Tokyo has the New York I miss…
1/ Dean & DeLuca
Dean & DeLuca was New York. They literally made a show around it-for God’s sake- Felicity, anyone?
It was the coolest coffee spot before “coffee culture” and baristas became a thing in America. Every location, with its glossy subway tiles, felt quintessentially New York.
The last SoHo location closed in 2019.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Dean & DeLuca is everywhere.
Just to reminisce, I kept getting my coffee there while I was in Tokyo—even though there were objectively better options on every corner. I even considered buying merch, like some sort of homesick tourist of my own city. My husband had to gently talk me out of bringing home fake New York, by way of Tokyo.
2/ Takashimaya NYC
Closed in 2010.
Yes, technically it was a Japanese department store, so perhaps it doesn’t fully belong on this list—but honestly, who cares. It was still a massive loss for New York.
It stood on Fifth Avenue like a temple. The merchandise, the displays—everything was refined, considered, almost museum-like. And the Tea Box Café in the basement? Quiet, serene, impossibly civilized.
With the current boom in Japanese culture and tourism, you just know that if Takashimaya were still here, it would be thriving. Flourishing, even.
3/ Steven Alan
Closed in 2019.
If Barneys was the cool, grown-up older sister, then Steven Alan was the artsy, bookish younger sibling.
His stores had this buoyant, happy energy—walking through them felt like a little jolt of adrenaline. I remember spotting Natalie Portman at the OG Wooster Street store, Maggie Gyllenhaal on Franklin. It was the hipster store before “hipster” even knew it was hipster.
From his namesake line to Japanese home goods to the occasional vintage Rolex—it was eclectic in the most thoughtful way.
At its peak, Steven Alan was everywhere. And then, suddenly, nowhere.
Except…in Tokyo.
For years, the only way to get a fix was to visit his stores there—which felt both comforting and mildly insulting. Thankfully, he reopened a jewel-box of a shop in Chelsea in recently. So now I can manage my withdrawals without flying 5,000 miles. Progress :)
4/ Barneys New York
Oh, Barneys. Barneys, Barneys, Barneys—my one true love.
When I first moved to New York, I deliberately chose an apartment across the street. I wanted to be Barneys-adjacent at all times—especially during sale season, obviously.
Then in 2019, it went bankrupt. Liquidated. Gone.
I was genuinely depressed. It felt like a huge piece of New York had disappeared.
Barneys wasn’t just a store—it was New York. The coolest edit, the best emerging designers, the right mix of attitude and taste. The staff were cool, the customers were cool—it was the epicenter.
Even Fred’s—the restaurant named after Fred Pressman—was perfect for people-watching. A whole ecosystem.
And then…Tokyo.
Barneys New York is alive and well there. Thriving, even. Two locations—Ginza and Roppongi.
When I walked into the Ginza store, I almost cried. The same black awning, the same font, the same everything. It was like stepping into a perfectly preserved memory.
A perfect quick fix for my withdrawal—but geographically, not ideal.
There are rumors Barneys might come back. Let’s hope there’s a fashion god.