BLUE & CREAM LANDS ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE
Popular New York City specialty store Blue & Cream has expanded. The iconic insider boutique and streetwear brand founded by industry veteran Jeff Goldstein 18 years ago has opened its third store, this time in Manhattan’s Upper East Side neighborhood.
Located at 1196 Madison Avenue, the retailer’s latest store acts as a physical platform for Blue & Cream’s omnichannel experience, with screen displays bridging digital to the neighborhood and seamlessly linking digital and in-store shopping. The store focuses on the experience with every detail from scent to lighting, in-store clienteling, iconic art pieces, exclusive products, and curated DJ mixes. And, don’t miss out on featured men’s brands at this location like the retailer’s own private label, Belstaff, Bossi, Frame, Moussy, Golden Goose, Kato, Ksubi, Presidents, and 04651.
To kick off the opening, the retailer hosted a private party earlier this month with celebrity appearances, in-store styling, a food truck, and more. The night featured DJ Samantha Ronson and DJ Jus Ske, and a special appearance by the legendary Ghostface Killah (frontman of Wu-Tang Clan) who grabbed the mic and had the crowd going wild while performing some of his classics.
Goldstein joined Ghostface behind the DJ booth to share the tale of Blue & Cream. He recounts driving to the Hamptons with Kevin Saer Leong (head of creative at 300 Entertainment) and thinking about what to name the store when Wu-Tang’s song C.R.E.A.M. came on the radio and it all clicked. This would become the name of the Hamptons legendary streetwear store, bringing new brands and a sense of style out East for years to come.
The night was also a reunion of the original UES “it girls” including Charlotte Ronson (who hasn’t been to NYC since her brother Mark Ronson’s wedding), Arden Wohl, Dani Stahl, and Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss. Other guests included socialite Nev Schulman (of MTV’s Catfish), Mischa Barton, Samantha Blake Cohen (Michael Cohen’s daughter), Jaime Gleicher (of the reality show Rich Girls), Lizzie Grubman, and more.
Guests enjoyed Neapolitan pizza from a truck parked outside while sipping Hampton Water Rosé and tequila, toasting not only the new store but the 18-year anniversary of Blue & Cream’s original opening in the Bowery. Neighbors of the Upper East Side stopped by to toast the revival of Madison Avenue after seeing so many retail storefronts close down during the pandemic, many noting how great it was to see Madison Avenue buzzing once again.
And Blue & Cream isn’t going anywhere. The high-end boutique signed a 10-year lease on Madison Avenue and this flagship will cater to those looking for the next wave of elevated in-store retail for 2021 and beyond.
