renovated from a 100 year old section of freight railway) there hides a clothing boutique with a blue banner above it saying, “Destination“. A ground to ceiling piece of sheet glass separates the interior from the rather cold, exterior. It was quiet on Ninth Ave and Little West 12th with few people on the street at 6:00pm.
I talked with Kazuki Yammto, a 28 year old Japanese-American assistant manager at “Destination,” about his experience working in the neighborhood. Originally from Niigata, Japan (a snow covered mountain village), he has been a resident of the city for 13 years and an employee at the boutique for two. “It’s pretty dead during the daytime” he said, “but when it gets later, the area becomes really crazy.”
During his time working at “Destination,” he has seen such celebrities as Mike Tyson, Nikki Taylor and Donald Trump frequent that particular area. “One of the places I see a lot of celebrities visit is Buddha Bar, which is right across the street”. Although more a fan of performing with his punk rock band at local downtown venues, he says that “It’s a very cool neighborhood to work in because there are always something going on.”
Recent Comments