Inside NYC’s Chicest Secret Shopping Trend: Your Neighbor’s Closet
In a city where rents rival small mortgages and a vintage Louis Vuitton bag can cost more than a month’s groceries, New Yorkers are getting clever with how—and where—they shop. The newest luxury amenity? Your neighbor’s closet. Internal resident marketplaces in high-end apartment communities are transforming how urbanites access high-quality goods, creating hyperlocal economies where everything from Gucci to gourmet cookware is up for grabs, often at prices that feel downright subversive for Manhattan.
These marketplaces are creating a unique kind of hyperlocal economy where neighbors are scoring curated and even luxury finds without ever leaving their building. Here’s how tenants in three different residential communities are making the most of their marketplaces.
Sven
The second tallest building in Queens at 71 stories, Sven is The Durst Organization’s premier residential tower at Queens Plaza in Long Island City. Residents at Sven get the best of New York City, from sweeping views of the Queensboro Bridge and access to eight different subway lines to 50,000 square feet of amenities. But a new feature residents are becoming infatuated with is the resident marketplace, a private platform where the Sven community has sold timeless and expensive items including brand new Hermes tea cups and Gucci bags. It has turned into more than just a resale space, but a sustainable and stylish way for neighbors to connect.
Anagram Nomad
Located in the timeless Nomad neighborhood at 10 East 29th Street, Global Holdings’ Anagram Nomad luxury apartment tower offers residents with sharp design, uninterrupted views of the city, and the elegant New York City lifestyle. When residents aren’t soaking up the city on their private terraces, they can log into the Anagram Nomad Community app to join resident-exclusive events, connect with fellow neighbors, or shop through the “Marketplace,” where residents have sold everything from doggie strollers to Venus et Fleur luxury roses.
RXR
Across its residential portfolio of nearly 10,000 units, leading real estate developer RXR partners with Cobu, a resident engagement platform designed to connect residents to one another for communication and marketplace needs. In flagship RXR properties like The Willoughby in Brooklyn and Maven in Mott Haven, more than 90% of residents opt to participate in community engagement on Cobu. Through this marketplace tenants have scored the most delightfully random, but useful, items such as air pumps, military bags, designer furniture from West Elm, and even plant pottery. More than just a buy, sell, trade marketplace - the platform also allows residents make connections to notaries, sitters, or any other neighborly assistance before leaving the comfort of their building.
In a post-pandemic era where convenience, sustainability, and localism reign supreme, these marketplaces reflect a larger shift: luxury is no longer about how far you go to find something special, but how close it can be. When your next great buy is just an elevator ride away, who needs Soho?
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