Aesop Upper West Side is a minimalist storefront located in New York, New York, designed by Tacklebox Architecture for Aesop. Aesop Upper West Side in New York City safeguards the residential tradition of interstitial sites where public meets private. Designed in partnership with Tacklebox Architecture under the leadership of Jeremy Barbour, it marks their sixth collaboration with the locally based studio, and a new evolution in a long-term creative association.

The store is situated in a landmark space on Columbus Avenue that formerly housed Anel French Cleaners, a family-run dry cleaner. The owners hand-picked Aesop to reimagine their space and continue a tradition of trusted local merchants such as the barbershop, salon and laundry. The result is at once a sensitive conservation and distinctive transformation. Extending the legacy of Anel, it offers a fresh space for rituals of personal maintenance, restoration and renewal. 

The pressed metal façade and vintage graphic signage of the previous tenant have been carefully preserved. Complementing the exterior conservation, the design for the 65-square metre interior deploys materiality, form and colour to delicately mediate the site’s transition towards its new purpose, while honouring the legacy of the former occupants.