Plant Shop 'Pub' Crawl !

We're teaming up with @homesteadbrooklyn
For the worldwide 'Plant Shop Pub Crawl'! 🌱🌿🍀 When you bring in your physical copy of her book, "How to Make a Plant Love You: Cultivate Green Space in Your Home & Heart" to Crest Hardware between July 9th - July 31st, you'll get 15% OFF your ENTIRE PURCHASE!
(Some exclusions may apply)

Link to book: https://amzn.to/2L94LaJ

This is a great way to support your local Garden Center while also learning about plant care!
Come by the shop and browse our garden & greenhouse.

#houseplant #houseplants #plantshoppubcrawl #howtomakeaplantloveyou #urbanjunglebloggers #botanicalwomen #girlswithplants #chickswithplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #interiorrewilding #urbangardencenter #crestarts#diy #truevalue #cresthardware

BioLite: 'Connecting The Watts' - A Short Film Series

We want to share a series of short films that The BioLite Team has been working on over the last 2 years.

Each short film follows the power of energy through a different lens, and when watched as a series, a broader picture emerges of a micro-revolution of practical solutions that begin with the individual.

Shot in East Africa, where just a few watts can unlock profound transformations to everyday life; where a day of sun can enable overnight safety; where a charged phone can run an entire small business.

Watch the stories unfold below:

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

To learn more about this project and Biolite products, go to : https://www.bioliteenergy.com/pages/connecting-the-watts

Graffiti Vanity: Rooftop Installation by MRtoll

We have recently been blessed with a rooftop installation by artist MRtoll in collaboration with Foundry Wood. You can view the piece, which is a graffiti stylized 'NYC' made of mirrors and wood from the street below right in front of Crest Hardware. The piece is part of a series titled 'The Graffiti Vanity Project' which seeks to invoke the viewer to interact with the art by seeing yourself within the piece and taking a selfie!

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Graffiti Vanity

The Graffiti Vanity Project looks at our obsession of looking at ourselves and the relationship of graffiti and it’s roll in the selfie. 

Graffiti was the first selfie, people have always longed to leave their mark. They have been scratching their names on walls for over 2000 years. In the 1970’s and 80’s youth started taking to the street of New York City and Philadelphia with spray cans. They would paint,  tag or graffiti their names over and over to see who could be the most seen writers in their city.  Street artist MRtoll and Foundry Wood have partnered up to create Graffiti Mirrors. The mirrors are also a reflection of the city and its relationship to the daily commuters. 

The idea is to give the viewers a chance to interact with the city and their surroundings. In a digital era were selfies and social media are the mainstream form of expression the mirrors encourage the viewer to become a creator itself, not only by engaging with the mirrors but also by taking a selfie and therefore leaving their own mark.

FOLLOW: 
@mrtoll
@foundrywood
@graffiti_vanity

www.foundrywood.com

Crest Hardware's Top Holiday Gifts For Guys

Need a gift for that special guy? Look no further!

We have a large selection of gadgets, tools & gear that make for great stocking stuffers!
 

BELT BUCKLE / MULTI-TOOL -  by SOG

Whether it's used as a belt buckle or clipped on a pack, the Sync multi-tool is there to save the day anytime and anywhere. Carries 11 functional tools including:
A flat head screw driver, bottle opener, wire crimper, needle nose pliers, straight edge knife and more! 

GEEKY GEAR GIFT SET - by KIKKERLAND

A Gift Set that includes everything for on-the-go tech! Perfect for teens and includes essentials that are great for the 'hard-to-buy-for' crew.

Gift Set Includes:
-Chevron Ear Buds
-i6/i7 & Micro USB 2 in 1 Charging Cable
-8 in 1 Screwdriver
-Box transforms into a gift box with motherboard print
-Also included: A Spinney mechanical wind up toy!!!
 

HORI HORI KNIFE - by BAREBONES LIVING

A perfect gift for the guy with a green thumb!

