Where to buy a leather portfolio in midtown Manhattan

August 7, 2019 7:53 PM

What's a good place in Midtown Manhattan--or pretty quickly accessible from Midtown--where I could buy a leather portfolio tomorrow morning? Ideally something nicer and longer-lasting than a $15 piece from Target, or whatever, but I'm also not a bank executive or anything. My vague standard is: nice enough for a generic professional look, but neither so cheap nor so expensive that someone really notices or remembers it. Suggestions?
posted by pdq to Shopping (5 answers total)

Columbus Circle has a Coach, a Tumi, and a Cole Haan, so, depending on what you deem too expensive, you could probably find something there.
posted by praemunire at 8:43 PM on August 7, 2019 [1 favorite]

Places to call, in no particular order:

• Staples - They have 4 portfolios listed online as being available at the 800 Broadway location (not all real leather).
• Paper Source is kind of over in Gramercy and Midtown East and while I only see paper portfolios (and whimsical at that) on their website, it miiiiiight be worth calling.
• Yes, there is a Target in Midtown, so while this may be your last resort, it's good to know it's there.
• There is also a Best Buy presence in the city.
• There is a Moleskine in Columbus Circle, kiosk k2, in addition to the Coach, Tumi, and Cole Haan stores mentioned above. I think it's tiny and unlikely they have what you need, but worth a shot. There's another in Rockefeller Center
• Google tells me that Royce Monogram Shop on the east side of the park (Central Park) has a well reviewed leather portfolio, though they open at 10am.
• I have been inside Village Tannery, but it's down on Bleecker and a bit spendy. Very beautiful stuff.
• Bloomingdales will have leather products but I don't know anything about what lines or where in the store.
• Coach makes leather portfolios, but they are over $200 (and maybe even more than that). They have standalone stores and are also located in some of the bigger department stores.

Art Supply stores: very different idea of what a portfolio is but they might also have the kind of portfolio you want. Maybe. Worth asking if nothing else is fruitful.

• Da Vinci I can't tell what's in stock here (the w 21st street store opens at 8:45 and is walking distance from a Dick Blick.)
• Dick Blick - I think they're just called Blick now? (they open at 9)

Levenger products, while not available in person in NYC, they make a leather portfolio so if you don't find the right item here in the city, maybe check their website for later.
posted by bilabial at 8:51 PM on August 7, 2019 [2 favorites]

Eh, the Target is in Herald Square neighborhood, so not exactly midtown. But close enough if you're truly desperate. They open at 7am so you could get a stopgap there and return it if you find something better at one of the other places.
posted by bilabial at 8:52 PM on August 7, 2019

Oh, I might lead off by quickly calling McNally Jackson Goods for the Study. It's in the Village, so not close, but they could probably suggest somewhere if they don't have any--and then at least you'd have one place in your pocket.
posted by praemunire at 9:23 PM on August 7, 2019 [1 favorite]

Seconding McNally Jackson Goods - just off the B/D at west 4th so fairly quick to get to from midtown and they’ll have what you’re looking for
posted by neoist at 12:50 PM on August 8, 2019