Only In NY: 'World's Smallest Store' On Christopher Street Is Big On Character
By Billie Rama
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Blink and you might miss it.
Located a few doors down from the Christopher Street PATH Station in the West Village is the "World's Smallest Store."
The interior of the 50-square-foot store looks like a long, narrow closet filled with clothing and other wares extending to a table on the sidewalk. If it weren't for the sign, and if this wasn't New York City, you'd likely mistake it for a yard sale.
More interesting than the store's size, or lack thereof, is one of the store's professed owners, Parksarezoosfortrees, yes that is what he said his name is -- Parks Are Zoos for Trees.
When asked about the name, "Parks" said he'd rather be remembered by a sentence as opposed to a name. He also said, when asked, that his last name "is unpronounceable in your language."
This may be perhaps because, according to his Facebook page, he was raised by birds.
A bit of research found that P-A-Z-F-T is long for Ivan Youngblood, a dog educator, stand-up comic, and self-proclaimed hippie.
Everything in the store is hand-made. Parks said if he didn't make it, he knows who did, adding "everything is made by hipsters."
My guess is some of the same hipsters behind his other venture, SpicyCupcakes.com.
Business is pretty good, according to Parks but not exactly where it should be. "I haven't reached my full expression as a place. There is still a lot that I want to do. I will be hanging naturally shed deer antlers all over the place because hangers are boring. Regular slat walls are boring," according to Parks.
Here's some of what you'll find at the World's Smallest Store:
- Original designs
- Funny and thought-provoking shirts
- Clever undies
- Custom work and hand-made jewelry.
Since he's a one-man organization, the store doesn't keep traditional hours. However, that doesn't stop him from making a sale.
"If someone wants something and calls me at 3 a.m., I'll come back for a sale. I'm more like a facilitator between truly homemade art from some people I know in Bushwick, to right here where maybe they might see something like that. I'm really putting the best of the best here. Everything pops - I don't carry anything boring."
He added that he loves art, and said whether the store is a success or failure, it has been an amazing learning experience, and a lot of fun.
If you want to feel good about doling out some green, Parks said he donates proceeds to an organization called Trees for the Future, and that, "technically a tree is planted with every purchase."
Although admirable, especially in these tough economic times, Parks isn't patting himself on the back.
"I still don't feel like I'm doing enough, but at the same time a lot of people say 'Oh that's so good of you. But really, [like] everybody should be doing something or it's like 'OK, do I make that guy rich? Do I make that guy rich?' It would be cooler if we could say that guy does something for walruses."
He doesn't yet have a Web site for the World's Smallest Store, but says one is coming soon.
And if you're wondering what the rent is on such a tiny space, Parks says he got a "good deal" at less than $4,000 per month.
A good deal? That's debatable.
What isn't up for debate is the fact that you'll find some pretty unique stuff and a very colorful New Yorker at 131 Christopher Street.
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