Trends are born in big cities.
It only makes sense. With more people, more exposure, and, in general, more foot traffic, major metropolises are hotbeds for entrepreneurs and #trending concepts. Rarely does the story reverse, with buzzy concepts forming origin stories in the suburbs before migrating to the big city.
Burkelman is one of those exceptions. Founded in 2014 by Kevin Burke and David Kimelman, the Cold Spring-based home and lifestyle brand got its start as a website before quickly expanding to a brick-and-mortar location in town. This autumn, the store takes its next major step and opens its second location in New York City.
“We started planning it last year and it all came together this summer,” explains Kimelman, a former freelance photographer and graphic designer. Together, he and Burke, who worked as a creative executive for fashion companies before the brand’s launch, cut the ribbon on Burkelman’s flagship location at 332 Bowery in NoHo on October 26. With around 2,000 square feet to its name, the new store is larger than the Cold Spring original and more modern in feel. It operates as an extension of the local landmark with the hope of bringing the Hudson Valley to Manhattan central.
David Kimelman and Kevin Burke, the owners of Burkelman
In both locations, an emphasis on experience is the greatest priority.
“We’re more oriented around the Burkelman experience as opposed to product selection,” notes Kimelman. With “Get Your Life” as the brand’s motto, Burkelman works to help customers embrace the moment and achieve the best possible version of their lives at any given time.
“It’s pretty easy to be creative with what we have at Burkelman,” observes Burke. Indeed, creativity rests at the core of not just the brand, but of the creators themselves. After all, when the duo left NYC for Croton-on-Harmon, where they launched the website, and later for Cold Spring, where they opened the store, their driving priority was to create something together.
They ultimately focused the enterprise in Cold Spring, a town that Kimelman describes as a “sweet spot” between the Berkshires, the Catskills, Westchester, and New York City. Like the town itself, Burkelman operates as an intersection between city and country in the Hudson Valley.
That Hudson Valley Candle
“We carry country really well,” says Burke. Indeed, the shop’s wares transition flawlessly from Dutchess County estates and Millbrook farmhouses to Big Apple lofts and Brooklyn studios. With everything from sumptuous fur pillows and patterned rugs to sleek serving plates and chic marble serving boards, the store embraces the notion of little luxuries that make everyday life feel more special. The “That Hudson Valley Candle,” for example, has the power to add a warm, cozy touch wherever you go. It also happens to be the perfect way to bring a little slice of the Hudson Valley anywhere.
Of course, Burkelman’s expansion into New York City doesn’t mean that Burke and Kimelman will be leaving the Valley anytime soon.
“This is our home,” Burke enthuses. “We love it here.”
