Is Copious Row cloning itself in Greenwich, Conn.? Not exactly.
Copious Row — the name of David Chines’ Sag Harbor, N.Y., store — is something of a misnomer. Nothing in the shop is stocked in overabundance because Chines’ approach hinges on exclusivity. “When you leave the store, you have one-of-a-kind, unique pieces,” he said. “I don’t buy a lot of anything. Sometimes I go to a quantity of two or three.”
If replicating a store with so many singular items doesn’t seem feasible, Chines has found a way to make it work in Greenwich, where a 1,600-square-foot Copious Row will open in July at 86 Greenwich Avenue.
Chines honed his aesthetic working for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton in digital marketing and public relations for brands including Givenchy, Fendi, Kenzo and Pucci.
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“There are so many retailers carrying the same brands,” Chines said. “I knew there were all these resources that were underrepresented. They can’t meet the minimums department stores require. There’s a whole wave that’s turning away from department stores. There’s no customer service and they put everything on sale very quickly.
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“There’s a need in the market for a store that doesn’t require brands produce 3,000 items for 46 locations,” Chines added.
The 700-square-foot Sag Harbor store is located in an 1800s carriage house with wood-beamed ceilings and wide-plank knotty pine wood floors. Art on the walls and drafting tables add to the “gallery” appeal of the store. “I wanted a unique shopping experience, where I would offer various categories such as resort wear, caftans, swimwear, jewelry and handbags,” Chines said.
Chines has found a customer in Sag Harbor for Copious Row’s merchandise, including Delfina Delettrez’ necklace with an evil eye, $2,430; Ruifier’s smiley face with wingtip moonstone eyes and chalcedony gemstone mouth set in 18-karat rose gold, $2,650, or Ralph Masri’s Sacred Windows cuff inspired by stained glass artwork in cathedrals, adorned with champagne diamonds and garnets and set in 18-karat rose gold, $8,950.
Eddie Borgo handbags include the Colt cross-body, made from Italian calf leather, with an architectural aluminum slatted flap, $2,490. From Sarah’s Bag’s Retail Therapy collection, there’s a hand-embroidered clutch that says “Prozak, Feels Like Heaven Everyday” with a pill-shaped brass clasp, $875, and the Euphoria clutch made of clear Perspex, $1,050.
Nina Runsdorf’s jewelry features old miner diamonds and rough-cut stones. Anna Porcu’s leather bracelets incorporate cameos, some hand painted and set in golden brass, $2,500, others such as one depicting a blue and white mythical scene, dating to 1880-1890, $4,500.
Chines explained that he used the bones of the carriage house in Sag Harbor, incorporating existing elements into the store. “In Greenwich, I was able to create a dream store,” he said. “It was a gut job. The store is a little more dressed up. It’s beach versus city.”
The new store will have the ambiance of a modern Parisian salon with heavy crown molding and paneling. The white maple wood floor will be painted with black diamonds. Surfaces will be marble and Fornasetti wallpaper will cover the back wall and dressing rooms.
The size of the Greenwich store — more than double Sag Harbor’s square footage — has allowed Chines to expand into women’s ready-to-wear with Baja East, Sally LaPointe, Ryan Roche, Sonia Rykiel, Alena Akhmadullina and Sophie Theallet.
In addition to rtw, jewelry will be a key category at the Greenwich store. “It has been such a strong category,” Chines said. “We have nine jewelry designers in Sag Harbor. I’ll expand that even further in Greenwich.”