La Pastora Bakery in the Bronx has been in business for nearly 40 years.

The third-generation owner told us that his grandfather started the business after moving to the United States from Puerto Rico and that they still use all of his original recipes. Our hearts ♥️ go out to everyone who has friends and family in Puerto Rico and hope they all recover from the devastation the hurricane caused on the island. Photo from 2006 and full interview with owner appear in our book, "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York". #storefront

Hudson. In front of our near life size photo of the lost East Village treasure Love Save's The Day.

On display at the Theater for the New City Gallery on 155 First Ave at 10th street.

Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts is on display through Sunday, October 15th!

The gallery is free and open daily from 10am to 10pm.

Deli Grocery, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

We took this #analog photo in 2003 when people still purchased a variety of newspapers on a daily basis. The owner told us that newspaper sales were an important part of the business even though they didn't have a large profit margin because when people would purchase a newspaper they usually bought something else such as candy or a food item. #storefront #disappearingfaceofnewyork

Chelsea Sewing Center on West 23rd Street.

When we took this photo in early 2009, we thought to ourselves that this business may be in jeopardy as the area surrounding it was changing tremendously including the Garment District. Earlier this year, the mayor announced that he wants to eliminate the Garment District's zoning protections for manufacturing and move manufacturers and fashion firms to the remote eastern area of Sunset Park. This news doesn't bode well for a store that sells and repairs sewing machines and also sells fabrics, notions and buttons. #disappearingfaceofnewyork

Our Remington Noiseless Model 7 typewriter manufactured in 03/1947

This #vintage typewriter was first made in 1931 and featured a full-sized paper table, a tabulator, black plastic keytops, and a long, horizontal carriage return lever. The original price for this portable #typewriter was $105. Remington stopped making these during WWII but revived them after the war with new features including black wrinkle paint, which is what ours has. We luckily found this at a flea market and it was in perfect working condition and just needed a new ribbon, which we happily installed.

We used this typewriter to print the artist labels for the storefront exhibition we curated and currently can be seen at the Theater for the New City Gallery on 155 First Ave at 10th street. The gallery is free and open daily from 10am to 10pm. Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts is on display through Sunday, October 15th!

Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, Brooklyn just after sunset...

Even though it is near the end of September and the first weekend of the fall season, it reached 91 degrees F in New York City so a visit to Nathan's seemed appropriate. Nathan's @originalnathans was opened in 1916 by Nathan Handwerker, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. Nathan's became popular in #ConeyIsland due to its low prices (5 cents a hot dog) attention grabbing #signage and attractive location by the beach. We not only love its hot dogs but also its array of #neon signage. The large vertical #neonsign was installed in the 1930s and the others along the #storefront were added in the 1960s. Photo from 2011 appears in our book "New York Nights". #nathansfamous

Hudson. Out and about over in Midtown, NYC, just now...

Alias Restaurant, Lower East Side, NYC

Alias Restaurant at the corner of Clinton and Rivington Streets on the Lower East Side. We love this restaurant and it's chasing light bodega sign as well as the street art painted above it. The neighborhood, which we thought had already changed a great deal in 2010 when we took this photo, has changed even more in recent years. Outtake from our book NEW YORK NIGHTS. #storefront #disappearingfaceofnewyork

Now printed directly on METAL!

Our Chromatic Signage Collage is now available printed on metal with a high-gloss finish to give a glass-like sheen, ready to hang with aluminum rail wall mount on back. These prints are also available unframed up to over 6 FEET in length (12 in X 36 in metal print shown). Metal print is 100% water resistant. Contact us to order!

A scrambled #sign in Brooklyn.

We love that someone moved the #signage tiles around on this abandoned #storefront. We figured out the "Bakery" part of this puzzle fairly quickly but are not that sure of the rest of it and didn't want to cheat by using Google street view.

Happy Rosh Hashanah!

Kosher Island, Staten Island, NYC.

Photo from 2010 appears in our book "Store Front II-A History Preserved".

A visit to See's Candies on West 8th Street, Greenwich Village, NYC

See’s Candies located on 60 West 8^th Street (near 6th Avenue) in the West Village has been open since the end of January 2017. We had a chance to sit down and talk with Bill Rhodes, the owner of this charming old-time candy shop.

