sector: Electronics
district: Chelsea
420 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001, United States
In a nutshell
Old-Skool pro-tech emporium. Deep stock, deep knowledge, old-school service (knowledgable, grumpy, helpful if you're quick!), with multichannel prowess.
In their words
“Get to know the people who know your gear best.
B&H is not a big box store, or a faceless chain... or a personality-free zone. B&H is a group of people who are passionate about the things you're passionate about—from photography, film, music and audio to art and technology, creating and imagining.”
Visit Field notes
The old-skool 1950s vibe (signage, layout, flooring, decor) is exemplified by the ceiling-hung conveyor belts that move product around the store to the cages for payment and pickup. Part future, part past, this is a steampunk emporium to tech, to modernity and to history. A must-visit for the product, staff and experience.
During COVID they converted their service points into perspex-clad online service areas - video-conferencing with a member of staff. Since the pandemic the "call a staff member" has continued, brining the one-to-one expertise to more people. In addition the store has a long history of knowledgeable and accessible gear reviews on its YouTube channel.
Other Reading
The store's history on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%26H_Photo
LAST VISITED
18/11/2024
Added
2019
COMPARE WITH
A pop-up store for winter 2024-5 in the heart of Soho. A "locker-room" fit-out and plenty of red vinyl is in keeping with the brand's values. The store blends NYC-specific products with promotions.
Their third "Forward Store" concept that blends experience, craft, co-creation and sustainability - "repair, remake, resell, and recycle" - in a boutique flagship with quirky design and interaction.
Google's brand/experience offering that makes the Apple Store seem staid and 'last year'.
Luxury second-hand goods (clothing, jewellery, objets, curated and displayed in an aspirational townhouse venue.
Similar shops
Upmarket grocery-focused supermarket with a reputation for quality, taste and good ingredients. This store brings their produce to life as well as showcasing their fishmonger, butchery and food prepar...
British architect Sophie Hick's minimalist take on Alaia's move from wholesale to D2C.
Stylish, recently-expanded store to highlight the On running range, with an extended selection of clothing. Hidden gait analysis and the 'magic wall' that reveals all sizes. Enormous window frontage.
Bold, brutalist remake of a Soho flagship building showcases the brand's "Raw Architecture" aesthetic. Sparse, sustainable fittings in a generous space, evoke 'art gallery' and luxury at the same time
Ethical or 'Frugal luxury' - when an American seeking the perfect baseball cap met a manufacturing obsessive and they created a 100% made in France artisanal headware range, using the materials and ar...
Google's brand/experience offering that makes the Apple Store seem staid and 'last year'.
