What’s better than shopping? Shopping with a cocktail in hand, of course. That’s the philosophy of Fashion/Plate NYC, the Elizabeth Street boutique that occupies the front area of the restaurant Plate NYC. Shoppers can take advantage of the restaurant’s full bar as they browse.

This quirky shop is a good example of how to get the most from a small space in New York. By day (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Fashion/Plate offers a mix of women’s wear, jewelry, and objets d’art. By night, the merchandise is moved away and the space becomes the bar area of Plate NYC, a cozy restaurant that serves up combinations of Latin and Asian cuisines.

The half-and-half concept was created by partners Sam Firer, a restaurant publicist with the Hall Company, and design consultant John Findysz, visual director of Jeffrey, the upscale department store. Mr. Firer realized that Plate NYC, one of his clients, had a plum retail location that would be sitting empty in the afternoon before dinner service began. “They weren’t using this space during the day,” he said. “When I saw the room, I loved it. It’s modern, but warm.”

The mainstay of the shop is a line of clothing designed and produced by Mr. Firer.

“I used to be in the garment industry,” he said. “I like combinations of fabrics, and fabrics that you won’t find anywhere else.”

Mr. Firer moved to America from Odessa when he was 11 and got his start working beside his mother, a master seamstress who has worked on runway collections for top labels. After sitting through a long winter and watching “Full Frontal Fashion” constantly, Mr. Firer decided to get back to cutting and sewing. He lined up a production facility in Midtown, where his varied collection is produced. The look balances flirty with vamp, and it does indeed combine surprising fabrics.

A box-pleated skirt in Chinese fabric comes with insets of sheer plastic, though it looks like silk ($175). A simple bright pink T-shirt has a metallic lace trim along the V-neck collar ($45). A tan suede dress with tiny punched out holes features a wide skirt that twirls prettily ($800). A series of little black dresses each have their own design element: One has a bubble print, another comes with a wide, black-on-white print collar (dresses start around $200). And because his operation is small, he’s able to customize pieces as well as create new versions of a client’s favorite garment.

In addition to the clothing, there’s bold, colorful jewelry made by Suzanne Sattler. Artist Faune Yerby’s small artworks decorated with tiny antique photos are for sale. A series of decorative silver bugs made out of cutlery, by Doug Kospel, add a touch of whimsy to the collection. And a display of architectural sugar cakes by Margaret Braun shows off the treats that can be ordered.

“We’re looking for stuff before it hits the radar screen,” Mr. Findysz said. For him, the goal at Fashion/Plate is to create a unique shopping experience that introduces creative work at moderate prices in a casual, laid-back setting. “Retail is getting more and more generic. There used to be these magical retailers,” he said. “This is an experiment. We just want to have fun with it.”

And because there are no display cases, it’s all set up differently every day. “The store never looks the same,” Mr. Firer said.

This fall, Mr. Firer will begin offering a line of menswear. And the pair is looking to expand their retail concept to a second, larger space, where they can begin selling larger artwork and furniture. They’re hoping to take the idea to other venues as well. “We’d like to bring the concept to hotels. It’s a platform for cool, interesting stuff,” Mr. Findysz said.

Fashion/Plate NYC, 264 Elizabeth St., 917-407-8112. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.