Name: Shannon Hansen

Title: Senior Marketing and Creative Manager, Chelsea Market

Organization/Business: Jamestown

Social: @shannonLhansen

What do you do, and how did you get here?

I spearhead all of the creative ongoings inside of Chelsea Market and am responsible for the curation of the new retail and restaurant tenants.  I absolutely love that I get to go out in New York and find the ‘best new thing’ in dining, nightlife and retail,  and work to bring it into the market.  Every day is different and there are a lot of challenges, but I’m lucky to work with tremendously creative and passionate people.  Initially I found myself in a more typical real estate marketing role at Chelsea Market which eventually evolved into a specialty hybrid role as a result of my love for meeting new people and discussing new ideas, particularily food based ideas, and working to bring them to fruition.

What do you love about Meatpacking?

The Meatpacking District is NYC’s newest hub where fashion, technology, food and art have come together in perfect unison. So many exciting things are happening to an area that many New Yorker’s tried to avoid for decades and I’m privileged to be a part of it during this evolution of one of New York’s greatest and most historic neighborhoods.

If you had 15 minutes, how will you spend it in the neighborhood?

I’m fortunate to not only work but also live in the neighborhood so I find myself with a lot of 15 minute spots.  That said, 15 minutes is the perfect amount of time to grab an adobo taco (or three!) from Los Tacos No1 and then grab a table and people watch inside of Chelsea Market for a few minutes while you enjoy your snack. And if you’re feeling daring, I recommend the “El Diablo” taco. Instead of a regular tortilla they make a melted cheese tortilla and it is truly one of the greatest and most indulgent things I’ve ever had. 

If you had a few hours, how would you ideally spend the day?

I’m really excited that Soul Cycle has moved into the neighborhood so for me, the perfect day would be to take either a spin class at Soul Cycle or a yoga class at Equinox on 17th street in their beautiful studio which looks over the Highline, get lunch at Café Gitane in the Jane Hotel (the avocado toast on seven grain bread and the smoked trout salad are my go to’s), and then grab my dog and take a stroll down Washington Street and up through Gansevoort Plaza maybe popping into a few of the shops along the way.  I always like to see what’s new and where people are hanging out. In the summer, I love sitting outside at The Standard Grill or going to the roof of Brass Monkey for an afternoon cocktail with friends.

Where do you go to escape the crowds? People watch?

I love walking along the Hudson River Park pathway.  I find that it’s mostly New Yorker’s and less touristy than the High Line can get. There are tons of benches and spots to sit and enjoy a picnic, sun tan, or just relax with a book.

Where will you recommend for a great cocktail or bite?

After work you can’t beat Cull & Pistol. They offer a Happy Hour special with $1 oysters and clams (and their selection is the best of the best) and they make a mean michelada.  If you get there early enough you can sometimes be lucky enough to have the bar to yourself before the after work crowds roll in. It’s a hidden gym in the neighborhood and definitely worth checking out.

What’s your most memorable moment or experience in Meatpacking?

There are too many to count!  One of them was definitely that time Kanye West threw an impromptu concert in the loading dock of the Milk Building and I got to witness it from the street! And last year during the ALS ice bucket challenge that went viral we corralled hundreds of office employees from inside Chelsea Market and did a massive group ice bucket dumping on the street. It felt great to be a part of this movement for awareness.  

Of all the personalities in Meatpacking (whether you know the person or not), whom would you want to grab a drink with? And
where? 

I see Peter Dinklage from The Game of Thrones everywhere I go. Walking my dog, at the gym, inside Chelsea Market, literally he’s all over the neighborhood! I’d love to grab a drink with him and go to the Boom Boom Room!

What should we know about you outside of work. Hobbies, life, that sort of thing?

Outside of work I’m a dog lover, avid traveller always chasing the sun, and an outdoorsy west coast girl at heart who like most transplants to this city, has fallen in love with New York.