Sundae School Opens Its First Permanent Store in NYC's Chinatown
Eight years after its founding in a nearby apartment, the boundary-pushing “smokewear” brand transforms a former accounting office into a Buddhist temple-inspired sanctuary.
Summary
- Korean American lifestyle brand Sundae School is opening its first permanent physical store in May 2026, located at 117 Hester Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown
- Designed by Nohar Agadi and Andy Kim, the 500-square-foot space is modeled after a traditional Korean Buddhist temple, utilizing metal pillars, gates, and curtains to create a sequential, calming retreat
- The flagship will carry the brand’s latest apparel collections and in-store exclusives, while also serving as a dedicated community hub for indie brands, pop-ups, and creatives
Eight years after launching as a thought experiment in a tiny New York City apartment, the Korean American “smokewear” label Sundae School is finally coming home. Setting down physical roots for the very first time, the counterculture-centric brand is officially opening its inaugural flagship store this May in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Located at 117 Hester Street—just three blocks from where founder and creative director Dae Lim first dreamt up the concept—the new location marks a massive full-circle moment for a community-driven label that continuously blurs the lines between streetwear, heritage, and cannabis culture.
Instead of relying on a traditional retail layout, Sundae School’s new space operates as an architectural sanctuary. Conceived by creative director and lead architect Nohar Agadi (formerly of Foster + Partners), alongside co-architect and sculptor Andy Kim, the former accounting office has been entirely transformed. The 500-square-foot store uses the spatial logic of a traditional Korean Buddhist temple to methodically strip away the noise of the outside world. Using floor-to-ceiling curtains, metal pillars, and gates, the layout creates a series of transitional courtyards. Visitors move through these intentional thresholds before reaching the Daeungjeon (main altar) at the back, where original accounting desks adorned with Chinese talismans now serve as the brand’s headquarters.
Adding another layer of cultural homage, the interior features striking works by South Korea-based artist Honey Kim, whose pieces reference traditional Korean hemp textiles through modern acrylic and aluminum applications. While Sundae School is widely celebrated as a hemp lifestyle brand, Lim is quick to clarify that the Hester Street location is not a dispensary and will not retail botanical products from its sister wellness brand, Sundae Flowers. Rather, the goal is for the flagship to serve as a quiet place of rest and authentic connection.
“I never thought the brand I started as a thought experiment would turn into an 8-year journey that would have me open a retail space right across the street from the Chinatown apartment I launched it in,” Lim shared. “We know that what got us here is our community. We’re excited to have a physical space to meet them all in person.” Opening its doors early this month, the Chinatown flagship offers fans the long-awaited chance to shop Sundae School’s latest collections and in-store exclusives in person. Beyond acting as a retail destination, this thoughtfully designed sanctuary will serve as a dynamic venue for collaborations and events, continuing the brand’s mission of celebrating diversity, creativity, and intentional rebellion.
Sundae School
117 Hester Street
Manhattan, New York City
