Jaeger-LeCoultre

I'll be honest, I had pretty low expectations. Usually the quality of the food and coffee at these kinds of pop-ups, luxurious as they are, isn't really that great and can have a airport lounge feel. Totally the opposite, the espresso was really good (and free in exchange for your email address) and the dessert I had was excellent. Even better, there's a great vibe, it is staffed but the JLC folks are helpful and fun but totally not imposing meanwhile the cafe team is delivering great table service. I didn't think I was going to stay long but it started raining so I grabbed a few big JLC books and got comfortable.

Downstairs in the back they had a of a historical tribute to Reverso engraving. More exciting though was a perlage machine and a tray of brass blanks for anyone to try their hand at perfectly spacing tiny little circles, not easy, harder after a mega dose of caffeine and sugar. Probably should have tried this before the dessert and double espresso.

By the time I was ready to leave, the cafe was pretty busy for a rainy weekday morning and there was a nice buzz to the place.

It's just a cafe, horologically light compared to say the Sound Maker exhibition that JLC put on in Meatpacking with a few million in watches on hand for viewing, but I think this is just as if not a more successful pop-up. A big part of it is the combination of the cafe offering and the location. Being on Madison Ave in peak luxury shopping, there's no starbucks, no cafes, you have to walk a few blocks off Madison before the rents can make sense for a cafe. So in my time at the pop-up I saw actual regulars, people who lived in the area, the JLC folks knew people's names and asked about their dogs, instead of saying goodbye patrons would say said see you tomorrow. It's kind of incredible for a temporary pop-up to have any kind of stickiness or repeat visits let alone a neighborhoody feel, especially having only been open a little over a week. At the same time, I saw tourists from Australia that heard about the cafe and came to visit as well as watch collectors wanting to know what was going on and maybe a few who were a little disappointed there weren't actually more watches to see but hey, the boutique is just down the block. 

Another thing they did really well is this is ultimately a cafe first. The first question is can we show you a menu or what would you like to order, not do you have a JLC or would you like to learn more about the brand. The team is chatting with folks and happy to engage but they are just as happy for you to have coffee and read a magazine. The only part of the experience that makes it feel like a marketing effort is the initial email capture in exchange for free coffee but that is it and of course, you can simply just buy your own espresso if you're not interested. It makes it a comfortable place, you're surrounded by the brand of course but it isn't imposing.

Since the cafe is in the old Vacheron space I was curious to see the new VC boutique and stopped by afterwards. It is majestic, lots of space, and a sales person followed me across every square foot of it wanting to chat. At WOS yesterday it was more like I had my own personal bodyguard shadowing me and ready to pounce if I looked at anything too long. I'm not sure which experience I disliked more between the two but they both stood in stark contrast to the Reverso Cafe experience which seemed all the more amazing after that. VC has a lounge upstairs, WOS a bar downstairs, they both have the space to promote a different kind of experience if they wanted to, but they are sticking with the old school retail formula. I think JLC really knocked it out of the park with this one, not in a shock and awe kind of way, but in how they really pulled together a sustainable and comfortable brand lifestyle space that can compliment the retail space nearby.

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