Set in Greenwich Village, C.O. Bigelow is America’s oldest apothecary. It was founded in 1838, so Carolyn isn’t the only famous face to have shopped here over the years. Thomas Edison reportedly used their homemade soothing balm after burning his fingers in an early lightbulb experiment, while Eleanor Roosevelt was a regular user of toiletries. It’s now run by a fourth-generation family member, and the team still leaf through handwritten notebooks for inspiration from original formulas.
On my first day in the city, I set off: subway to 14th Street – 6th Avenue, then along the edge of the West Village with its beautiful stores, cafés, and impossibly well-dressed people. C.O. Bigelow occupies a dream of a location with Carrie Bradshaw’s Perry Street apartment less than 10 minutes away, and the likes of Magnolia Bakery, coffee spot Do Not Feed The Alligators, Doen, and Ganni all nearby.
Just as I’d imagined, the facade has an old-world design with twirling fonts scrawled across the windows and ornate signage. Inside, creamy tiles lie underfoot with wooden shelves and furnishings lining the space, as chandeliers swing overhead. It’s like stepping back in time.
Hand creams, body washes, cleansers, lotions, shave creams; it all comes in apothecary-style, amber-tinted jars with almost-faded labels. It would be gimmicky if this weren’t the real deal. Over the years, certain products have become synonymous with the brand, such as their lip salves, which come in an array of flavors like rose, lavender, and apple. Across the counters, huge bowls are filled with these pastel-colored tins and customers grab them like sweets at a corner shop.
It only takes a moment to realize: word is out. The entire store is filled with excitable Bessette Kennedy devotees. Yes, the shelves of soaps, hair brushes, and perfumes are busy, but it’s the hair accessories section that could be compared to a mosh pit with teenagers fighting women in their 30s (me!) for a piece of Bessette Kennedy’s aesthetic. Nervously, I approach: There are rows of crocodile clips and slides, too, which also get a fair bit of attention, while I wait my turn to look at the headbands.
