Uppababy, the premium stroller and baby gear manufacturer, is vacating its Cobble Hill location for a larger flagship store in Brooklyn Heights next year. The retailer has signed a lease for 3,780 square feet at 156 Montague Street, a property owned and managed by Owen Realty, according to JLL, the commercial real estate brokerage handling the transaction.
The move represents a strategic expansion for the brand. Uppababy currently operates from 90 Smith Street in Cobble Hill, a neighborhood popular with young families but increasingly crowded with competing retail concepts. Brooklyn Heights, positioned along the Promenade and near the subway hub at Borough Hall, offers higher foot traffic and better visibility to affluent parent shoppers who represent Uppababy's core customer base.
156 Montague Street sits on one of Brooklyn's premier retail corridors. The building commands premium rents thanks to its location near the Manhattan Bridge and proximity to both downtown Brooklyn's office district and the tree-lined residential blocks that define the historic neighborhood. Montague Street attracts national retailers and upscale local brands targeting Brooklyn's high-income demographic.
The 3,780-square-foot footprint gives Uppababy roughly double or triple the typical showroom space, allowing for expanded product displays, interactive testing areas, and dedicated customer service zones. Parents can examine stroller suspension systems, test drive models, and compare the brand's full range of car seats, bassinets, and travel gear in one visit. This format aligns with how premium baby brands increasingly operate flagship locations as lifestyle destinations rather than simple transaction points.
For landlord Owen Realty, the lease signals continued confidence in Brooklyn Heights' retail market at a time when many NYC property owners face vacancy challenges. Montague Street's traditional strength remains intact despite pandemic-era disruptions that pressured secondary retail corridors across the city.
For Cobble Hill landlords, the departure marks another shift in that neighborhood's retail identity. Smith Street has seen turnover as some established tenants seek either cheaper locations in outer neighborhoods or premium addresses in better-trafficked areas like Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope's main drags.
For competing stroller retailers and baby gear shops, Uppababy's move to a flagship format on a major commercial corridor raises the bar for presentation and experience. Smaller baby boutiques on neighborhood side streets will need to compete on specialization, customer service, and local relationships rather than square footage or convenience.
Uppababy's timing reflects confidence in Brooklyn's post-pandemic recovery and specifically in the continued affluence of families willing to invest $800 to $1,200 per stroller. The brand manufactures in Vietnam but positions itself as a premium American design company. Next year's opening will test whether Brooklyn Heights' foot traffic and retail positioning can sustain a larger-format baby gear flagship in an increasingly competitive landscape.