![owen2](http://static3.refinery29.com/bin/entry/129/x/238715/owen2.jpg)
Recent college grad Phillip Salem has always dreamed of setting up his own store. And, unlike most new alums, Salem's wish became a reality just two years after the diploma. The progress could be traced on his blog, where he posted behind-the-scenes photos of the endeavor. Since then, we've been at the edge of our seats, waiting for his Meatpacking store, OWEN, to open. Well, now the nail-biting is over! The space is ready for your credit cards, with racks of edged-up NYC men's and women's staples like Kaelen, Surface To Air, Patrik Ervell, Jonathan Simkhai, and Dannijo, as well as designers exclusive to OWEN, all handpicked by Salem himself.
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Better yet? The concept behind the boutique was to pair designer products with, well, a delectable interior, so he turned to none other than Tacklebox's Jeremy Barbour. The result is pure Barbour — the very meticulous man (Red Bull addict?) tricked out the entire thing with...25,000 paper lunch bags. The outcome is what he calls "modern, structured, and detail oriented, with a subtle flair for the dramatic." That's an understatement. Sure, the lunch bags may not hold snackables to tide you over while you browse, but with a shop jam-packed with wearables good enough to eat (um, Jen Kao cocktail dresses), we're definitely going to be full.
Owen, 809 Washington Street (at Gansevoort); 212-524-9770
![owen1](http://static2.refinery29.com/bin/entry/464/x/238714/owen1.jpg)
Photographed by Juliana Sohn for Owen