Charles See founded See’s Candies in 1921 in Los Angeles. Charles originally owned an apothecary but his mother’s chocolate was so delicious that he started selling it in the store and eventually people bought more chocolate than aspirin so that was the start of the company.

All of the chocolate and candy we sell today is made exactly the same way as it was in 1921. Nothing has changed. In fact the entire store is gluten free because everything is exactly as it was in 1921, when people didn’t use any fillers in anything.

It is very cosmopolitan today to have this type of candy because there are no fillers in it whatsoever.

Even during the great wars when there were rations, Mr. See insisted on using quality ingredients and insisted that his mother’s recipes remain unchanged. It was always the best ingredients, without compromise. And that is why the product has always tasted just as delicious as it did in 1921.

The chocolate itself has no wax or paraffin in it so that is why it tastes so creamy and delicious. Most other chocolate companies add an agent that will help make it set more quickly or so that it doesn’t melt in warm weather. When it comes to our dark chocolate, people who don’t even like dark chocolate, like ours because we actually add vanilla to the mix.

The Bordeaux (seen in Bill's hands in photo above) has been one of our best sellers for many years. It is a brown sugar buttercream and drenched in either a delicious milk chocolate or dark chocolate with sprinkles on top.

I picked this neighborhood because I really wanted to recreate for New York what a true old-fashioned chocolate store would have been like in 1921. The West Village and West 8^th Street in particular for some reason has something that pulls your heart strings of old New York. There is just something…a feeling to West 8^th Street.

I wanted a store with not only the best product but with amazing customer service and people dressed in uniforms that would have been applicable back in 1921. I really wanted the store itself to give the image of going back in time.

When I worked with the architect when first designing the store, I gave him a picture of the original See’s Candy Store in Los Angeles and said to him, “I want you to recreate this in New York.” And he did. He used the finest marble floors and countertops and even was able to use the original light fixtures that had been inside a See’s Candy Store in the 1940s. 

The fixtures were in a storage warehouse in San Francisco and when I told the company my plans to recreate the original store, they gave them to me. The architect even insisted that the air conditioning vents were hidden because in the original store, there was no air conditioning. So if you stand inside this store, it’s really like you are taken back in time.

We have over 100 varieties of chocolate in the store and in the candy counter where you can pick and choose whatever you want, there are over 80 varieties. We usually have special flavors of chocolate or lollipops for each season. The flavors change with the season and with the different holidays such as Christmas, Valentines, Halloween etc. The store really gets transformed each season by the product that enters it. People really look forward to the change in seasons so that they can see what new flavors come in.

The boxed candy we sell is also consistent to what was originally offered. The boxes even say on the side, Quality without compromise” because that was Mr. See’s slogan.

We get all of chocolates and candies shipped to us from our manufacturing facility on the West Coast once a week. It is over-nighted via air freight. The chocolate we sell is meant to be eaten right away. This isn’t the kind of product that is meant to be bought and given as a present in a month or two. Our chocolates use only the freshest ingredients and taste best when they are eaten right away.

We encourage everyone to stop by See's Candies and say hi to Bill and the staff and sample some of their chocolates and candies as we did. We absolutely loved their "Chocolate and Variety" box which has a mix of some of their most popular milk, dark, and white chocolate soft centers, crunchy nuts and smooth caramels. We particularly enjoyed their Kona Mocha, a white chocolate with a milk chocolate and coffee soft center with toasted coconut. They also just received their new Halloween flavors! Not only did we love the chocolates and candy they sell but really appreciate how so much attention was paid to the design of this store (both exterior and interior). When stepping into it, we really felt transported back in time.

Hudson. Treat time with model Ali from Senegal over in Soho, NYC, earlier...

Rikers Island, NYC, earlier...

Jay & Lloyd's Kosher Deli, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn

Jay & Lloyd's Kosher Deli is a 3rd-generation Jewish #delicatessen that opened in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn in 1993. They are known for their home-cured corned beef and pastrami and their friendly service. We not only love their hot dogs and homemade pastrami but also their unique #signage with a mix of #script and various #fonts and their hot dog wearing a hat 🎩 and bow tie logo. Photo from 2013 and full interview with co-owner Jay Stern appears in our book "Store Front II-A History Preserved".

By popular demand! EXTENDED!

Our exhibition "Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts" has been extended through Sunday October 15th!!

