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Inside a Brooklyn store with TikTok buzz, a waitlist, and tiny MetroCard charms
By
Precious Fondren
Published Mar 4, 2024
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Photo by Precious Fondren / Gothamist
By
Precious Fondren
Published Mar 4, 2024
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Some New Yorkers are waiting for hours on weekends for a chance to buy charm bracelets or necklaces at Brooklyn Charm, a tiny store in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Part of the store’s appeal is its "infinite" charm selection, said Ruby Westfall, the store’s greeter. There are shapes, fruits, desserts, letters and animals. There are green jade gemstones, a Pikachu charm, chip bag charms, booze bottle totems, and even a tiny MetroCard.
A “Hello Kitty” or MetroCard charm sells for $6, whereas a gold or silver heart-shaped charm goes for $15.
Hello Kitty charms sell for $6 at Brooklyn Charm.
Photo by Precious Fondren / Gothamist
Affordable prices and — as has been the case with so many recent New York City trends — TikTok videos have fueled the store's popularity.
In videos about Brooklyn Charm, people show off their creations and offer tips on how to best prepare for a store visit. (Most users stressed the importance of arriving at least a half hour before the store opens.) There are even videos directing people to other stores with shorter wait times. (Some recommend BeadKraft in Midtown.)
The Greenpoint space, which opened last summer, is one of four Charm locations between New York and California, according to the store's website.
It's Charm's second go-around in Brooklyn — its previous location in the borough closed in August 2020 following a 10-year run.
Courtesy Brooklyn Charm
Here's how it works: Customers can get a bracelet, necklace or even an anklet customized with tiny charms they choose. Necklaces can either be fixed, meaning the charms are stationary on the chain and spread out evenly, or in a cluster, meaning that each charm is in the center of the chain.
An item's final price depends on the metal used, its length and the number of charms.
The store’s popularity is also driven by the trend of younger people, particularly members of Gen Z, seeking to express their individuality, according to several fashion and accessories experts interviewed.
"Fixed" or "cluster" designs at Brooklyn Charm.
Photo by Precious Fondren / Gothamist
“People are trying to put together things that are infused with meaning,” said Fiona Tedds, a fashion historian based in the city.
Michael Coan, an assistant professor of jewelry design at Manhattan's Fashion Institute of Technology, agreed.
“Charms nowadays are very personal,” he said. “We go for things that will remind us of our own being and important points in our lives.”
Still, there was no wait time at Brooklyn Charm on a recent Thursday afternoon. Around 15 people — mostly young adults who appeared to be in their early 20s — were browsing the store's selection of hundreds of charms to add to their accessories.
Westfall, the store’s greeter, said Saturdays and Sundays are the store's busiest days. She added that around 50 people are typically lined up before the store opens at 11 a.m.
She also said the store admits the first 30 people before starting the waitlist process, whereby customers can sign up to receive a text when it’s their turn to shop. Once people make their choices, their orders are usually ready for pickup in about two hours.
Janae Guy was at the store that Thursday and said she purposely visited on a workday because she had heard about the long lines.
Guy, who moved to the city from upstate New York seven years ago, said she was there to make a necklace that would remind her of her time in the city when she’s older. Her chain included a Corona beer bottle, a Tabasco bottle, a lime and the MetroCard charm.
“I'd love to give it to my child one day and be like, ‘this is a memory of what I did when I was younger,’” she said. “It's a great way to just represent who you are through different trinkets and charms.”
Brooklyn Charm in Greenpoint is open Mondays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information visit here.
Tagged
fashion
brooklyn
art
Precious Fondren
Precious is a former WNYC & Gothamist culture reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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