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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 local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around our fantastic city that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.
Image via Yelp
Kerry Diamond spends her days acting as the head of Coach PR. By night, she's the co-owner of two Brooklyn-based restaurants: Seersucker and Smith Canteen in Carroll Gardens. An avid supporter of small businesses, she recommends Swallow, a destination for moody, delicate, and intricate treasures—that just happens to be a few blocks down from her restaurants.
Swallow is one of the most beautiful stores on Smith Street, if not in all of Brooklyn. It's this little oasis on a nondescript strip of Smith Street that includes a deli, laundromat and Chinese take-out shop, so it's a surprise when you stumble upon it. It's filled with cases of unique animal figurines, gorgeous glass pieces, cheap-chic jewelry, cards, thorny metal branches and on and on. You can stop in and spend a lot or a little, or just browse and clear your mind. It's the coolest curio shop around and we're lucky to have it in the neighborhood.· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked NY]