Yet Another Store Vacates Bowery and Prince

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Bowery Boogie reports that Prince Street's two-year-old Block Headwear is packing it in. The shop plans to move—destination unknown—and currently offers 50% off its selection of trilbies, trappers, and newsboy caps.

It's hardly the first storefront to change hands on the easternmost block of Prince recently. Over the past two years, the strip has seen the arrival and departure of lingerie boutique Luscious NYC and streetwear shop Fresh Prince (both April 2010 - February 2011), as well as the launch of Bellaritta and Supra in their respective places. Meanwhile, Soho veteran Henry Lehr is out up the block, with Haute Hippie taking over the space as we speak.

Why all the shuffling? Part of it has to be the block's in-between location: One side feels like Nolita proper, while the other dead-ends into the Bowery. Sure, the New Museum is right there, but the Bowery is wide enough to discourage all those contemporary art fans from popping across the street to browse hats. And part of it, as Bowery Boogie points out, is probably rising rents. After all, when there's high turnover on a hip block in Manhattan, that's always a possible culprit.
· Block Headwear Vacating 10 Prince Street [Bowery Boogie]
· Fresh Prince and Luscious NYC Call It Quits on the Bowery [Racked NY]
· Haute Hippie Brings Peace, Love, and Flouncy Dresses to Nolita [Racked NY]