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Louis Vuitton’s flagship Fifth Avenue store may be covered in a giant trunk, but it’s far from packed up.
On Friday, the luxury brand opened its new temporary location — its Fifth Avenue flagship, currently covered in scaffolding made to look like its iconic luggage, is undergoing a years-long renovation project — and boasts its first-ever US cafe.
But it’s no makeshift holdover. The five-story temp store at 6 East 57th Street, across the street at the former Niketown, has already blown customers away.
“It’s phenomenal,” Michelle Carter, 59, told The Post as she exited the store carrying her new boots in the iconic orange shopping bags.
She and her girlfriends were some of the first people in the store when doors opened Friday morning. The gaggle of women visiting the city already has plans to return over the weekend to make another purchase.
Michelle had been in the flagship store before it closed to the public but said that this temporary shop “is way more elaborate.”
“There’s just so much more attention to detail. And it’s bigger,” she explained.
The size of the interim shop was something duly noted by most stunned shoppers.
“I can’t believe how big it is,” Jordan Strong told The Post as he entered the shop with his wife Lisa, happily holding her shopping bag.
He compared the store to a museum, explaining that the displays and layout of the place made it a “really experiential” shopping trip.
The British tourist was almost convinced to buy a pair of bright yellow sneakers simply because they reminded him of a NY taxi cab. Instead, Lisa finally bought the bag she’d been eyeing online.
“This is my first one and I think it’s great that we’ve bought it in New York,” she said.
But the store is far from a tourist trap.
Martin Yeo, a longtime loyal Louis Vuitton customer, purposely strutted into the store on Friday morning dressed in the label from head to toe, ready to purchase some exclusive offerings only available at the pop-up and check out the new location.
“I didn’t think it was going to be this fabulous,” the Manhattanite admitted, “but I’m very impressed. This is much better.”
This temporary spot has only raised his expectations for the flagship location, which he’s been guaranteed will be “even more fabulous.”
“If that doesn’t come through, I’m going to complain,” the 50-something-year-old said.
Now that he has his exclusive items in hand, he’s ready to return in a few weeks for his reservation at Le Cafe Louis Vuitton, the first LV-branded cafe in America.
The library-themed restaurant, on the fourth floor of the shop above the women’s and men’s sections tucked away behind the chocolate shop, is managed by STARR Restaurants, led by restaurateur Stephen Starr of Pastis fame.
While not operating on the store’s opening day, it will seat its first guests on Nov. 16 in a packed house. Reservations can be made on Resy but are filled through Dec. 12 — as far forward as the website will let you search.
“You have to get your bony a – s here,” Yeo insisted.
English (US)