In crossing my neighborhood park one day, I paused in front of the boarded up mint green windows of what is now this cool, clean, fresh concept store: The Broken Arm. They’ve only been open for 2 weeks, but are already the hippest kid on the block in NoMa (Northern Marais).
With upbeat swing playing in the background, the store is a happy place to linger for a while. Selling art books, terrariums, and Nike Airs among a carefully chosen collection of Carven, Kenzo Paris, Cedric Charlier, Jacquemus, and Swash London, you feel you are in a curious gallery of sort.
The minimalist layout gives the store its Nordic vibe, and the white walls and bare wood make for a peaceful wandering. The fact that they combine fashion, art, and music in their selections shows they really do cater to the well-rounded shopper.
The friendly owners are just as cool as the clothes they sell. They had no problem with a random passerby like me taking photos of their beautifully curated store. Founders of the blog Des Jeunes Gens Modernes, Anaïs Lafarge, Guillaume Steinmetz and Roman Joste branched out on a limb to open The Broken Arm – a physical reflection of what they write about on the blog.
Walk next door to their equally bright and calm cafe. Soft reggae playing in the background, a perfect cup of jo (not too bitter, not too watery), and a view of the green Square du Temple make it a great, cluster-free place to relax. The live lemon tree in the window sill is a punch of color to the otherwise minimal, fresh, white decor. While I didn’t have the appetite to try one of their delicious-looking, homemade baked goods, this is definitely one of the many reasons to return.
The Broken Arm
12 Rue Perrée
75003 Paris
(Metro: Temple, Arts et Metiers)