“We have finally settled in,” says David Haghani, co owner of Gallery Couture, Loop and The Gibson. After two years of relocating and designing new stores, and improving their product mix, the Haghani brothers are finally at home in their fashionable stores on Plandome Road.
“The question I am asked repeatedly is why did we open three stores in one town,” recounts Afshin Haghani, buyer and creative director of all three stores. He says his answer is “because we love Manhasset, we love our customers and we understand their lifestyle and their needs.”
To meet those needs, each of the stores is different.
GALLERY COUTURE is a more designer-driven boutique, with trends from the runway, but filtered for real life. Afshin describes it as the place where the “Upper East Side of Manhattan meets Manhasset. It’s on trend, but never trendy. It’s ‘The New Luxury.’ Each season’s buy is made with specific customers in mind. It’s where designers such as Haute Hippie and Elizabeth and James sit side by side with Magaschoni and Milly.”
LOOP is geared towards a more casual lifestyle customer. “This is the store for you if you are looking for a great selection of J Brand and AG jeans and Christopher Fischer and Ella Moss sweaters,” says David. “It has the wardrobe you need when you spend summers out East, and what the Gallery Couture customer wears on the weekends. It has clothes you wear to pick up the kids from school, and clothes you wear at the lacrosse game.”
THE GIBSON caters to a more trend-conscious, price-sensitive customer, according to Afshin. He says “she wants the latest trends, but is not willing to spend a lot of money.” He describes the store as not being directed to any specific age group though customers tend to range from women who want a dress for less than $250, or tops for less than $100, to teenagers who want the latest in what ‘fast fashion’ designers have to offer. He says the brand names range from Torn and Baily 44, to Blank Jeans and PJK, and that prices rarely go over $250 and sizes usually range from zero to 8.
Asked whether they will open a fourth store in Manhasset, the Haghani brothers say they will not, and say instead that their next venture will be to find the right partner in e-commerce, and go live within the next year.
David Haghani was recently installed as the president of the Manhasset Chamber of Commerce for a one-year term. He says his main focus will be working with the Town of North Hempstead, the merchants and the community to improve the look of Plandome “and helping merchants to develop and grow their businesses.”
