The GQ at Park & Bond pop-up shop is open for business. And—if we do say so ourselves—it’s amazing. Equal parts sleek and inviting, the space is the ideal showcase for GQ’s “Best Stuff of the Year”—Warstic baseball bats, Punkt phones, Areaware alarm docks, Zwilling Santoku knives, among others—and Park & Bond’s best stuff of the season, like coats from Simon Spurr, Barbera, and Isaia; boots by Grenson and Feit; oxfords and ties from Thom Browne; tie-and-pocket-square sets by The Tie Bar; and a colorful collection of gloves, hats, and socks—not to mention some of the GQ Selects you see on the site. In other words, there’s no shortage of gifting options, whether you’re playing the role of friend with incredibly discerning taste or just looking out for No. 1.
The display tables and furniture comes from Brooklyn interior design house Strawser & Smith; David Smith picked the tables, lamps, and cabinetry that display the wares with our incredibly talented in-house consultant Nick Wooster, who oversaw the design and build-out of the space. “David has a great eye,” says Nick. “I love his stuff because it’s equaly refined and industrial.” The herringbone-clad Michael Chiarello sculptures in the front of the store are a subtle nod to the holiday season, as well as an entry point into the incredible art on display.
“[Park & Bond president] John Auerbach introduced me to Kipton Cronkite, who runs KiptonART,” adds Nick. “It’s an organization that spots and fosters young artistic talent. It helps them cultivate their work and eventually go on to different galleries. The idea was to utilize several kinds of media—sculpture, photography, and paintings—to give the store dimension as well as give these young artists a platform.”