Retail

Prime Retail Space on Avenue A – 85 Avenue A, East Village / Alphabet City

Address: 85 Avenue A, New York, NY, 10009
Price: $20,000/month
Square Feet: 1,900 SF
Type: Retail Space

Property Overview:

Located on Avenue A in the heart of the East Village / Alphabet City — one of downtown Manhattan’s most vibrant, culturally rich, and iconic neighborhoods — 85 Avenue A offers 1,900 SF of prime retail space at a competitive price point. This space is ideal for boutiques, concept stores, beauty salons, fitness studios, art galleries, specialty food shops, or service-based businesses. Situated between East 5th Street and East 6th Street, this property benefits from a prime location within a 1991-built condominium building that features 32 residential units and 1 commercial unit . The building offers approximately 7,685 SF of commercial space and is equipped with an elevator, making it highly accessible .

Key Features:

Prime East Village / Alphabet City / Avenue A Location:

• Situated on Avenue A, one of the East Village’s most desirable and iconic thoroughfares, known for its vibrant mix of independent boutiques, cafes, restaurants, bars, and community gardens — capturing the authentic, creative spirit of downtown Manhattan.
• Located between East 5th Street and East 6th Street, placing your business at the epicenter of one of downtown Manhattan’s most dynamic, heavily trafficked, and culturally significant neighborhoods.
• Just steps from Tompkins Square Park (7th-10th Streets between Avenues A and B), a beloved neighborhood hub featuring a farmers’ market (Sundays), dog run, playgrounds, concerts, and community events — generating strong foot traffic from dog walkers, families, skateboarders, and park visitors.
• Minutes from St. Mark’s Place (8th Street), First Avenue, Second Avenue, Ludlow Street, and the Lower East Side — all lined with boutiques, restaurants, bars, music venues, and nightlife.
• Short walk to the East River Promenade, offering beautiful waterfront walking, running, and biking paths with stunning views of the Williamsburg Bridge and Brooklyn.

High-Traffic, 24/7 Neighborhood:

• Avenue A is one of the East Village’s busiest pedestrian corridors, drawing a constant flow of local residents, NYU students, artists, musicians, young professionals, families, dog walkers, and tourists 24/7.
• Tompkins Square Park draws thousands of daily visitors for dog walking, skateboarding, concerts, and the weekly farmers’ market — generating strong foot traffic, especially on weekends and during community events.
• The East Village is a true 24/7 neighborhood, with strong daytime foot traffic from residents and NYU students, plus exceptionally strong evening and weekend traffic from the area’s legendary bars, restaurants, and music venues.

Spacious & Flexible Retail Layout – 1,900 SF:

• 1,900 SF of generous retail space — ideally sized for a boutique, concept store, beauty salon, fitness studio, art gallery, or specialty food shop.
• Attractive storefront with excellent street-level visibility on Avenue A, a busy downtown corridor with constant pedestrian flow.
• High ceilings and open floor plan (characteristic of the East Village’s historic tenement buildings), allowing for creative merchandising, art displays, fitness equipment, or custom build-outs.
• Large windows providing abundant natural light and prime window display opportunities facing Avenue A’s steady foot traffic.
• Potential for original architectural details such as exposed brick, tin ceilings, or hardwood floors — adding authentic East Village character.
• Potential for back-of-house space, storage, fitting rooms, or office areas depending on configuration.
• At $10.53 per square foot, this represents exceptional value for retail space in this prime East Village location.

Excellent Transit Access:

• Moments from the First Avenue subway station (L) , providing a direct connection to 14th Street, Union Square, Williamsburg, and Bushwick.
• Close to the 2nd Avenue station (F) , Astor Place station (6) , 8th Street/NYU station (N, R, W) , and 14th Street/Union Square station (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W) .
• Multiple bus routes serve Avenue A, First Avenue, and 14th Street (M9, M14, M15, M8).
• Convenient for East Village residents, NYU students and faculty, artists, and commuters from across the city and Brooklyn.

Trend-Conscious, High-Spending Customer Base:

• Local residents — dense, diverse community of the East Village, including young professionals, families, artists, musicians, and longtime residents.
• NYU students and faculty — over 50,000 students and thousands of faculty/staff, many of whom live, study, and socialize within walking distance of Avenue A.
• Tompkins Square Park visitors — daily visitors to the park, including dog walkers, families, skateboarders, and attendees of the weekly farmers’ market, concerts, and community events.
• Nightlife and dining crowd — the East Village is famous for its legendary bars, restaurants, music venues, and nightlife, drawing visitors from across the city and around the world.
• Ideal for businesses such as:
• Independent boutique or concept store (apparel, accessories, vintage)
• Beauty or nail salon (trend-focused)
• Fitness or yoga studio (small-format)
• Contemporary art gallery
• Specialty food, chocolate, or wine shop
• Coffee shop or cafe (upscale)
• Tattoo or piercing studio
• Record store or music shop
• Pop-up or rotating concept space

Highlights:
✔ 1,900 SF of prime retail space on Avenue A in the East Village / Alphabet City
✔ $20,000/month — exceptional value at just $10.53 per square foot
✔ Attractive storefront with excellent visibility on a vibrant, trend-driven corridor
✔ Steps from Tompkins Square Park and St. Mark’s Place
✔ High ceilings and authentic East Village character (exposed brick, tin ceilings)
✔ Surrounded by independent boutiques, music venues, cocktail bars, and acclaimed restaurants
✔ Strong, diverse, 24/7 foot traffic — residents, students, artists, and visitors
✔ Excellent transit access — L, F, 6, N, R, W, 4, 5, Q trains

Conclusion:

85 Avenue A offers an exceptional opportunity for boutique owners, fitness operators, art dealers, and creative entrepreneurs seeking prime, high-visibility retail space in the heart of the East Village / Alphabet City — one of downtown Manhattan’s most vibrant, culturally rich, and iconic neighborhoods, steps from Tompkins Square Park. With 1,900 SF of flexible, character-rich space, a prime Avenue A location in the center of the East Village’s trendy retail and nightlife district, and access to a diverse, high-spending, trend-conscious customer base of residents, students, artists, and visitors, this property is perfect for boutiques, concept stores, fitness studios, art galleries, or beauty salons looking to thrive in a neighborhood known for its independent spirit, creative energy, and legendary street life — all at an exceptional value of just over $10 per square foot.

Contact us today to schedule a private tour and secure this premier East Village retail space!