Mendel Goldberg Fabrics Opening Temporary Location on Broome

On Tuesday, April 10, a fire sparked in the basement of Mendel Goldberg Fabrics at 72 Hester Street, one of the oldest surviving businesses on the Lower East Side. The roll-down security gates have been shuttered since the blaze rendered the retail operation useless. However, the fourth-generation, family-owned store continues to serve its customer base despite the smoldering setback.

Shortly after the tragedy at 72 Hester, team Mendel Goldberg announced plans for a temporary shop elsewhere on the Lower East Side. At least until the mess is cleaned up. Their search ended at the corner of Broome and Ludlow Streets, in a space that hasn’t had the best luck of late. 243 Broome – last home to Ethik pop-up shop and, before that, a refugee TG170. Signs pasted in the windows and on the showroom floor confirm the news. The announcement at the store proper indicates that “renovations” are already underway.

Mendel Goldberg Fabrics, founded in 1890 and specializing in fine European imported textiles, was also the subject of a sprawling New York Times profile exactly one year ago. Here’s a brief excerpt:

The store is a junglelike collection of fabric-filled shelves covering entire walls. There are woolens in every color, beaded laces that sell for as much as $1,600 a yard, and uncommon fabrics that the store’s four staff members can identify with a quick glance. In the basement, off-season and overstock fabrics are stored beside unsold fabrics from as far back as the 1950s.

Hopefully this Lower East Side mainstay can bounce back pretty quickly…