Does this look chaotic and rather unappealing? Perhaps a less-than-ideal photo subject or setting? It is. This is Pearl Paint on Canal Street. For those of you who are not familiar with Canal Street, let’s just say it’s not for those looking for the bucolic setting of 121 Charles Street, 39 & 41 Commerce Street, or the Boat Pond in Central Park, but it is home to some of NYC’s shopping emporiums, both present and past (mostly past; sadly, fixtures such as Canal Hardware and Industrial Plastics have closed).

Pearl Paint is NYC’s largest art store – the mecca for art supplies in the city. Their website claims to be the first and largest discount art supply house. Plausible, since they started as a regular paint store on Chambers Street and have been in business since 1933. As SoHo/Tribeca became a haven for artists, Pearl responded by getting into art supplies. They have 5 floors across two adjoining buildings and 3 additional store fronts: The Craft Center, Frame Shop, and Home Decorating Center on Lispenard Street (which can be accessed through the rear exit of the main store).

Pearl now has over 20 stores in 10 states. Their flagship store at 308 Canal Street is the ultimate in classic New York Style – a little disheveled and a little rough around the edges. Most take the dreary, creaky stairs up and down the five floors – the elevator in the rear is probably unknown to most and painfully slow anyway. No glitz here, just the real deal. These guys have everything…

What is seen in NYC as an encroachment by mass merchandisers and corporate chains is often seen out of the city as an asset. Frequently, the small independent store is not an option, so consumers are more appreciative just to have access to the merchandise. Many of the largest chains (including some of the “big box” operations) are now moving into the city, even in Manhattan, where space is at a premium, e.g. Whole Foods, Best Buy, Home Depot, Starbucks, and Guitar Center (shown in the photo). Many of these large merchandisers were started as small independents by individuals passionate about their field and not with intentions of rolling out nationally. Although they have paid their dues, this does not justify the type of overly aggressive tactics alleged to be used by places such as Walmart and Starbucks, who are seen by some as purveyors of evil.

The internet has had a substantial impact on most businesses selling a product, but many products are still best seen in person. Musical instruments are a prime example – unless they know exactly what they want, musicians need to do a hands-on evaluation. In the case of Barnes and Noble or Guitar Center, I personally do not see these particular chains with such foreboding as others because 1) reading a book or playing a musical instrument are activities requiring time, patience, and active participation. There are no shortcuts – these merchants can only pander so much to instant gratification. 2) I would much prefer to see a Barnes and Noble or Guitar Center over a fast-food chain.

The biggest loss is with the knowledge of the staffing, which generally just can’t compete with a long-time employee or owner of a small mom-and-pop operation. Many consumers feel conflicted about these large chains – although we dislike the concept (with “crass commercialism” and the “dumbing down of society” being popular refrains), in reality, they often provide broader selection, lower pricing, and longer hours (not to mention more space for reading or playing instruments), which most consumers now want. After all, if you need to replace an A string on a Sunday night, where else are you going to go?