Andy's Chee-pees Type of Place: Women's Clothing Description: I was walking down lower Broadway the other day, sadly contemplating a giraffe. Don't get me wrong, I like giraffes very much; they're lovely and adorable, and they seem sweet-natured. But this particular giraffe was the mascot for Toys R Us, which has taken residence where Tower Records used to be; and that makes me sad. Tower Records rocked in every way (good selection, great hours, casual and non-corporate attitude...). I miss it; and I fear for a New York that would not or could not sustain that store. A few blocks later, I spotted Andy's Chee-pees, a new-and-vintage outlet. Ah-ha--a blast from the past that's still kicking. I shopped at Andy's when I was a kid in the 80s. It's moved south a little bit from where it was then, but it looks basically the same from the outside. I wondered: Is it still good? Is it still cheap? And what might it have for Halloween? Soon after entering, I came upon a black halter dress with decorated with purple spiderwebs, from Rock Steady. Cute, and definitely a decent choice for the holiday--but it was $75. Hmm. If you think you'd wear it for non-Halloween occasions, or if it could be your Halloween costume for several years, it's worth considering. I moved on to the vintage dresses. A pretty navy cocktail dress with pearl trim was $95--not especially cheap, but it's a nice, classic dress and could work for weddings, cocktail parties, benefits, etc., for years to come. But hey--why was a purple, orange, green, and yellow mumu-type garment the same price? Good for Halloween; not much good for much else that I could think of. I started to wonder about the pricing decisions being made. My confidence in Andy's was boosted by a red-plaid sleeveless 70s-vintage blouse: cute, versatile, in good shape, and a very reasonable $30. Nearby, I found a total deal: a new wine-colored taffetta floor-length skirt, from Cheryl New York, for $45. It was dramatic, elegant, and very pretty; it looked like it would cost twice what it did. (It's also available in black, but in my opinion the wine is much more distinctive.) Halloween, maybe--but I think it would be a great choice for any number of winter-holiday parties, right through New Year's Eve. Hell, wear it again for a Valentine's Day date! Also from Cheryl New York were silver or gold metallic very-mini skirts ($32), for those of you who pretend that you're dressing up for Halloween when you're really just trying to look as sexy as you can (come on, 'fess up; we've all done it!). If you can pull these off, more power to you. And if you can, you're probably young enough to be hanging out in nightclubs, too; these will work fine there. "Sugar, we're closing," said a cashier. Damn; so many more racks to check out! Feigning deafness, I quickly spotted two great Halloween options: perfectly preserved Boy Scout shirts in various sizes, complete with multiple badges ($26); and a funny/terrible flounced blouse with ugly embroidery reading "Costa Rica," a great centerpiece for any "tacky tourist" get-up. But OK, the cashiers have a right to go home; so I headed out. Is Andy's still good? Often, yes. Still cheap? If you look carefully. Halloween options? No limit; use your imagination. -Pamela Grossman; Oct 20, 2007 Andy's Chee-pees 691 Broadway (betw. 3rd and 4th Sts.) New York, NY 10012 (212) 420-5980 |
