Harry’s collaborates with Partners & Spade on a short-term pop-up in NYC’s SoHo neighborhood. We sat down with creative mastermind and co-founder of Partners & Spade studio, Anthony Sperduti, to bring you his insider’s look at the inspiration behind Harry’s Bartershop.

“The space was conceived to highlight a simple value proposition.”

“The space was conceived to highlight a simple value proposition: Trade in a competitor’s overpriced blades, get double back in Harry’s blades,” Sperduti explains. “To articulate this, we wanted to target guys where they shave (the bathroom), and facilitate the trade through the mirror, where shaving takes place.”

“The result is a theatrical interpretation of a bathroom.”

Anthony continues, “The result is a theatrical interpretation of a bathroom. Rich navy walls in Harry’s signature blue envelop a floating faux hexagonal tile floor and freestanding wall rendered in the Harry’s chevron pattern that lines the interior of the razor boxes.”

“Trade Your Blades Here.”

“On this freestanding wall is a floating vanity made from straight-grain white oak and a porthole cutout where the trades take place, surrounded by the repeating phrase ‘trade your blades here.’”

“Behind this is a secondary reflective wall that gives the illusion of a mirror upon entering the store. On the floating tile floor are bathroom essentials: a soaking tub and toilet. Our toilet has been cleverly turned into a planter, from which a 5-foot-tall palm tree grows.”

“The third wall is lined with…humorous illustrations inspired by the store.”

Anthony makes special note of the custom artwork surrounding the planter, “The third wall is lined with framed India ink drawings by Harry’s Creative Director, Garrett Morin, featuring humorous illustrations inspired by the store design and its concept.”

“Trade in one overpriced blade for two Harry’s blades.”

“On the opposite wall is a bartering menu featuring the values of all the various trades that can be made within the Bartershop. Outside, the iconic SoHo cast-iron storefront is contrasted with the same chevron motif used within the space.”

“Handsomer, sharper, less expensiver.”

“Additionally, our value proposition ‘Trade in one overpriced blade for two Harry’s blades’ and our Harry’s tagline ‘Handsomer, sharper, less expensiver’ are featured to explain Harry’s and the Bartershop to the general public.”

“The overall experience is meant to take a man’s bathroom…and make it public.”

Sperduti continues, “Much like the Prada Marfa store by artists Elmgreen and Dragest, which irreverently placed a luxury retailer in the middle of the East Texan desert, the overall experience is meant to take a man’s bathroom—typically a private, domestic space—and humorously make it public, juxtaposing the pop-up to the standard consumerist hustle and bustle of the neighborhood.”

Harry’s Bartershop

79 Greene Street
New York, New York 10012
Open 11am-7pm daily
Through Wednesday, October 26th