17 Essex Street, New York, NY 10002 – Lower East Side
Asking Rent: $4,800/month
Space: 600 sq ft
Property Type: Retail (Ground Floor)
Rent per Sq Ft: $8.00/month ($96.00/sq ft annualized)
Property Overview
This 600-square-foot retail space at 17 Essex Street offers an affordable and strategic opportunity in the bustling heart of the Lower East Side, directly adjacent to the historic Essex Street Market. With an asking rent of $4,800 per month, it is positioned for a local entrepreneur, artisanal food vendor, boutique, or service business looking to tap into the neighborhood’s authentic, high-energy mix of longtime residents, foodies, and visitors. This space is ideal for a concept that benefits from immediate market traffic and a deeply local, community-focused customer base.
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Space Highlights
- Compact ground-floor retail space of 600 sq ft with direct street frontage on Essex Street.
- Efficient size for a specialty food shop (cheese, spices, baked goods), cafe, juice/smoothie bar, boutique gift shop, vintage clothing store, or nail salon/barbershop.
- High visibility on a major LES corridor with consistent pedestrian traffic to and from the market and subway.
- Likely features a basic retail build-out; tenant responsible for a light-to-moderate build-out to suit their specific needs (e.g., refrigeration, salon stations, retail shelving).
- The manageable rent allows for investment in quality fit-out and inventory.
Location & Neighborhood
- Prime Lower East Side location on Essex Street between Canal and Delancey Streets, directly next to the Essex Street Market.
- At the historic core of the Lower East Side’s immigrant and market history, now a hub for curated food, nightlife, and culture.
- Serves a diverse clientele: local residents, market shoppers, tourists exploring the LES, and commuters from the massive transit hub below.
- Exceptionally high foot traffic from the market, the adjacent Delancey Street subway station, and the dense residential blocks.
- Unbeatable transit access: Directly above the F, J/M/Z trains at Delancey St-Essex St station, one of the busiest downtown hubs.
- Walkable to Chinatown, Little Italy, NoLIta, and the East Village.
Summary
Priced at $4,800/month ($8.00/sq ft/month), this 600 sq ft retail space at 17 Essex Street presents an accessible entry point into one of downtown’s most dynamic and authentic neighborhoods. The annualized rent of $96 per square foot offers strong value for the location’s foot traffic and cultural cachet. This opportunity is perfect for a first-time business owner or established local operator with a concept that complements the market’s energy—whether as a food vendor, specialty retailer, or neighborhood service. Success depends on building relationships with the local community and leveraging the constant, diverse foot traffic that defines this iconic NYC crossroads. It’s a chance to be part of the living history and evolving future of the Lower East Side.
