Ironic, isn’t it, the superstore-ification of Manhattan. Who forgot to circulate the memo that most of us live in not-so-supersize apartments?

Gretchen Broussard and Roee Dori feel our pain: They spent nine months of their married life sharing a one-room, 200-square-foot space with a rabbit named God.

Could anyone be more qualified to open an East Village shop called Tiny Living?

The new store, which is smartly separated into living, kitchen/bath, and office areas, sells a mind-boggling array of space-saving, multipurpose items that fold up, screw in, and pop out. Like tables and chairs that collapse to within an inch of their lives. Benches that are coffee tables that are magazine racks. Mini sewing machines that actually make you want to hem your pants.

You’ll clear counter space in your galley kitchen with a host of magnetized items that stick to the fridge: miniature cookbooks, salt and pepper shakers, corkscrews. And since when are people with mudrooms the only ones entitled to a hamper bag with compartments for colors, darks, and whites? Or a wall-hanging Rolly Mobil that dispenses foil, plastic wrap, and paper towels?

Really, damn it, who needs to live in a big loft anyway? Nothing but a lot of dust bunnies collecting in the corners.

Speaking of, there’s no sign of God in the shop yet. But maybe they’ll add a pet section soon.


Tiny Living, Furnishings for Small Spaces, 125 East 7th Street, between First Avenue and Avenue A (212-228-2748 or tiny-living.com).