Whim Golf has closed on Avenue A

After a summer pop-up at 66 Avenue A, Whim Golf has closed fore good here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. 

The golf-themed fashion brand had a well-attended wrap-up party last Thursday night with several jazz musicians, including longtime East Village resident William Parker. 

We also understand they were able to find a home for their putting greens.

We'll have a follow-up post on what's next for this storefront, located in a building that changed hands last fall for $64 million and is undergoing a gut renovation that saw the departure of longtime retail tenant Ink in this strip in July.

Does anyone have a need fore a putting green?

The owners of Whim Golf on Avenue A are hoping to find a new home — a community garden, school or outdoor residential space — for its custom putting green. 

The green has been the centerpiece of the space at 66 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street for the past few months. Co-founder Will Gisel explained that they only have the storefront for the summer and are hoping to find someplace to donate the kid-friendly amenity. 

If you're interested, then contact Gisel via email.

Founded in 2019, Whim Golf "is an American fashion brand on a mission to democratize golf."

On Avenue A, a golf-related shop fore people who might like golf

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

It's a Cinderella story, out of nowhere: Whim Golf is shaping up to open at 66 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.  

Here's more about the company:

For people who might like golf. Founded in 2019, Whim Golf is an American fashion brand on a mission to democratize golf. Built to bridge the gap between art and sport, Whim designs timeless products, artful content, and immersive experiences that together build a community that shifts the narrative about who belongs in golf.

Or, as a 2022 feature in Golf Digest put it, "Taking the coolness from streetwear, the whimsy from fashion and the silhouettes from golf, [Whim Golf] is looking to refresh the sport's image."

And: "So the mission is twofold: make golf style everyday style, and increase golf’s visibility along the way."

If this sounds somewhat familiar, Whim Golf opened a pop-up location on the Lower East Side in the summer of 2019.

The Avenue A outpost will feature golf apparel and related accessories... as well as a putting green, which was under construction the other day when EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by...

... and talked with co-founder Will Gisel, who started the company with childhood friend Colin Heaberg. (They also own a creative agency called Whim.)

Whim Golf is expected to open soon.

The retail space has been vacant since Lancelotti Housewares left in the fall of 2021 after 25 years in business. A collectible sneaker shop had been in the works here, but the business never materialized.