Duskin Designer Stephanie Tran's Favorite Upstate Transplant

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New York City has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some of the city's shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around our fantastic island (and beyond) that we might not all know about. Cue The Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.

Duskin designer Stephanie Tran used to travel upstate to get her fix of bell jars and taxidermy, but now that her favorite spot in Andes has set up shop on E. 2nd Street in the East Village, looks like she won't have to commute anymore. Kabinett and Kammer opened their doors to their second location last week, and owner Sean Scherer's collection of 19th century natural history prints, specimen shells, weathered antlers, and science class models certainly has Tran excited.

"I love going upstate to Bovina, where my friend Christine's parents have a place, and a trip there is never complete without a little shopping excursion in the town of Andes. It's amazing how small the 'downtown' is, and the shopping center is pretty much on one teeny tiny little strip of Main Street. But even so, you can pretty much find all you need to make the best weekend trip ever: food, vintage clothing, and antiques. In fact, every time I come back to the city, there is one store in particular, called Kabinett and Kammer, that I'm always thinking about. You know, planning the next trip to see what new treasures they'll put out and clearing space in my apartment for some of those new things, etc. Unfortunately, Bovina is about 3 hours away, and because of our busy schedules, we don't really get there as often as we'd like, so you can imagine how I felt when they recently opened a space in the East Village, just a few blocks away from John Derian."

"It's the most amazing antique shop filled to the brim with curiosities like sea fans, bell jars, taxidermy, and anatomical prints. I know we've seen these before, but they somehow manage to choose the cream of the crop, and arrange them in ways that make you feel like you've really stumbled onto something. Their furniture is exceptional and everything is reasonably priced for what it is. Walking into the store gives me so much visual inspiration, and though it's filled with so many things, it never seems cluttered like a lot of antique shops do. I won't stop thinking about the store in Andes, but at least I can have my quick fix closer to home if I'm craving some amazing retail therapy!"—Yale Breslin
· Duskin NY [Official Site]
· Kabinett & Kammerr [Official Site]