Saturday, September 30, 2023
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Monday, September 25, 2023
DOCUMENTING THE VIBRANT FRONTAGES OF NEW YORK’S LAST REMAINING ‘MOM-AND-POP’ STORES: HUCK
"From an Italian deli in The Bronx selling regionalised Calabrian pork sausage to tea parlours in Chinatown, via a typewriter’s specialist in Westside Manhattan that has been open for over nine decades – the pictures are an ode to their roles as local hubs, as well as the diversity created by a city built on migration and openness. “Often these mom-and-pop stores are meeting places; gathering spots for the community,” Karla explains. “And that’s why helping to preserve these through our photographs is super important because they serve a purpose."
Sunday, September 24, 2023
Saturday, September 23, 2023
Stunning photos show NYC's iconic mom-and-pop shops from an Italian restaurant frequented by the mafia to a candy store beloved by celebrities. Daily Mail
"From an Italian restaurant frequented by the mafia to a candy store beloved by celebrities, stunning photos have revealed the unique mom-and-pop shops that have given character to neighborhoods across the city for more than a century."
Friday, September 22, 2023
Chris Stein, Karla and Hudson
We were thrilled that Chris Stein, the co-founder of Blondie who is also an amazing photographer, not only wrote the foreword for our new book 'Store Front: Photographs of the City's Independent Shops, Past and Present" but also invited us over to his gorgeous apartment in Greenwich Village and signed our copy of our book (See 2nd photo of of his signature on the title page).
Capturing the Soul of Hell’s Kitchen: The Photographers Documenting NYC’s Vanishing Mom-and-Pop Stores Avatar photo by Sarah Beling for W42ndST.NYC
"But despite the sometimes ephemeral nature of New York’s streetscapes, there are beloved mom-and-pop shops that hold on — often with the help of two of the city’s biggest cheerleaders, photographers Karla and James Murray."
Karla with Cáit O'Riordan
Karla with Cáit O'Riordan ex bassist of The Pogues, Bass/Vox ☠️CEO of DGAF☠️ Póg Mo Thóin & The Rocky O'Riordan Show on U2 X-Radio SiriusXM at our STORE FRONT NYC book release party at Village Works Gallery on St Marks Place, East Village. Thank you to all who attended our book release party/signing event last night. The line for books was out the door and although we sold out of books, we will be ordering more and will be holding another book signing event at Village Works Gallery on Saturday, October 7th from 5-7 PM. Hope to see you all there!
Thursday, September 21, 2023
STORE FRONT NYC book release party TONIGHT!
STORE FRONT NYC: Photographs of the City’s Independent Shops, Past and Present
To celebrate the release of our book, we will be holding an exhibition and book signing party at Village Works Gallery located at 12 St Marks Place TONIGHT Thursday, September 21st from 6-8 PM. It is FREE to attend and signed books & prints will be available for purchase. We hope to see you there!
This book would not have been possible without the help of many people! We particularly want to thank all of the small business owners whose establishments appear in this book. We would also like to gratefully acknowledge Chris Stein @christein for writing the foreword, our editor, Ali Gitlow @gitlowww for her guidance and expertise, our designer Benjamin Wolbergs @benjaminwolbergs for the beautiful design, our copy-editor/proofreader @fryinlambshanks and the entire team at Prestel Publishing @prestel_publishing.
A Photographic Ode to New York’s Vanishing Mom-and-Pop Shops In their latest book, photographers James and Karla Murray document the independent storefronts that give the city’s neighborhoods their unforgettable flair—and sound a clarion call to keep them afloat. BY RYAN WADDOUPS for SURFACE
https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/store-front-nyc-book-james-karla-murray/
"When these boutiques, butchers, and bakeries are replaced by bland chain stores with uniform branding, the Murrays write in the introduction, “the entire neighborhood is affected” and we all lose. “These shops are lifelines for their communities, vital to the residents who depend on them for a multitude of needs."
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
"'Store Front NYC': James and Karla Murray's new book celebrates iconic New York City shops with pictures that capture a vanishing heritage" The Retrologist
https://rolandopujol.substack.com/p/store-front-nyc-james-and-karla-murrays
"Their work blends art and advocacy, the underlying message unmistakable as it is unassailable: supporting independent shops and the people who run them, in New York and communities all around the world. It’s a message I have long embraced in my own work, and chances are you feel much the same way."
"This New Book Is a Love Letter to Small Shops Throughout New York City" Condé Nast Traveler
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/storefront-nyc-interview-james-and-karla-murray
"For decades, couple and photography duo James and Karla Murray have walked, subwayed, and driven through the streets of New York City, with their camera trained on one easily overlooked subject: mom-and-pop shops."
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Our book is #1 in Street Photography on Amazon!
We wanted to thank everyone who pre-ordered our new book "Store Front NYC: Photographs of the City's Independent Shops, Past and Present". Our book is #1 in Street Photography on Amazon!
We will be mailing signed copies starting today and hope to see you all at our exhibition and book signing party at Village Works Gallery located at 12 St Marks Place this Thursday, September 21st from 6-8 PM. It is FREE to attend and signed books & prints will be available for purchase.
Monday, September 18, 2023
STORE FRONT NYC: Photographs of the City’s Independent Shops, Past and Present Out Tomorrow! To celebrate the release of our book, we will be holding an exhibition and book signing party at Village Works Gallery located at 12 St Marks Place on Thursday, September 21st from 6-8 PM. It is FREE to attend and signed books & prints will be available for purchase.
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Saturday, September 16, 2023
Friday, September 15, 2023
Hey Guys! We thought you would enjoy listening to this podcast about our new book!
Antonio and Ward dive into the vibrant pages of James and Karla Murray's new book "Store Fronts" on this episode of Street Shots. The Murrays recount their serendipitous journey, starting from documenting the graffiti art scene in the late '90s to capturing the rapid transformations of NYC's iconic mom-and-pop stores. The book, a testament to the city's cultural evolution, captures the spirit of neighborhoods spread across the five boroughs. The duo discusses the challenges of capturing these ever-evolving spaces and the poignant stories of the store owners. The conversation takes a deeper turn as James and Karla reflect on the emotional ties New Yorkers have with these corner stores, especially the immigrants who found both livelihood and community in them. With many of these shops now only memories, the Murrays hope their work sparks a renewed appreciation for these unique, irreplaceable facets of New York's identity. Their photographs stand as both a celebration and a call to preserve the city's soul. The book "Store Front" will be available on September 19th and can be preordered now at Amazon.
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Monday, September 11, 2023
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Sunday, September 3, 2023
ATOMIK
Yesterday we visited with our friend & artist ATOMIK at his studio in Miami. We have more photos to share but here is his amazing neon Orange Man piece! ATOMIK @atomiko #graffiti #miamigraffiti #neon #art