The show is at the Theater for the New City Gallery
155 First Avenue at 10th Street NYC 10003
Open daily 10 am - 10 pm
FREE

We curated a collection of 30 photographers work highlighting local Mom & pop businesses of the East Village and Lower East Side! The photographs are the culmination of our workshops on "Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts".

WALKING TOUR TOMORROW!

Please join us as we lead a Store Front walking tour of the East Village and Lower East Side this Sunday, September 17th at 12 pm (noon) sponsored by the Municipal Arts Society of New York. @mas_nyc

The cost is $30 or $20 for MAS Members We will visit some of the remarkable ‪#‎momandpop‬ ‪storefronts documented in our books "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York" "Store Front II-A History Preserved" and "New York Nights" and remember those that have disappeared. We will stop in many culinary specialty stores and discuss the origins of wonderful stores like Moishe's Bake Shop and even taste samples! Moishe's Bake Shop on Second Avenue at East 7th Street has been in business since the 1970s.

Tickets can be purchased online at https://secure.mas.org/np/clients/masnyc/event.jsp?event=3089  
Or: You can reach MAS tour director Ted Mineau at tours@mas.org or call (212) 935-3960 with any questions or comments Meeting location is provided after tickets are purchased.

Tour will proceed rain or shine but Sunday is scheduled to be mostly sunny ☀️ and beautiful in the upper 70s! Also please note that this photo of Moishe's is an #analog photo from early 2000s when #graffiti was prevalent in this neighborhood and the #storefront has since been cleaned up but still has its large windows displaying all of its freshly baked goodies!

Preserving Small Businesses with the Murrays BY SAM MOSKOWITZ – September 15, 2017

http://gvshp.org/blog/2017/09/15/preserving-small-businesses-with-the-murrays/

"Every store that closes is a loss for the community, and every small business that opens is a chance to nurture and grow a part of your community. GVSHP could not agree with James and Karla more, and we sincerely appreciate the work they have done to preserve and honor our shared history."

Over at Theater for the New City for the sponsor's breakfast, just now...

Thank you to all our workshop's sponsors!

There is still time to check out our exhibition "Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts"!

We curated a collection of 30 photographers work highlighting local Mom & pop businesses of the East Village and Lower East Side! The photographs are the culmination of our workshops on "Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts".
The show is at the Theater for the New City Gallery 155 First Avenue at 10th Street NYC 10003 Show runs through Monday September 18, 2017
Open daily 10 am - 10 pm
FREE

New York Deli & Grocery, Brooklyn, NY

New York Deli & Grocery is a typical neighborhood #bodega, known for selling a variety of food, candy, drinks and even household items. Not only have these corner stores become threatened by increased real estate prices and gentrification but now it has been announced that a tech startup called "Bodega" is planning to install high-tech vending machines with automatic-billing "pantry boxes" to compete with your local bodega. We love the #handpainted #signage this #storefront has as well as all the colorful items displayed in the windows.

Here's a sneak peak of the opening night of Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts at the Theater for the New City created by Michael Ursone Films.

It's the last weekend to check out Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts at the Theater for the New City curated by James and Karla Murray.  Be on the lookout for more for more by filmmaker and workshop participant Michael Ursone...

https://www.facebook.com/mursone/posts/10155055540592239

Park Delicatessen, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

Park Delicatessen in Carroll Gardens was originally an Italian deli/grocery shop, which catered to the mainly Italian population in the neighborhood in the 1950s. As the Carroll Gardens neighborhood gentrified attracting many young professionals, the #delicatessen changed its focus offering many prepared meals. We love that it maintained its original #signage.

Photo from 2009 appears in our book, "Store Front II-A History Preserved".

WALKING TOUR this Sunday!

Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery on East Houston Street has been in business since 1910.

Please join us as we lead a Store Front walking tour of the East Village and Lower East Side this Sunday, September 17th at 12 pm (noon) sponsored by The Municipal Art Society of New York.

The cost is $30 or $20 for MAS Members We will visit some of the remarkable ‪#‎momandpop‬ ‪#‎storefront documented in our books "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York" "Store Front II-A History Preserved" and "New York Nights" and remember those that have disappeared. We will stop in many culinary specialty stores and discuss the origins of wonderful stores like Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery.

