Strawberry

Crappy material for the clothes. The clothing there looked pretty trashy. The boots are adorable. Everything is cheap, but for the style/​material, you’re better off shopping at a Ross clothing store.

I’m a big fan of Strawberry however not this location. They don’t carry much as far as clothes however their shoe selection is usually pretty good.
I do have to say the girls who work here were all pleasant.

Clothes here are unique & your typical cheaply made club fare but if you’re a very skinny woman, you’re probably out of luck. This location is TINY. Walked in & walked right back out. I’ll go elsewhere unless I gain more weight.

I really appreciate this store. They have quality inexpensive clothing. The shoes… not so much. I have NEVER been able to squeeze my big olé feet into a single pair of shoes from this store. It’s a shame because i’ve seen a few that I liked. It’s to the point now where I don’t even waste my time looking in the shoe section.
They recently renovated the store. The changes they made look really good & now it’s much easier to see their whole clothing line. They also have plus sizes downstairs.
All in all, Strawberry is definitely worth a look. Whether it’s for costume jewerly, clothes, or shoes, i’m sure there is something in there that you will like.

I’m really embarrassed to admit I’ve gone in here recently but, I was enticed by a cute pair of black flats which of course they didn’t have anymore. They did have them in red and though cute, when you’re charging $ 59.99 for a pair of super cheaply made flats hanging on an even cheaper plastic hanger, I think it’s time for a reality check. Um hello, this is Strawberry. I could smell how cheap the clothes were. They were almost piling on the hangers. I could walk 15 blocks down to SoHo spend $ 20 more and get a pair of Melissa’s that would last me years and make my feet smell like candy! I’m not even kidding.
I’m surprised this place is even still open. I say still because Strawberry has been here for at least 12 years if not longer. It’s time for this place to be gutted and made into something more neighborhood friendly.

The shoe selection here is pretty extensive for discount retail shop. They carry Steve Madden, Soda, have even seen Jessica Simpson. I like how the styles are separated by aisle making the decision making somewhat simplified, and you don’t have to run around a large area to peruse. I’ve found some cute dresses and other dressier end pieces for really cheap here. The downstairs seems to carry the better stuff. Keep in mind the sizes run for the junior (aka smaller) set so try on the clothes before you buy. The jewelry section, nothing special but you’ll find the staples in case of a fashion emergency. It’s in the heart of Un Square and with so many high end retail shops, this is a convenient and much cheaper alternative in the area.

Good selection of inexpensive clothes.

My problem with Strawberry is that their management continues to sell real fur on garments, but label it as «faux fur.» They won’t respond to any consumer complaints about the issue.
I guess this anti-​customer attitude percolates down from the top, judging by other comments on here regarding in-​store service. Given that NYC is full of bargain boutiques on 8^th Ave, and places like Rainbow or FE 21, I don’t see any reason to patronize a store that so clearly does not care about animal cruelty or its customers.

I confess, I’m a Strawberry/Bolton’s/Strawberry Jam shopper. We’ll discuss my Joyce Leslie shopping some other time, but back to the Union Square Strawberry. I’ve shopped here for years. As a young (er) professional woman, I don’t have the benjamins to spend a bajillion dollars on tanks and tees to wear under suits, so I stock up here. Currently, many tanks are on sale for $ 3.99 there, so get yours while the colors are good! As an aside on the suit stuff – Strawberry isn’t out and out garbage brands. They carry XOXO, and in the past, although not lately, I’ve scored a few Larry Levine and Kasper skirt suits here for well below what they charge at Macy’s. However the suits seem to be disappearing from this store. Still, I can pick up some leggings, gym clothes and hoochie-​mama jeans on the cheap, as well as some presentable pocketbooks (Nine West, XOXO) for work. PS – I’m not a brand ho, just putting it out there that Strawberry carries a lot of the same stuff you find in juniors sections at places like Macy’s and JCPenney.
Onto the horrible experience I had at this location yesterday: I needed new shoes. I have feet challenges. My toesies are tiny (5 – 6), and as much as I’d love some Louboutins, I will not subject them to the sidewalks of the South Bronx. I need more economical footwear. Found some black Sam & Libby 4-​inch pumps in a 6. Tried ‘em on. Score! Also tried on some BCBG’s, and while they were okay, they were $ 40 more, so I went with the S & L’s.
Here’s where nasty enters in the picture. At this store, Strawberry does not keep their shoes in boxes. They keep them on hangers that are flimsy and crappy, like the panty hangers. It’s impossible to get them back on the hangers after you try them on unless you’re an employee or know magic. All I did was leave the rejected BCBG’s atop the hanger on the floor next to where I tried them on (on an 8-​inch space on a seat because I had to make room for the gal next to me on her phone fighting with her man). As I stood up, I got the biggest, nastiest glare ever from the man in the shoe department. When I say nasty, it was like an, «I’m gonna cut you» nasty glare. All because I couldn’t help him do his job. Classy.
I grabbed my $ 20 pumps and ran to the register, where I received less nasty but highly apathetic treatment from the woman at the register. You want decent treatment? Try one of the Strawberrys downtown towards Wall Street – they’re smaller but the employees are sane.
As for the Union Square Strawberry, go, but bring your gat…

Most their shoes are not leather, which is great if you’re looking for vegan friendly stylish shoes and boots! The staff here is crap, seems like they’ve not had a good day in their lives in awhile.