Roughly translated from Japanese, Hori Hori means Dig Dig. The Hori Hori was designed to be the ultimate multi tool in your garden. Digging, trenching, planting, cutting, and even popping the top off of a refreshing beverage. Sure to be a big hit under the Christmas tree!
 

WATERPROOF WORK GLOVES - by HESTRA

A practical and useful gift for anyone who works outdoors.

Hestra Czone gloves feature goatskin leather, outseam construction, Czone waterproof and breathable insert, Thinsulate insulation, safety cuff and elastic wrist. Great for general work projects, snow removal, driving and equipment operations and tool use.
This waterproof, durable glove protects hands all winter long!!

We also carry Hestra light weight multi-use gloves.

Check out these items and much more at Crest Hardware! 

558 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY

Come Meet Santa!

Santa is coming to The City Reliquary holiday party on December 10! Kids can meet the big red guy at the annual civic celebration for friends & neighbors.

The City Reliquary is a short walk from Crest Hardware, located at 370 Metropolitan Ave.
If you look closely at Santa, you'll see he's our very own "Crest" Kringle. 

There will be cookies, milk, and juice boxes for the kids (included w/admission), and "holiday cheer" for grown-ups (a little extra). There will also be brownies and blondies made with flour from RISE Products, one of the upcycling organizations featured in our NYC Trash! exhibition.

Admission is a suggested $5 per adult. Free for kids 12 & under.

Link to Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1621528824576549/

Best Plant Shops in Williamsburg, Brooklyn!

A big thank you to Homestead Brooklyn for featuring Crest Hardware as one of the Best Plant Shops in Williamsburg, Brooklyn! 

It was a pleasure meeting and talking with Summer Rayne Oakes & Kippee, the Rhode Island Red!
Check out the Video Below!

One of the main questions I get from out-of-towners (aside from "Can I come tour your home?"*) is "Where do you shop for plants?" Luckily, my neighborhood in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is TEEMING with some of the best plant shops in NYC. See what sets each apart from one another.

Crest Hardware Featured on Passerbuys!

This past week we were visited by our friends at Passerbuys! 

Passerbuys is a shoppable lifestyle blog woven together by the lifestyles of diverse and inspiring women, the 'Passerguides', which include their recommendations on shopping, fashion, and interesting places to check out.

Crest Hardware was recommended by a few inspiring ladies in the NYC area, so Passerbuys decided to swing by and check out what all the fuss was about! 

You can check out the full feature HERE!

Photos courtesy of Passerbuys.com

Secret Stash

If for some reason you need to hide your liquor, then this book is for you!

It's entitled 'Chemistry 101: Liquor', but it only contains one page.. the rest of the space it taken by a stainless steel flask of which you can fill with your favorite beverage. 

You can also just take the flask with you and hide other valuables inside the book's secret compartment. 

Peep the engraving.. the isotopic formula for ethanol :)

Another fine product by Kikkerland available at Crest Hardware, NYC's #1 Hardware Store. 

All-Weather Notepads for Outdoors!

Rather not risk damaging your phone to write an address or phone number in the rain? Rite in the Rain offers notebooks and writing instruments for outdoor work and activities. 

These notepads can withstand being submerged and drenched in liquid, while still holding perfectly legible writings and notes. You can even use them directly in the rain... They're 100% waterproof!

Personally, I use these awesome little notepads for tracking my sites during backpacking trips in the Catskills. Many times I've been caught in horrible storms and needed to jot down my distance or name of the next destination without taking out my phone and risking the damage. 
It's always a good idea to carry a small pen and paper with you when you venture outdoors, so better to have ones that are built to last!
 

Games, Toys & Activity Kits!

With Spring on the way, we chose to designate a section of Crest Hardware into our very own Kid's Corner! 

We are now carrying an assortment of products from 'Melissa & Doug' whose goal is to create toys that encourage children to get thinking and start discovering. Their products include a countless variety of entertaining games and activities. Everything from little gardening supplies, mini tool sets and Do-it-Yourself projects for the kids. 

