It was bitter sweet to hear that Deborah Brown will be closing the little space on Wilson Avenue that has been a home to Storefront Bushwick for over three years. The gallery is, without a doubt, a staple in artsy Bushwick. It has become so popular that its openings have been so packed that the crowd would pour out from the space to the street, resembling a neighborhood block party. Long story short: The party is moving to 324 Ten Eyck because Deborah Brown just bought a huge building and has announced her epic plans for Storefront Ten Eyck – and gave us a tour!
“I hope that people will come here,” said Deborah Brown humbly as she opened the heavy iron door of her new building. The sun was setting and Ten Eyck was bathed in yellow light. You could hear music buzz from a nearby Beast Gym, NYC’s first parkour facility. We walked in and were welcomed by the soft light coming in through multiple skylights, creating beautiful effect of the exposed wood beams standing out against the white walls. But what will strike you the most is just how huge the building is, especially if you’ve seen the size of current Storefront Bushwick. (The new project space feels about 30 times bigger than the current one.) There is a stylish bathroom on the right with an old-fashioned bathtub, a little office, and a big garage door. Deborah plans on keeping the garage door opened for her events.
The building is comprised of four spacious, well-lit rooms suitable to host an art exhibition. It has a wonderful energy – the industrial charm typical of the area is mixed with a feel of Chilean hacienda from an Isabel Allende novel. A heavy table on a tiled floor in the dining area enhances this feel. To make things entirely perfect, there is a magical backyard; although it doesn’t belong to the building, Deborah will be able to use.
