Bowery Billy Gets His Signs Back; Tribeca's Sharpest Store; More!

And now, the latest from Racked NY, covering shopping and retail from the sidewalks up.

1) Lower East Side: Sanity has been restored on the Bowery now that Billy Leroy of Billy's Antiques is back in possession of his subway signs. The MTA busted Billy last year, saying the signs were stolen. One civil rights dust-up later, the charges were dropped, but the signs remained in lockup. Billy has them back now, and we're guessing the prices just went up now that they're infamous.

2) Tribeca: Some say that the best and biggest retail collection of Japenese knives in the whole entire world can be found at Korin in Tribeca. In the market for a $5,000 sashimi knife? Check it out.

3) Greenpoint: What's the only store in New York to carry the slim-fitting threads of Topman other than the Soho Topshop? That would be Alter, in Greenpoint! Take that, Williamsburg?

4) Upper East Side: Is it possible to get anything for a penny at Bloomingdale's? Yep, but it's darn tough. Still, here's a success story.

· Racked NY [ny.racked.com]