Stop by Crest and check our selection! We're carrying an assortment of indoor and outdoor games as well as family friendly products and kits.

Have you tried Poo-Pourri?

Poo-Pourri is a magical formula of essential oils that when sprayed into the toilet, will create a layer that works as a barrier to secure odor and leave the room smelling clean from the start. Remember to spray it before you go! That's the magical part!

Here at Crest Hardware we always keep a bottle of Poo-Pourri in the bathroom. No one likes to haphazardly walk in and catch the 'essence' of the last person. We recommend Poo-Pourri and carry it in the shop.

We just got a new shipment of Original Citrus, Royal Flush (colone frangrance) and Shoe-Pourri, which is a foot odor solution to keep your shoes stink-free!

"Spritz the bowl before you go and no one will ever know!"

Throwback Thursday

Here's a picture from 2007, the year we officially broke ground in creating our now 5000 SF Urban Garden Center. 

Circa 2007

We spent a good amount of time clearing out the area, pulling up roots and laying out the framework for our vision. It took a few years before we were able to build the garden center to what it is today, but memories like these remind us how it all started.
 

Scrub Daddy In-Stock!!

The Original Scrub Daddy is now in stock at Crest! The Scrub Daddy is the most successful item that was featured on the TV show 'SharkTank'.

You might think it's just a cute sponge with a smiley-face but this sponge means business. The innovative 'flex texture' feature makes the brush brittle and hard when running under cold water, which is great for scrubbing hard to clean surfaces such as pots and pans. When you run the Scrub Daddy under hot water it becomes soft which is great for getting into the bottom of cups and into crevasses. And... The smiley-face isn't just for cute-ness points, it also makes it easier to clean utensils, just stick the end of a fork or spoon into the mouth and effortlessly get both sides clean and shiny!

Scrub a dub dub.

Art Show Recap!

Over the weekend we had the pleasure to host the opening of "The Hardware: An Installation of Paintings By Rachel Lussier".

The show will be on display until March 4th at Crest Hardware.

Thank you to everyone who came out on Saturday to enjoy the show! We had a great time with you all!

Bond Street Interview w/ Joe Franquinha

Thank you to Bond Street for the article and interview with Crest Hardware Owner, Joseph Franquinha. 
It's a great read for interesting tidbits on the history of Crest and how the business has changed throughout the years. 
Hope you enjoy!

https://bondstreet.com/blog/crest-hardware-interview/

Photo Courtesy of Bond Street

Stocking Stuffers!

We just received our shipment of awesome stocking stuffers and unique gifts from Kikkerland and Gift Sets from Stanley. Stop by Crest for a variety of gifts in all shapes and sizes!

FEAST YR EARS PODCAST

This week Crest Hardware's Joe Franquinha had the chance to speak with 'Feast Yr Ears' Podcast about the history of Crest Hardware, growing up in New York City and Crest's mascots Franklin the pig and Finley the African Grey parrot.

EPISODE 53 HARDWARE AND GARDENS AND ART FOR GENERATIONS IN WILLIAMSBURG. 

Listen to the podcast here: 

Design In Color NYC Features Crest Hardware!

Check out our most recent feature and learn more about what Crest Hardware is all about! 

www.designincolornyc.com

Photo by Sam Maller

Daniel Koren - Short Flimed At Crest

Check out this hilarious short, "Identity Crisis" by Daniel Koren.
Can I see your ID, Please?
Special thanks to Ofer Levy for making this happen!

Can I see your ID, please? Written, Directed & Edited by Daniel Koren. facebook.com/DanielKorenful Cinematography & Color Grading: Seffy Hirsch Production: Ofer Levy 1st Camera Assistant: Eyal Bau Cohen Actors: Hani Furstenberg, Lenny Cohen, Shirley White, Haim Handwerker. Music: Daniel Koren Special thanks to Ron Ben Nun, Joe Franquinha, Chris Williams, Crest Hardware Brooklyn.