Can Brands Spot Gold In A Celebrity Chef’s Food Hall?

When Hurricane Sandy made landfall 10 years ago, New Yorkers had no idea the powerful storm would wash away more than errant street debris. The historic, punishing storm swept away a swath of lower Manhattan’s financial district. One major casualty was the local shopping mall Pier 17, which for years was a hotspot for dining and concerts at the South Street Seaport. The Tin Building was another severely damaged site. By and large, it was also forgotten by most visitors to the seaport area, which was dotted with shops like J. Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch. A designated landmark that opened in 1907, The Tin Building originally housed the famous Fulton Fish Market until the operation relocated to the Bronx in 2005. But in New York, disasters have a way of transforming into unique branding opportunities with the right minds—and investors—behind it. This summer, The Tin Building rose again. But this time, it’s as a sprawling, two-story, 53,000 square-foot food emporium of epicurean delights. That vision is courtesy of celebrity chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and his development partner, the Howard Hughes Corporation. The culinary marketplace soft-opened Aug. 11 before its star-studded grand opening Sept. 28. It boasts six full-service restaurants, six quick-service counters, four bars, a grocery and private dining and studio spaces. Foodies can shop for fresh produce, baked goods, cheeses, meats, sauces, and other fare and/or dine on seafood, sushi, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, French, American and vegan cuisine—all from locally sourced vendors personally curated by Vongerichten. In addition to edible offerings, The Tin Building also sells branded merchandise and items by notable designers including Michael Graves. For the grand opening of The Tin Building, the famed restaurateur led a drumline and a parade of dancing “chefs” hoisting a large fish sculpture in homage to the area’s roots down the cobblestoned streets of the Seaport District to the thrill of curious onlookers. Vongerichten was then joined for the ribbon-cutting ceremony by representatives from Howard Hughes and the City of New York. City officials touted the 700 jobs the project would bring to the area. For the grand opening of The Tin Building, the famed restaurateur led a drumline and a parade of dancing 'chefs' hoisting a large fish sculpture. The event itself was, appropriately, a feast for the senses. There were vintage cars and performers on stilts and in period costumes greeting guests as they entered. Outside, actors played out bank robbery fantasies from the era when the building first opened. Guests included Martha Stewart, chefs Carla Hall and Anne Burrell, as well as famous foodie band leader and artist Questlove. An eclectic mix of uptown society doyennes and downtown cool kids mingled and munched on everything from mouth-watering sashimi, grilled octopus salad, caviar, freshly made mini pretzels, sweet and savory crepes and flavorful vegan dishes and dumplings. Jazz musicians played for the fashionable crowd in the speakeasy-style restaurant, The House of the Red Pearl. That spot is located behind the curtain of the Mercantile East marketplace where customers can shop for gourmet Asian food products. A DJ spun a more dance-inspired soundtrack throughout the rest of the venue. What does this all mean for the city’s retail environment as many workers continue to stay remote from their offices as the downtown area continues to struggle? What does it mean for Vongerichten? He already had 28 restaurants prior to cutting the ribbon on his newest food baby. For both sides, the devil is in the details. The Tin Building, at its essence, is a 10-year, $789 Million development plan to revitalize the Seaport. The chef, his backers and the city have painstakingly endeavored to create an experience that met the standards and reputation of the Jean-Georges brand. And that’s the lure to entice new patrons with adventurous palates to visit, shop and explore its variety of offerings—and lift up the area’s brands. “The Tin Building by Jean-Georges is designed for culinary adventurers,” Andrew Schwartz, evp of the Howard Hughes Corporation, told Adweek. “Everyone from loyal locals to curious first timers; an eclectic mix of New Yorkers and visitors from everywhere.” An appetite for disruption Food hall marketplaces comprising of retail and full-service restaurants have gained popularity in recent years. Still, few have been the anchor of an ambitious neighborhood revitalization plan. Eataly, the Italian food marketplace once affiliated with now-disgraced celebrity chef, Mario Batali, opened in the Flatiron District in 2010 to much fanfare and surrounded by plenty of already established businesses. But The Tin Building has a golden opportunity to change that. New York officials are betting on it. “The brand’s vision is to be the most locally loved and world-renowned marketplace in New York,” said Schwartz. “We are confident that we can achieve this positioning with those involved in the project. Chef Jean-Georges is committed to the highest level of culinary that is globally inspired and locally sourced.” 'Globally Inspired, Locally Sourced' is the tagline to the marketplace’s simple, yet visually striking, campaign. Marketing the marketplace … tastefully “Globally Inspired, Locally Sourced” is the tagline to the marketplace’s simple, yet visually striking, campaign. The marketing effort features actor Katie Holmes, Team Epiphany’s married co-founders, Coltrane Curtis and Lisa Chu (with their sons), model Richie Shazam and conceptual artist and columnist, Laila Gohar flanked by boldly colored foods, specialty items and (sustainable) packaging from the marketplace. “The Tin Building has an amazing history along the New York waterfront, and we wanted to remain true to this by featuring these ‘quintessential New Yorkers’ from various industries and backgrounds,” Markus Uran, Howard Hughes’ creative director, told Adweek. “Food is something that has the power to bring people together and we like to think there is something for everyone here.” Uran added that the tagline speaks to the partnerships that can be found throughout the Tin Building’s products and ingredients. It all reflects the career’s worth of knowledge Vongerichten has acquired through traveling, visiting markets and cooking all over the world. “The logo itself has text describing what food experiences [and] offerings makeup the building as a whole – Marketplace, Merchants, Foodhall, Restaurants,” Uran said. “So, we felt there was already quite a bit of messaging that adding more would overcomplicate things – and that a visual story would best communicate the space and amount of offerings all under one roof.” The culinary marketplace boasts six full-service restaurants, six quick-service counters, four bars, a grocery and private dining and studio spaces. Setting 'The Tin experience' Agency Twoxfour’s Partner and Creative Director, Susan Sellers, whose team created the campaign, were given a primary directive to bring the Tin Building brand strategy to life. The project needed to engage a diversity of New Yorkers; it had to capture the essence of "The Tin experience,” which translates into “a sensational, immersive world of dining, shopping and entertainment,” Sellers said “From the highest quality fine dining … to evocative fast casual offerings … to its decadent markets and the potential of unparalleled home delivery options (yet to come).” The campaign was shot by Suzanne Saroff. It launched Sept. 20 and runs through the end of the year. The exclusively out-of-home campaign appears on transit hubs including subways, ferries, buses, and mobile trucks across New York, as well as billboards, posters, LinkNYC screens and sidewalk stencils in Manhattan below 15th street and in parts of Brooklyn. Additionally, posters, interactive kiosks and video walls can be found on New Jersey PATH trains and in select stations. Two Hampton Jitneys have been outfitted with branded wraps. A digital billboard is also located in the Hamptons to target the well-heeled clientele that frequent the chef’s various eateries across the country. “This is the first time we worked with Jean-George and his team, which was an absolute pleasure,” said Sellers. “They were the best collaborators, and we were blown away by their ability to deliver this culinary feat. With any project of this scale, it is not over until it all begins and the doors open—and when the doors opened, we were as awestruck as anyone off the street! Even with all our inside experience, we were astounded to see it all come together.”