THE STORE
AC Gears USA (pictured)
If it's big in Japan, it's probably for sale at these two Greenwich Village boutiques. They peddle the latest Harajuku-ready earphones from Elecom and Audio-Technica as well as otaku-friendly oddities like Bandai's Gun O'clock, which you "shoot" to shut off.
THE ITEM: Speaker by the., a set of speakers shaped like comic-book dialogue bubbles.
106 Greenwich Ave., 212-741-2006,
and 69 E. 8th St., 212-260-2269, New York City;
acgears.com
THE STORE
Yamagiwa Livina JAPAN
This Akihabara furniture and lighting store devotes one full floor to stylish takes on everyday devices. Who knew a paper shredder or an oscillating fan could be so enticing?
THE ITEM: Conof desk lamp with two hidden USB ports.
1-5-10, Soto-Kanda, Chitoda-ku-,
Tokyo, 1-3-3253-5111;
yamagiwa.co.jp
THE STORE
Retro Tech U.K.
Steampunk enthusiasts flock to this English emporium for World War-II era voltage meters (popular for antique-car renovations), self-powered Revophone radios, and vintage valves for vacuum-tube stereos.
THE ITEM: Ericsson telephone from the 1930s.
46 The Old High St., Folkestone, Kent,
44-1303-243-664;
retrotechnical.com
Design Supermarket la Rinascente
It's rare that a fashion-focused department store concerns itself with gadgets, but the basement level of Milan's iconic boutique carries the cream of the electronic crop: Leica cameras, Sonoro iPod docks, Kikkerland clocks.
THE ITEM: Brionvega rr227 portable radio.
Piazza del Duomo, Milan,
39-288-521;
designsupermarket.it
Tom Samiljan
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