Every three months, passersby stop to stare inside the front windows of 139 Norfolk St. in Manhattan's Lower East Side.
As is the case in nearly every neighbourhood, this is one of those storefronts that is constantly transforming into something new. But the thing that sets GrandOpening apart is that it changes on purpose.
"It keeps people entertained," says co-owner Ben Smyth, laughing, leaning against a side wall currently covered in a pink-skyed night-time mural.
The quirky business concept is the brainchild of brothers Ben, 26, and Hall Smyth, 40, two former Ontarians with a penchant for experimental design. A year ago, they were looking for a new space to buy that could serve as an office for their design company, recently renamed GrandOpening, which does projects for museums and websites. They wanted a storefront, but knowing it would be too spacious for their couple of desks and computers, they started brainstorming about what they could do with the rest of it.
The concept for GrandOpening was born with help from employees Kevin Fey and Rich Watts when the brothers bought the 350-square-foot space. Rather than focus on a money-making initiative, they decided to use GrandOpening as a creative outlet.
"At first, there was no thought of marketing. It was just about creating some neat experiences," says Smyth, who is dressed in a yellow shirt scribed with the word "PONG".
The outfit is a tribute to the storefront's previous incarnation. Throughout the summer, a large Ping-Pong table and bleachers, which could seat up to eight people, filled the space. Games were held daily and community members kept a roster. At the end, the group held a large tournament for the top eight players that even featured casual matches between professionals.
"It was an event that got a lot bigger than any of us ever expected," Smyth says.
Playing at Pong cost a person only $3 (U.S.), proof of the brothers' dedication to keeping "it accessible to everyone in the neighbourhood."
The storefront has just relaunched as a "Drive-In" movie theatre, complete with a 1965 Ford Falcon Convertible, live tree, projector screen and twinkle lights behind sheer, black material along the right-side wall, to give a starry-night effect. Each evening, people will be able to rent out the six-seat car for $60 at an online reservation site and watch a movie of their choosing.
The group focuses great attention on the details to make the space even more inviting. For "Drive-In," that includes having the movie's audio come through the car's stereo on 87.9 FM. People walking by will be able to tune in and listen from the outside on the street. It also meant haggling for an old car that would fit the theme appropriately.
"You don't want to put in a 2006 Mazda," Smyth says.
What started out as just a neat addition to the neighbourhood has become something meaningful to the brothers.
"Meeting the friends and people throughout the process was a pretty special thing. There are guys who I know I'll talk to for as long as I'm in New York and hopefully beyond," Smyth says.