Rye’s downtown is bucking predictions that brick-and-mortar retail is in a death spiral.
At 4 Purchase St., a large window sign urges passersby to get ready for the opening of The Vital Stretch, an assisted stretching studio offering preventative treatments to “ease tight muscles, improve flexibility, boost energy, and enhance performance.”
Owner Surbhi Garg expects the franchised studio to open this fall with five treatment stations in space that previously housed Jessica Haley Bridal.
The addition of The Vital Stretch effectively creates a health and wellness corridor at the southern end of town with IV infusions offered at The DRIPBaR Rye at 20 Purchase St. and training and nutrition coaching available at Trinity Nutrition & Fitness at 22 Purchase St. The Rye Y, just down the street, offers fitness and swimming, and at the Y Studios, an array of exercise classes.
ReUnion Coffee has applied to the planning commission to create a bakery café at 42 Purchase St., space occupied for many years by TD Bank. Plans call for 56 seats in the 4,129 square foot location.
Vee & Elle, a luxury hair salon, opened its doors at 46 Purchase St. on Aug. 15 with five cutting and six coloring stations, said owner Vera Tomaj, a veteran of 18 years in the hair styling business in Greenwich and Rye.
Photo David Hessekiel
Custom-made furnishings, a handwritten logo based on the names of her children and other touches are intended to create “a homey and happy vibe,” said Tomaj.
Chef Utku Cinel hopes to open a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant by December at 100 Purchase St., space most recently occupied by Greek from Greece and which for many years housed The Bank of New York.
Cinel created and operates two eateries in Manhattan, Antique Garage Soho and Tribeca, but has not decided whether he’ll transport that brand to Rye. He expects that the restaurant’s Aegean cuisine will emphasize seafood and take advantage of outdoor and indoor seating on the site.
Around the corner at 8 Purdy St., designer and entrepreneur Kelly Farley plans to open the first retail location of her brand Aly x Joshua this fall in a storefront that for 13 years housed The Open House which offered “stylish accessories and gifts.”
Aly & Joshua features “unique clothing and accessories ethically designed and produced in NYC and California” that have a “rock ’n roll” attitude, according to Farley, who started her business five years ago with an Etsy storefront featuring eight products.