(Photo: Courtesy of Coach)

When the long-standing antiques shop Clary & Co. was bought out by megabrand Coach, it seemed like yet another example of how Bleecker Street was losing its small-boutique charm to big-name takeovers. But Coach never intended to build a store that looks like its midtown flagship or any other corporate model. Its new 1,200-square-foot Legacy store (372–374 Bleecker St., nr. Perry St.; 212-206-8343) features a restored copper exterior and white-oak- and nickel-accented interiors. The Legacy line, launched last fall, is inspired by the clean, elegant, but utilitarian shapes of the bags designed for Coach by Bonnie Cashin in the sixties. Various offerings include the fringed Coach Piper bag (pictured, $358), gloves with heavy gold hardware, or a simple slouchy white bag that’s subtle and refreshing to those who don’t go for styles with more overt branding.

Related:

• Archive: “The Storefront: Openings & Closings”
• Articles by Aja Mangum
• Table of Contents: Nov 5, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!