“Take what you want. Share what you think others may enjoy (not limited to material items).” read a sign at the Brooklyn Free Store. Located in Bedford-Stuyvesant the store is more of a project rather than a retail space. Housed under a tent, the inventory consists of donated and found items ranging from books, clothing, to various objects. There are no regular hours and it is never locked. Read more about the operation in The New York Times and see what they’re up to via twitter.

The Ace Hotel has become a self-contained cultural ecosystem–guests really don’t have to go anywhere else once they’ve checked in. With the opening of Stumptown and The Breslin, patrons need not worry about a lack of caffeine or carnivorous food options. Hop on an elevator or take a flight of stairs down to the lobby to satiate these needs.

Now that the dining option is complete, retail would be the next objective. This weekend will see Ace’s first retail operation. Partnering with L.E.S. boutique, Project 8, the hotel is set to open No. 8a. A gift shop filled with items that are useful for distant travelers and locals alike. Positioning the store with dual entrances, one for hotel guests and another for pedestrians off Broadway.

The success of The Ace is not only in its core business but the ability to draw New Yorkers in as well. In less than a year, the hotel has become a hub that is set to change the landscape of the neighborhood. And they’re not finished, with three more operations in the works including a street level shop with Opening Ceremony, a basement bar with Ken Friedman and sandwich shop with No. 7 from Brooklyn.

We share your pain in finding the perfect gift, especially how you have only two weeks left to shop. If you need some assistance, you may want to consider “Clairvoyant.” A pop up shop opening this Thursday in Williamsburg hosted by Judith Auora Ryan, a psychic ready to offer a helping hand at finding a gift for that special person in your life. Culled from a selection of items from designers and shops that include Alter, Kiosk, Cabinet Magazine, In God We Trust, Other Music and others, it’s guaranteed that the gift she selects will be better than the set of steak knives you gave away last year. “Clairvoyant” opens December 10 to the 12th from noon to 10pm at 303 Grand Street in Brooklyn.

When one thinks of design shops in the city, Moss, Conran, and the MoMA store immediately come to mind while The Shop at Cooper-Hewitt is often missed. Offering some of the most unique items available anywhere, The Shop stocks an extensive list of products, books and design objects. For the entire month of December, Vitsoe has invited The Shop to present a selection of holiday gifts ranging from the decorative to the functional. The store within a store will stock thirty-three gifts, an appropriate number given Vitsoe’s address is 33 Bond.

Vitsoe
33 Bond Street
btw Lafayette & Bowery

In the heart of LA’s Chinatown lives an independent book/art store called Ooga Booga. Founded by Wendy Yao, the shop has been championing artists and small publishers since its opening in 2004. Traveling 3000 miles across the country, Ooga Booga makes its way to Soho at The Swiss Institute where they will occupy the Reading Room for the next two and a half months. (via Reference Library)

Swiss Institute
495 Broadway 3rd Floor
New York NY 10012

Whether it be in art, food, or retail, when the high and low meet, the outcome is usually a favorable one. Interview magazine celebrates its 40th anniversary this year by launching its vending machine at Art Basel Miami Beach. The vending machine is more like an automated kiosk the size of a Soho studio, selling everything from original art to dvds. Items include Andy Warhol posters, Jil Sander T-shirts, a year supply of Ben & Jerry’s, and our favorite, a Prada Marfa road sign. The machine will be stationed at The Mondrian starting on December 1st. Visit Interview Magazine’s site to see what else is available. (via Refinery 29)