DUMBO

The story

Dumbo is a cobblestoned former warehouse district between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, with shops in converted buildings near Brooklyn Bridge Park. The shopping runs along Front Street and Water Street, with Empire Stores as the anchor and a few more stops on Plymouth and Adams Streets.

The mix leans to home, books and resale. West Elm and MCollection cover furniture, The Shade Store does custom window treatments, POWERHOUSE Arena and Usagi sell books, and 2nd STREET buys and sells secondhand clothing. It suits visitors combining the park and bridge views with a few shops and a food hall lunch.

What to Expect

Inside Empire Stores, Kith Kids is a children's flagship with seasonal collections, collaboration apparel and footwear, plus a Kith Treats ice cream counter. West Elm fills the first floor with furniture, lighting, rugs and decor, and Cha Cha Matcha serves matcha, coffee and pastries on the ground floor. Time Out Market has about 21 restaurants and three bars on a ground floor and a 5th-floor level, with a rooftop terrace facing both bridges; Doughnuttery inside sells bite-sized doughnuts from glazed to chai masala. Also on Water Street, Jacques Torres Chocolate sells patterned truffles and ancho chili hot chocolate, and OddFellows Ice Cream Co. mixes unusual flavors with chocolate and vanilla.

On Front Street, 2nd STREET sells men's and women's secondhand clothing, bags and shoes, including Japanese, European and luxury labels. The Shade Store welcomes walk-ins and offers take-home fabric swatches, MCollection shows sofas, lighting and outdoor pieces from international designers, and Thea Grant makes celestial jewelry with stars and snakes alongside antique and estate pieces. POWERHOUSE Arena hosts author talks and book launches. On Plymouth Street, Usagi (163) is a Japanese-inspired café, bookstore and exhibition space, and A.I.R. Gallery (155) is an artist-run nonprofit showing women and non-binary artists. On weekends from April to December, the Brooklyn Flea sets up under the Manhattan Bridge archway with vintage clothing, furniture, collectibles and art.

Best Time to Visit

Shops post about 11am to 8pm, though some close at 6pm. West Elm is open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm, so skip Monday if it's on your list. Kith Kids runs until 8pm Monday to Saturday and 7pm Sunday. 2nd STREET is open daily 11am to 8pm but stops buying an hour before close. Time Out Market opens at 8am and stays open until 10pm Sunday to Thursday and 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with a Sunset Spritz Hour on the rooftop in the early evening. Come on an April-to-December weekend for the Brooklyn Flea (check its schedule first), or on the first Thursday of the month for gallery hopping.

If You Only Have an Hour

Start in Empire Stores with West Elm and Kith Kids. Cross to Jacques Torres Chocolate, then walk up to Front Street for 2nd STREET and Thea Grant. With time to spare, end on Time Out Market's rooftop terrace for the bridges.