On occasion we'll take a quick look at a new (or old!) business around the East Village. Today we visit Bulb Concepts Inc., 13 E. Seventh St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.
Article and photos by Stacie Joy
Jessie Lee and Anthony Wong created Bulb Concepts in October 2013 in a tiny (less than 400 square feet) and charming sales/work space on East Seventh Street.
Jessie and Anthony (partners in business and in life) will help you design any lighting project you may have on your mind.
When I was there visiting, the store was humming with cyclists who dropped by to buy some household bulbs, a couple busy worrying/fussing over a lighting project for their apartment (Jessie very patiently wired and repaired a lamp for them while they waited) and assorted restaurant owners and locals who needed emergency Edison bulbs and lighting supplies.
I’m not a huge design enthusiast, and my knowledge of lighting is fairly poor (except, of course, for photography-based lighting concerns) so I asked a lot of questions, all of which the couple was happy to answer.
Jessie started her lighting career on the Bowery seven years ago. She began as a bookkeeper in a light shop, then worked her way up to manager.
There is plenty to look at inside the shop. I am particularly impressed by the strings of lights inside the mason jars as well as the Cooper Union student projects Jessie was crafting in the back of the shop in its wee workspace.
The couple offer free consultations on lighting needs, and will travel to businesses to scope out any lighting issues they may have.
10 comments:
Great selection here and they have rather hard-to-find bulbs in stock. Very pleasant people. A good little addition to the neighborhood. I hope they can survive!
- East Villager
For those who read this blog and wonder why residents groups and block associations put so much time and effort into stopping more restaurants/bars and lounges for securing liquor licenses in the community it is to give folks like this a chance to open a store that might actually benefit the people who live here. If landlords get the message that they cant guarantee a liquor license to their prospective commercial tenants, then perhaps they will look elsewhere for a business, especially in some of the smaller storefront spaces.
Thanks for writing this...I was looking for a light bulb shop.
An independent business providing a useful service that actual people need, seemingly very nice people running it, and a very cool looking shop that adds to the aesthetic of the neighborhood without forcing itself on the world or attempting to draw the brohemians.
There's not a thing not to like about this, and I hope they have huge success.
THANK YOU for bringing this to our attention - their location is not on my usual "route" so I didn't know this shop existed, but I will certainly patronize their store now that I'm aware of it!
I'm happy to go out of my way to support a local business like this. They seem like wonderful people, and I wish them every success!
Awesome.
Rooting for this place and looking forward to checking it out!
I stopped in there to get a new bulb for a lamp I was having trouble with and they were INCREDIBLY nice and helpful. ended up buying some other extra decorative bulbs as well. much much luck to them.
I am a photographer and got a kind of unusual light set up from them. About a month later, I had some problems with it and stopping by late one day mentioned to them the trouble I was having. They said they were closing but offered to stay open an extra half hour just for me to bring it in for them to look at. I returned and they spent a good 15 minutes fiddling with it and eventually replaced much of it with all new components, at no charge. I was shocked - I really had expected a bunch of stonewalling and excuses about how it wasn't their problem, and instead they gave me a level of gracious service I hadn't received from anyone in years. I recommend them wholeheartedly!! I will definitely be back there.
LOL @ the two dorks wearing their bike helmets.
Uhhh take 'em off.
All the best to this place.
D
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