Photos and interviews by Stacie Joy
Photos from Tuesday, when the pop-up shop was closed
In the days since cookbook seller Bonnie Slotnick was arrested following
a confrontation with a security worker outside the Harry Styles Together Together pop-up, several neighboring merchants on Second Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery have told EVG that the crowds and lines have created ongoing headaches for businesses along the block.
Their experiences vary. Some described recurring problems with blocked storefronts and crowded sidewalks, while others said the pop-up staff has been courteous and responsive.
Several merchants, however, agreed on one point: The large crowds haven't necessarily translated into additional business for their shops.
Adrian Rew, owner of Ergot Records, said the atmosphere on Second Street changes considerably from Wednesday through Sunday, when Together Together is open.
"The line from the Harry Styles pop-up wraps around our block," he said. "It feels quite different here during those days. It's not peaceful."
Early on, Rew said, the line extended directly across his storefront. After he approached the pop-up team, workers created a gap to provide access to Ergot. Keeping that space clear has required repeated reminders, he said, particularly as staff members managing the line have changed.
"It has felt like the communication hasn't really been there," Rew said. "At a certain point you give up trying to introduce yourself to every new person you see. It just starts to become frustrating."
Rew was not present for the confrontation that led to Slotnick's arrest. He said he later heard from a security worker that his neighbor had pulled a knife — a characterization Rew questioned after speaking with Slotnick, who told EVG last week that the object in her hand was a metal bicycle key.
"Which would have been pretty unlike Bonnie, in my experience of being Bonnie's neighbor," Rew said. "Bonnie gave me a housewarming gift when I moved in. She's the only person on the block to do that. I think she is a neighborhood person who cares about the people around her."
Rew said a representative from the pop-up visited his store after EVG's story was published to ask what organizers could do to improve conditions for businesses on the block.
"Right after your story went up, a woman named Paula came by to talk to me," he said. "She asked what they could do to make things smooth for us on the block, and I told her they could start by not arresting one of my neighbors."
According to Rew, the representative responded that when someone pulls a weapon on a staff member, they have the right to call the police.
Rew said another representative stopped by a few days later and again asked what could be done to improve things for neighboring businesses.
"I just told her that someone had come by on Sunday and that I didn't have anything more to add," he said.
Nearby merchants Sandeep and Carson Salter, co-owners of Salter House, also described the queue as "fairly obtrusive," saying it has blocked the sidewalk, crowded their entrance and obscured storefronts that sit below street level.
"We haven't had any altercations or conflict with the queue or security, but we feel Bonnie's frustration," they said in a joint statement. "Her cookbook store is a gem of the neighborhood, and a big reason we wanted to be here."
They also said the crowds haven't brought the boost in business they expected.
"You would imagine a big line like this would boost local foot traffic, but surprisingly we've sold virtually nothing to the queuing crowd," they said. "It's impossible to know the direct impact, but we've noticed a little slump in sales since the pop-up opened. Nothing drastic, but we'll definitely be keeping a close eye on it over the coming month."
John Derian, whose business operates nearby at 6 E. Second St., offered a more mixed assessment.
"The pop-up has been fine, the staff has been very nice, and they are doing their best," he told EVG. "But any pop-up line, or any line that blocks another business, is not great for business, and causes stress. So it's all tricky."
A staff member at John Derian added: "We love Bonnie and are sorry to hear what happened."
Will Morgan, owner of Ideal Glass Studios, where the pop-up is taking place, said he regretted "the way it turned out for all concerned."
Morgan, who was not present during the confrontation, questioned Slotnick's roughly six hours in police custody while acknowledging that he could not assess what happened between her and the security worker. (She spent 12 hours in custody between the 9th Precinct and Manhattan Central Booking, with a stop at Bellevue Hospital.)
"To keep Ms. Slotnick in custody for some six hours seems over-reactive, but since I wasn't there, I can't honestly assess what went down," he said.
Morgan defended the event staff's crowd-control record at Ideal Glass and said he intends to speak with Slotnick.
"I look forward to meeting with Ms. Slotnick and addressing her concerns," he said. "Harry Styles has an overwhelming appeal to his fans, but I doubt we will have such an enormous turnout for our future events." (Past events included a
three-day merch pop-up for Rush during the band's MSG stint.)
EVG also spoke with a member of the Harry Styles management team, who declined to comment on the record.
The Together Together pop-up is scheduled to continue through Nov. 1.
For at least a few of them, the issue isn't the presence of Harry Styles fans so much as what happens when hundreds of them spend hours waiting outside businesses that are trying to conduct an ordinary day on Second Street.
Previously on EV Grieve:
The two community groups involved in the planned affordable housing development on the 9th Precinct parking lot are hosting a town hall tomorrow evening focused on community land trusts.
