TRIBECA — When Asian specialty store Pearl River Mart relaunches in TriBeCa, the shop will be a "pop-up" before it's overhauled into a permanent location.
The former SoHo megastore, which was forced to shutter because of a rent hike last spring, is set to open in a smaller location on Nov. 17, at 395 Broadway, the shop's new president, Joanne Kwong, told DNAinfo New York.
"There's still construction to be done on the new location, but we're opening as a pop-up first to really get a sense of what our customers want in this smaller space," said Kwong, the daughter-in-law of the store's longtime owners. "We're going from more than 30,000 square feet to 8,000 square feet, so there will have to be change."
Some classics from the Asian-goods store will certainly be on the shelves when it opens, including ceramics, tea sets, slippers and colorful paper goods, Kwong said. The shop will also open with a space for gallery exhibits and performances.
The pop-up will close in February, while the space undergoes renovations, and will reopen in May, Kwong said.
"This store has been a trusted resource for Asian, non-Asians and all New Yorkers for 45 years," Kwong. "It's a unique space for cross-cultural joy, and we're thrilled to bring that back."
