Another Japanese Retailer Arrives in SoHo

For its first US store, Fith Co., Ltd., a leading children’s wear company in Japan, recently leased 900 s/f of ground floor retail space at 65 West Houston Street on the edge of SoHo.

Sinvin Realty Corp.’s Christopher Owles, managing director, and Bruce Sinder, president, represented the landlord, Manhattan Skyline Management Corp.

The actual lease terms have not been made public, but Manhattan Skyline had been asking $200 per square foot. The two parties signed a five-year lease with a five-year option. Kenji Asazuma of Furumoto Realty of NYC, Inc. represented Fith in the deal.

“West Houston Street hasn’t traditionally been a destination for fashion,” says Owles, “but the store also fronts Wooster Street, which has long-time fashion establishments, such as Stussy, Betsey Johnson, and Adidas Originals. However, since the construction of mixed-use developments on two former parking lots between Mercer and Wooster Streets, Houston Street has been growing into a retail thoroughfare, and the ongoing redevelopment of the street will include a pedestrian promenade.”

Fith is also the latest of a number of Japanese retailers who have emerged as a presence in SoHo, including A Bathing Ape, R by 45rpm, and Via Bus Stop, which is also on West Houston Street.

Fith will also fit in with West Houston Street neighbor, PSNY, which sells the P-sling: a traditional Japanese-constructed baby carrier in a variety of colors for fashionable families.