Liberty House

Lots of really unusual things, that are hard to find. Also they sell clothes that fit people who are hard to buy for! Very nice for gifts - even men. Not more expensive than other stores on Broadway. Many of the items for sale are made by New York City artisans, or come from trade shows at the Javits Center. The store has a history going back to the Civil Rights Movement. The original "Liberty House" shops were retail outlets for things made in small factories in the South, started by the Poor Peoples Corporation, a African-American cooperative. Poor people worked for themselves in the cooperative instead of in the fields or as servants for the wealthy.

I have worked across the street from this place for years. And, I always stop by for an end of season sale.

And, I always regret it. The people who work there must take a special course on how to be rude.

They want to rifle through your things. They try to sell you 'damaged' clothes -- full priced -- and if you don't catch it until after you paid, well, you are stuck with the goods. Almost everything here is final sale.

I walked in the store once, mid-flu season, and put a bit of hand sanitizer on, only to be chastised by the sales people 'Don't touch the clothes with THAT on your hands.' (I WAS actually just looking, but now I am leaving.)

They will take your purse away from you at the door and say 'sorry, we check bags'. I have worked across the street from this place for 10 years, and this is the only shop for 100 blocks that has this kind of policy. (And, they don't really watch your purse -- it is free for anyone to grab next to the door.)

I have bought baby's clothes here -- on 'final markdown', they are reasonably enough priced. And they carry Z-Baby. But, if I weren't so lazy, I would go down to the Z'Baby store on 72nd -- they are polite and helpful there.

Don't ask them to help you find sizes -- they won't.

Why do I have so many complaints -- because I ignorantly think that each year, maybe their staff and personality has changed. The staff *does* change, but the personality does not -- clearly the owners of the shop encourage this type of behavior.

Save your money to spend elsewhere.