Last night, we visited two hot dog 🌭 spots in Greenwich Village to conduct a head-to-head hot dog battle.

We purchased a regular hot dog with deli mustard from Papaya Dog on Sixth Avenue at West 4th Street, along with a papaya drink. We also purchased an “Empire Dog” from World’s Wurst on nearby West Houston Street at the corner of Sullivan. @worldswurst “Empire Dog” on the right in our photo, consisted of a grilled Vienna Beef hot dog on a poppy seed bun served with Sir Kensington’s mustard. 

• To find out which hot dog was the clear winner of our battle, please watch and subscribe to our JamesandKarla YouTube channel, see direct link below & in bio and IG story. 

• Full Video: https://youtu.be/BJ9PbQlEJMA

Yesterday, we visited what we consider the most unique and undiscovered small family-owned business in New York City, which has been in business since 1954, Canal Rubber on Canal Street in SoHo.

We spoke with 2nd and 3rd-generation owners Marty and Matthew Landsman and their long-time employee Lee  about their amazing shop known for its slogan, “If it’s in rubber- we have it! and their struggle to stay in business during the pandemic. We looked at the entire inventory of foam rubber, hoses, tubing, sheet rubber, floor tiles and mats and also had foam custom cut to order for our sofa cushions. 

• To see the amazing products this store carries, please watch and subscribe to our JamesandKarla YouTube channel, see direct link below & in bio and IG story. 

• Full video: https://youtu.be/YD3bwNEb8iE

It breaks our heart to see so many empty storefronts in NYC.

In years past, the most common reason a #momandpopshop closed was due to a high rent increase but since the pandemic began in 2020 it also often has to do with a lack of business due to decreased foot traffic from locals now working at home and no tourists around. We are hopeful now that NYC is opening again that the situation will change. 

We have been documenting struggling shops and restaurants and have also interviewed many of the owners a as bad sharing our photos on social media and videos on our JamesandKarla YouTube channel in the hope to raise awareness of their importance to the community. 

#storefront #disappearingfaceofnewyork #jamesandkarla #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocal #supportlocalbusiness

Katy’s Candy Store was in business in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn for nearly 40 years before it was forced to close when the landlord significantly raised the rent.

We speak about our mission to document mom-and-pop storefronts & help raise awareness of their importance in the latest issue of @mic . • "James and Karla Murray, who post their photos on the now uber-popular Instagram account @jamesandkarla, have become central figures within the discussion of struggling mom-and-pop shops all around New York. Followed by close to 70,000 users — including celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, influencers like Leandra Medine Cohen, and restaurateurs like Frank Prisinzano — the account has been active since the early 2000s.”

Full article: https://www.mic.com/p/these-photographers-are-scrambling-to-capture-new-yorks-disappearing-mom-pop-shops-81048433

Thank you Mic !

Full article: https://www.mic.com/p/these-photographers-are-scrambling-to-capture-new-yorks-disappearing-mom-pop-shops-81048433

"James and Karla Murray, who post their photos on the now uber-popular Instagram account @jamesandkarla, have become central figures within the discussion of struggling mom-and-pop shops all around New York. Followed by close to 70,000 users — including celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, influencers like Leandra Medine Cohen, and restaurateurs like Frank Prisinzano — the account has been active since the early 2000s."

Yesterday was Marilyn Monroe’s 95th birthday!

Subway Inn on East 60th Street near Lexington Avenue was where Marilyn, in between takes of “The Seven Year Itch” dropped in for drinks. Many photos and paintings of Marilyn lined the back walls of the historic bar. 

Sadly in 2007, the building which houses Subway Inn was sold to a developer for $6.3 million and the bar was eventually forced to move to Second Ave and the building was torn down to make way for a luxury condo. 

Our photo of the original Subway Inn and interview with the long-time bartender Rodney Williams, appears in our book “New York Nights”. 

#divebar #divebars #jamesandkarla #disappearingfaceofnewyork #bar #marilynmonroe #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocalbusiness #supportlocal #supportsmallbusinesses

Many small businesses are extremely patriotic 🇺🇸 including this family-owned #pasta business in the Bronx.

Riviera Ravioli was founded in 1946 and when we took this film photo in 2005 for our book, “Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York” and spoke with the 2nd-generation owner Joseph Giordano, he told us that his father-in-law founded the shop after moving from the Italian Riviera 🇮🇹 near Monte Carlo, when World War II ended. Everything including all pastas and sauces were made on the premises, fresh daily.