I’m really picky when it comes to shoes. I will search months for the perfect shoe. Whenever I really need a pair of shoes I always seem to find it at Strawberry!
The clothes I don’t bother to look at but I’ve always found a great deal on cute shoes… a tan and white pair of mary jane steve maddens, the perfect shade of brown knee length boots that I’ve had for years…
It makes me sad that there are no Strawberry stores in the Pacific Northwest.

Ok so the clothes are cheap and very crappy quality. The shoes on the other hand can be decent. I’ve gotten some name brand pumps, flats and sandals for dirt cheap prices. So if you’re in the area I’d say it’s worth a quick walk-​through to check out the shoes but that’s about it.

Cheap ugly clothes? CHECK
Made of flammable material, so hazerdous you could catch yourself on fire by standing too close to a toaster waiting for your bagel? CHECK
Cheaper in quality than in price? CHECK
Rude, nasty employees? CHECK
If you’re going for cheap and maybe or maybe not chic, go next door to Forever 21.

Ugh this place is the WORST.
Their selection is super crappy (don’t you think they’d have better stuff considering it’s such a prominent location?) and the stuff is really rude and not helpful at all.
The sale stuff is downstairs, but it’s definitely NOT WORTH checking out because climbing up those steps after being disappointed with their crappy selection will just make you angry.

Usually Strawberry isn’t a bad option to pick up an emergency top shoes or accessory. But Union Square is filled with stores like Filene’s, DSW and Forever 21 which are larger stores with more of a selection. So I usually opt for one of those. Hmmm maybe I should have kept my mouth shut the lines at filene’s are bad enough already.

I had an accident at Strawberry. No, I didn’t pee on myself. Unfortunately, it was much much worse.
Today, I nearly tumbled down the stairs. Thank God, I was able to hold on to the railing, only slightly twist my ankle, pierce my fingernails into one of my wrists, and grab my stance from this horrible almost tragic moment with just a tear in my knuckle. Yup, ouch. And not one employee came over to see if I was okay even though I was yelling to God. But this one old lady at the bottom of the stairs did say to me, «It’s okay. Just take your time.» Yea, I doubt she was going to catch me if I did fall but I did appreciate her kindness.
Whew~. Close call there. But I’ve still got my dignity and I stood up and continued with my shopping as if nothing happened at all. I was looking for a specific plaid type shirt and I found one that suited me just fine at Strawberry. Nice. And not too pricey either.
Strawberry has been around forever. Much longer than Forever 21 has. Strawberry is OG, the precursor to Forever. The last time I shopped at Strawberry was in college and the place has changed since. I can’t say the fashion is all that much greater but they have all the basics and if you are young and youthful and like to put together outfits on a dime, you could definitely do that at Strawberry. I have no complaints about what they offer but I will most likely stay away from Strawberry’s basement floor. Those stairs make me shudder and where’s the sympathy when you need it? If you ever wondered what «moded» means, well it’s me today at Strawberry. :(

Every once in a while (or every once a week if you’re me), you wish you had a locker at Penn station where you kept an extra change of clothes, just so you didn’t have to go into work the next morning wearing the same thing you did the day before. Because you know, peeps at work just don’t need to be that aware of what you did the night before. Even if you had a late night playing Bingo with the old folks and passed out on the Bingo hall floor, they’re going to assume the worst.
That’s when places like Strawberry achieve what they could never imagine: capturing the demographic that cares how well clothes are made. And styled. Because even though every item I picked up was cheaply manufactured by some poor starving soul in Indonesia, I either had to buy something, or spend an extra 40 minutes on a train to Brooklyn to raid my own wardrobe. And you know what? Strawberry came through for me. Within 30 minutes– in and out the door– I found a simple black dress that matched what I was already wearing, yet was different enough that I could pass it off. I was later to find that strong winds would blow it up to Marilyn Monroe underwear-​showing perspectives, but hey, for $ 22 I can show a little skin. As long as it saved face.

Let’s get it straight, people… in the world of trendier-than-tomorrow’s-fashions discount clothing, Rainbow pwnz Strawberry. This Strawberry location is always crowded what with its Union Square location, and the racks are just… hard to navigate. Rainbow, while not quite as convenient and definitely not as plentiful in locales, is nevertheless bigger and has a higher quality of merchandise (in my opinion).
That leads me to the inevitable aside that I’m sure my Publikum (audience) has come to expect of me. You didn’t think I’d leave it at that, did you? Anyway, Strawberry v. Rainbow. Think about it. EERILY similar to, say, a Strawberry Shortcake v. Rainbow Brite celebrity deathmatch, no? I mean, I can’t possibly be the only person here to pick up on the connection to what appears to be a battle of girlie cartoons from the 1980s? And, let’s face it, when you put it that way, it is just SO OBVIOUS. Rainbow Brite PWNZ Strawberry Shortcake! Like… fo’ realz! We’re talking rides-​a-​flying-​horse-​with-​a-​star-​on-​its-​forehead versus wears-​a-​floppy-​mop-​hat. Now you tell me – who rocks the hardest??? I’ll bet you never expected in your life to say the phrase «Rainbow Brite rocks the hardest!» But… yeah. YOU KNOW SHE DOES. Okay, that was a long aside. Moving on…
So, yes, Strawberry was a good place to get inexpensive tights this fall and winter. In the end, I wouldn’t really make an effort to come here, but if I ever need a $ 9 camisole in the area, I know where to look — two storefronts away to Forever 21.
OH SNAP.