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Magic from Down Under

By Meredith Schwartz -- Gifts and Dec, 6/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

Located on St. Mark's Place in New York City's trendy East Village, The Iron Fairies presents a different take on fairy collectibles, a genre usually characterized by wispy materials and presentation that is anything but down-to-earth. Owner Ashley Sutton designed the store's distinctive look.

The Australian line, based on a young adult book about characters of the same name, makes the unusual choice of pairing (literally) heavy metal collectibles with natural handcrafted candles and bath products. The soaps and candles are named and scented based on the personality of each of the 25 fairies. The line is available at wholesale in Australia, Japan and the United States, but there are only two retail locations: New York and Perth. Perhaps because the store is one of a kind, the competition doesn't seem to hurt wholesale business. In fact, Iron Fairies' U.S. representative Sherryl Pang says, it helps. “We have customers come in who own their own retail shops and they want to wholesale for us just by coming to the shop.”

The space is small and intimate at only 600 square feet, and located below street level to create the illusion of being in a mine. But thematic as the location is, it also poses the challenge of how to lure casual browsers from the heavily-trafficked sidewalk down the steps. To do so, Pang says the shop uses appeals to both scent and sight. Aside from the attention-getting exterior signage, the store's visual focal point is “mostly the bathtub in the middle of the store,” says Pang. In addition to signaling the store's secondary bath-and-body mission, says Pang, the mahogany centerpiece is filled with flowers and tea light candles to provide a visual treat. To grab those eyeballs in the first place, The Iron Fairies lights candles at the entrance, “so once they pass through that area they can smell the store from the outside,” Pang adds. Water fountains also add motion and sound to the experience.

Whimsy, All Grown Up

Though the line is based on a book aimed at young adults and up, the store's presentation is more adult, as befits the area's target audience. “We don't get a lot of children,” explains Pang. “The area is like a college area,” due to its proximity to New York University and Cooper Union, a full scholarship college (whose curriculum includes only art, architecture and science) founded in 1859 by Peter Cooper. “The only time we get children is on the weekend when the tourists come.” The store's products, says Pang, are “mostly bought by grownups for themselves.”

With a limited line of products compared with concept store behemoths like Disney, one might think Iron Fairies would attract mostly one-time tourist visitors. But in fact, says Pang, “We get a lot of repeat customers.” The key is the store's sub-products, soaps and candles, which get used up and need to be replenished. But those aren't the only reasons they keep coming back for more — “Sometimes people collect the fairies,” according to Pang.

As for the other challenge of coming from Down Under — the weakening U.S. dollar — Pang says it's been an issue, but not a problem. The fairies' cost has crept up to $35 from $30 as a result of inflation in export countries. But Pang says, “Customers seem to be okay with it. It is not a dramatic change.”

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