Rita's Needlepoint 303 East 81st Street 212-737-8613 Established 1973 Art for Eternity 303 East 81st Street 212-472-5171 Established 1992
NOW (Rita's Needlepoint)
This long standing Upper East Side shop is filled with spools of every color thread imaginable, and hand-painted needlepoint designs for a variety of items, including belts, eyeglass covers, and handbags.
Rita’s is a staple in the needlepoint community. Established in 1973, the business is one of the oldest running of its kind. The shop was founded by Rita Klein, who studied tapestry art in France before coming to New York in 1968. Her store became a popular destination for international customers and a safe haven for those who needed professional guidance in stitching their creative projects.
Rita has since retired, leaving the store to Kimberley Dow. Having a background as a research scientist, Dow loved working with her hands and using the craft as a creative outlet; she became fascinated with the business and started working with Rita in 2017 for one day a week. Two years later, Dow took on the task of finding a new nearby location, creating a website, and carrying on Rita’s legacy.
NOW (Art for Eternity)
With something fascinating on every shelf, this shop is a space where people can spend hours exploring antiques steeping in history. Art for Eternity is a small gallery that features pieces originating from Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America, with the oldest dating back 3500 years from Mesopotamia. Located on the lower level is also a collection of wooden African art and books.
As one of the first dealers to be featured on Sotheby's website, the owner, Howard Nowes, is an expert in his field. He fell in love with ancient antiques and the business of collecting them after taking a “grand tour” of the world following his college graduation. In addition to working in the antiques market, Nowes has also spent time unearthing antiquities himself on archaeological digs. Today, he guides his customers, who come from every corner of the world, on their own personal journeys purchasing antiques. “People experience a sense of discovery when they come in. Everything has a story.”
THEN
Originally built without storefronts, 303 East 81st Street and its twin at #305 boasted brownstone facades at the street level, detailed brickwork on the four upper stories, a stone cornice, and a stone plaque marking the construction date, 1883. Storefronts were added to #303 in the early 20th century, but its neighbor retains its entry as originally designed. These buildings are the product of well-known architect Alfred B. Ogden, a NY native who began his professional career in the woodworking business and had an established architectural practice in the city by 1874. His son later joined the firm, which designed dozens of row houses, apartment, tenement, and flats buildings throughout the city as A.B. Ogden & Son. During the first decades of the 20th century, 303 East 81st Street was home to many immigrant families from Ireland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Russia, a very common array of nationalities in Yorkville. More recently, the building was home to a pottery studio, a bookshop, and a consignment store.
