Born out of his love of rescuing and collecting old objects and repurposing them, Brooklyn raised Gil Shapiro opened Urban Archaeology in 1978. The store now has five locations, including shops in Boston, Chicago, and the Hamptons, but the Tribeca store is special to him. Urban Archaeology’s story starts outside the shop, where a 7-foot tall green mermaid statue marks the entrance. The large building, with the oldest working elevator in Manhattan, is more than a showroom for the facades, clocks, light fixtures, and various antiquities Shapiro has collected over the decades – it’s also his workshop where he creates replicas of the pieces that inspire him.
Since opening Urban Archaeology, Shapiro’s seen his business blossom into a trendsetting powerhouse, with several high profile clients including Bergdorf Goodman, Ralph Lauren, and Martha Stewart. He’s outfitted several hotels with his remakes of vintage tubs and sinks, and when Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen needed a lighting solution for the mirrors in their glass walled apartment, it was Shapiro who designed a lighting fixture for them.
Shapiro’s work stretches far beyond simply buying and selling these items that are not only beautiful, but packed with stories. He has an impeccable eye for finding new uses for everyday objects that others overlook.
For more on Urban Archaeology, click here to read our feature on GrandLifeHotels.com.
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