Loren

Tucked amid ubiquitous convenience stores, this elegant denim boutique sticks out in its industrial Greenpoint locale. The store serves as an ode to all things denim, from vintage women’s Levi’s shorts ($39) to brand-new Soldier & Brave jeans ($69) crafted by the shop’s owner, Loren Cronk, a self-proclaimed denim addict and former designer for Levi Strauss and Ralph Lauren. Aside from such classics, the airy black-and-white boutique contains a range of quirky denim collaborations between Cronk and fellow designers, including J. Cravata bow ties ($65) and Heavy Leather NYC guitar straps ($275–$325). “It’s kind of like my lab,” Cronk says of the space, which doubles as his studio, where he keeps sewing machines, giant reams of denim and an industrial-strength washer. “You’ll be able to see the process as it’s going on.” That’s especially true if you decide to have Cronk alter, repair, bleach or stone-rinse your blues (starting at $400), all of which he does by hand on site. Cronk also offers custom creations (starting at $800)—like the ones he designed for Kings of Leon—but with so many styles and colors of jeans swinging from the shelves, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding the perfect pair off the rack.