Georgia Shutters Beauty Shop at 89 East Houston

Georgia is no longer on the minds of those on the Lower East Side. Yes, we went there.

The writing has been on the wall since late August. It just wasn’t legible.  At the time, we heard rumblings on the street that Georgia, the three-year-old beauty store-cum-salon at 89 East Houston Street, was about ready to throw in the towel.  Now nearly two months later, their fate is sealed. Shuttered.

Yesterday morning, we watched as laborers dismantled the interior – designed by the team behind Bowery Bar and the Box – behind half-shuttered security gates.  And while the all-glass facade is still intact, it appears the lone wooden door is itself history.  Reasoning for the closure is apparently a desire to “go global.”  Co-owners Kiara Ellozy and Jodie Patterson penned a farewell on the company blog, an excerpt of which we’ve posted here:

Dear friends,

It’s time for change!

After three successful years on The Bowery, we’ve decided to expand our reach and move beyond a brick and mortar business.  We are grateful for the visibility, relevance and opportunity our flagship has brought us.  However, it is the perfect time to take our brand beyond retail.

It has always been our plan to be a global company and with this move, Georgia will be positioned properly to commit substantial resources and energy towards our existing wholesale and online business. NYC is our home, yet our plans will take us around the world.

From October forward, our salon will continue to run from a new NYC location (to be announced), and our private label, Georgia By G & Company, will be distributed through a variety of select boutiques internationally, as well as sold on line from our web site.We see this as the opportune time to update our business model to match an evolving consumer and a weakening retail landscape.  It has become clear that we’ve entered an era where even the “super-stores” understand bigger is not always better.  In response, we’re streamlining our business and focusing our efforts.

Anyone who has ever visited our gem of a boutique knows that we’ve infused our spirit into every inch of the space.  It will be difficult to leave what we’ve created here on The Bowery, but as with any substantial brand, our value is not wedded to these walls, or any walls for that matter.  The value of Georgia lies in our team and the story that birthed the team.

Fresh real estate for the taking.