Hotel Breeds Retail Hot Spot

When NYC's Ace Hotel opened last year, it was hard to imagine that the location--a nondescript, even grimy, stretch of 29th Street--would end up being a draw, but the hotel's proximity to the Garment District (along with its fantastic bar) has made it a clubhouse for afashion-heavy crowd. Now a couple of style-setting boutiques have set up shop and raised the cool factor exponentially.

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The lobby at the Ace Hotel in Manhattan

Trailblazing downtown emporium Opening Ceremony's U-shaped space offers a deep selection of its own line, plus labels like Rodarte and Band of Outsiders. And the Chinatown-based Project No. 8 has put a conceptual spin on the hotel gift shop, selling a host of items one might have forgotten to pack, including fancy underwear, lightweight trenches, and German sneakers. In a brilliant twist, both are open late (until 10 pm) so they can fully cater to their fans.