Who knew that the Danes had so much furniture? I like wood. I like well designed, and I like cheap. Until a few years ago, when you went looking for great wood furniture, you had to go out to Brooklyn and scour through old, heavy American vintage. If you were really lucky you found a stray piece of California Eames or George Nelson. Karazona Cinar of White on White Furniture changed all that. If you want the full story about how Karazona came from Turkey to build a small empire in low price antique and new furniture in the midst of a recession, read Oliver's article at Ryanbros.com. The short of it is that he manufactures his own versions of classic pieces by Mies van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, and Isamu Noguchi, and has also amassed one of the more impressive collections of vintage Danish Modern pieces in the five boroughs.
His two New York stores, Broadway and White street, feature basement warehouses with row upon row of imported furniture, which move weekly. You have to look, but great vintage tables, desks, and chairs can be had for $100s and not $1,000s. The problem? The new pieces are a bit cheaply made; there is virtually no customer service (which I like); and there is a wide range of quality in the vintage stuff. Real hunting over a number of days is recommended, but they serve espresso in the store, so the shopping is not unpleasant. MGR
White is the creation of Karazona Cinar -- the downtown Robin Hood of vintage furniture -- and his merry band of hip misfits who have collectively managed to build a thriving low-cost manufacturer of high end furniture in New York’s recessionary service economy.
“There’s nobody in this business doing what Karazona is doing,” says Bert Oullette a furniture bounty-hunter who arrived on Friday with a truck-full of chairs and credenzas by famed designer Florence Knoll which he had salvaged from an office building in Canada.
Cinar, who has also had success as an East Village restauranteur, recognized the growing appetite for modern designs when a friend offered to buy his dining room table in 1997 – a table he had acquired at the Salvation Army. Shortly thereafter, he launched a small used furniture store called Lollipop out of his home on Essex Street.
In 1999, he moved the business to White Street just east of Broadway, hired designers, and began manufacturing his own versions of classic pieces by the likes of
From the beginning, he was able to undercut the market -- which was dominated by furniture boutiques selling original pieces or higher cost Italian imitations – and still make money.
“The industry was kidnapped by art galleries and museums,” says the 37-year-old Kurdish immigrant from Turkey’s troubled Tunceli province. “They think this is only for a furniture elite….We want to bring this design to the public at the lowest price possible.”
White now has 70 employees and 80% of its business is wholesale. It manufactures pieces in factories all over the world, including one that it owns and operates in Turkey and which Cinar’s 73-year old father manages.
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Comments (11)
I bought a reproduction Eames Aluminum Management chair in black leather from White on Essex today. I loved the chair when I got it home, but I was horrified to find that the leather had been repaired. I hadn't noticed this in the store, but in the sunlight it looked like the leather had a scar and I was sure it would look terrible after a month or two.
One phone call later, I exchanged it. The salesman kindly offered to let me return it. I like the chair and I swapped it for the last one he had in the store. He was much nicer than I imagined and I was glad.
I just checked the price at DWR and it appears that I saved myself $700 by going to White. I don't really want/need an "authentic fully licensed from Herman Miller, Inc." Eames Aluminum Management chair--nor can I rationalize DWR's price. I need something comfortable in which to work. For that, it is fine. No, it's better. It's gorgeous and it's comfortable.
I bought couple furniture from whiteonwhite lastyear. So far I know they got 3 stores in NYC. They are very nice and friendly. After purchased I never got any problem.
Only thing I was not happy about their delivery system. It's little expensive but I think that doesnt matter because you are saving money from purchasing their products anyway.
I think they got the best deal in USA. I have been so many places cross the states and I never see a better deal than whiteonwhite.
Thank you
F
On Saturday, 04 November, I wanted a table from White Furniture at 350 Bowery. They didn't have it in stock but said they did have it at their 359 Broadway location. They asked me to pre-pay for it at Bowery so they could hold it for me at Broadway. I would pick it up at the Broadway store.
Since I hadn't seen the table and the floor model at Bowery was scuffed, I specifically asked if they can give me a refund at the Broadway store, should that table be damaged. The salesperson said yes, they can give me a refund at that store.
I went to pick up the table Monday, but the table was badly scratched. The store would not give me a refund, saying I had to go back to Bowery to get the refund.
When I went back to Bowery, they refused to give me a refund, offering only store credit.
I have never even had a table in my possession, and they just want to give me store credit for all my trouble. That is unacceptable.
Very poor business practices. Buyer beware.
Is there another store like White Furniture in the Northeast?
Folks, buying unauthorized reproductions is a cheezy thing to do.
Things like authentic Marcel Breuer chairs or Herman Miller sofas are expensive for a reason: they last forever and are an investment to pass on to future generations. They actually increase in value over a few decades. Save up a few bucks and do the right thing; honor the hard work and copyrights of the original designers and their families.
IF you absolutely MUST buy an unauthorized reproduction, then buy a neat vintage one from a struggling antique dealer.
Bootleg furniture is like any other bootleg.
I love this store. I've had many people poo poo me for liking it. If you can afford the real thing and you're going to look down on people that can't.. keep the judging to yourself.
White makes unethical reproductions of still-in-production furniture. They're not knocking off a 50-year-old piece that has fallen into the public domain, but instead stealing designs from living craftsmen.
It's equally unethical for AT to continue to pimp them.
Justifying your purchases from White, is like telling your kids it's ok to cheat as long as it gets them a gold star and makes mommy happy.
You might want to check your facts about "living craftsmen." Serge Mouille died in 1988. Saarinen died in 1961. Charles Eames died in 1978, Ray in 1988. Bertoia died in 1978. The primary recipients of revenue from these designs are corporations like Design Within Reach. Again, a debate about knockoffs is legitimate, but characterizing all of White's furniture as "stealing designs from living craftsmen" is just factually incorrect.
"They actually increase in value over a few decades."??? Really??? I disagree. I love furniture but I don't think it is a good investment even if it is an authentic piece of furniture.
@Hurly: email Thom and Brendan at Semigood Furniture (info@semigood.com) to get their thoughts on White's unlicensed reproduction of their Rian stool...
I wish I had never purchased from White on White. Within months of purchasing a credenza, one of its doors had fallen off despite very light use. After two months of negotiating an exchange with a salesperson and the general manager, they agreed to replace the broken item. The replacement credenza had a loose door and dysfunctional magnets, which prevented the doors from closing properly. I now realize that a reproduction is a knock-off that ends up costing more than it’s worth.