Tickets can be purchased online at https://secure.mas.org/np/clients/masnyc/event.jsp?event=3089 

Or: You can reach MAS tour director Ted Mineau at tours@mas.org or call (212) 935-3960 with any questions or comments Meeting location is provided after tickets are purchased. Tour will proceed rain or shine.

Hudson. Out and about, NYC, earlier...

Hudson. Over at Ripndip Clothing, NYC, just now...

16 Years... Remembering those lives lost or destroyed that awful day. 14th Street, just now...

Remembering Manny DelValle Jr. from Engine 5

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 Manny had just finished an overnight at Engine 5 in the East Village when the call came in around 8:47 am that a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Engine Company 5 was assigned to team up with another company to walk up 80 floors and stretch the hose line. Manny Delvalle Jr. was carrying the rollup lines of hose and an oxygen tank. The last time Manny was seen, he had stopped on the 10th floor to give a woman oxygen. His unit had made it to the 15th floor when they were called back when the building began to rumble. They looked for Manny but could not find him and after the North Tower fell at 10:28 am, he was reported missing. Manny was 32 years old and had joined the #FDNY in 1994. We remember Manny, who often stood outside the firehouse when the doors were open. The firemen always gave biscuits to our pit rescues Tabasco and Java. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this senseless tragedy. 🙏#september11 #NeverForget #eastvillage #memorial #wtc #worldtradecenter

We got married 09.11.94 at city hall.

Hudson. Saturday night fun over in Chinatown, NYC.

Thinking of all our friends in Miami and South Florida in the path of Hurricane 💨 Irma

El Pirata Cigars in South Beach. El Pirata was established in 1960 and sells imported cigars, cigarettes, and pipes. We love their #signage with its #handpainted pirate and its array of #fonts.  #storefront #miami

Circo's Pastry Shop is a family-owned Italian 🇮🇹 bakery that was founded in 1945.

Everything @circospastryshop sells is made by hand, on premises. In addition to their delicious pastries, we love their #vintage #neonsign that was recently restored (as seen in this photo). When we originally photographed the #storefront in 2004 for our book "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York" their #neon sign with its unique #font and #script lettering was covered with wire mesh for protection reasons. A full interview with the 2nd -generation owner also appears in our book.

Our Limited Edition Chromatic Signage Collage Print in the 4 feet size...

(48in x 20in) Contact us for details: email jandkphoto@att.net

WALKING TOUR!

 Please join us as we lead a Store Front walking tour of the East Village and Lower East Side on Sunday, September 17th at 12 pm (noon) sponsored by the Municipal Arts Society of New York. @mas_nyc
The cost is $30 or $20 for MAS Members

We will visit some of the remarkable ‪#‎momandpop‬ ‪#‎storefront documented in our books "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York" "Store Front II-A History Preserved" and "New York Nights" and remember those that have disappeared. We will stop in many culinary specialty stores and discuss the origins of wonderful stores like Block Drugs.

Tickets can be purchased online at https://secure.mas.org/np/clients/masnyc/event.jsp?event=3089

Or: You can reach MAS tour director Ted Mineau at tours@mas.org or call (212) 935-3960 with any questions or comments Meeting location is provided after tickets are purchased. Tour will proceed rain or shine.

There is still time to check out our exhibition "Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts"!

We curated a collection of 30 photographers work highlighting local Mom & pop businesses of the East Village and Lower East Side! The photographs are the culmination of our workshops on "Capturing the Lower East Side's Storefronts".

Show is at the Theater for the New City Gallery
155 First Avenue at 10th Street NYC 10003
Show runs August 14- September 18, 2017
Open daily 10 am - 10 pm
FREE

Photos (below) and interviews by participants Erika Sequeira &Tessa Rushton. The show was featured on Japan's NHK Television! 

Royal Pizza🍕 , Midtown East, NYC

Royal Pizza 🍕  in Midtown East has a wonderful #vintage Coca-Cola #privilegesign with a great #font on its #storefront as well as a #neon PIZZA #sign in its window. However, our good friend @sign_of_the_time just let us know that they removed their old #signage and replaced it with an illuminated plastic sign. We will miss their original #signage that was installed in 1972!

For all those who are stuck working on Labor Day...

Landscaping over at Old St. Patricks, Manhattan, NYC.