STORE FRONT II: A History Preserved - Neue Westfalische (Germany) 04.30.16

The Critics on STORE FRONT II:

Store Front II” furthers the work of its predecessor, gathering photographs and interviews that celebrate scraggly awnings and weathered brick and mortar with an awe typically reserved for the Big Apple’s famous landmarks.
The New Yorker

James and Karla Murray’s Store Front photography books capture a disappearing world – New York’s small stores and their unique and precious aesthetics.
Sarah Moroz
The Guardian

Like anthropologists rushing to document an isolated Amazonian tribe before civilization encroaches, the Murrays are racing to record Mom and Pop shops before the wrecking ball arrives.
Robert Brenner
Huffington Post

In honor of #memorialday we are posting our photo of the former Navy Yard Cocktail Lounge in Fort Greene.

This #divebar was in business from 1907 to 2010. Steve Frankel, who owned the business since 1999. lost his lease when the building was sold to a developer. The #cocktail lounge originally served the tens of thousands of Brooklyn Navy Yard personnel who worked in the shipbuilding industry,and later catered to the workers in the many industrial businesses and film and television studios, which have rented spaces at the revitalized Navy Yard industrial park. Photo from 2008 appears in our recently published book, "Store Front II- A History Preserved".

Ludlow Coffee Supply with prints by James and Karla Murray

Ludlow Coffee Supply on Ludlow Street near E. Houston opened recently in the space that was the former Pink Pony cafe. The original wood bar from Pink Pony was repurposed as a coffee counter, with a grade-A La Marzocco espresso machine. Ludlow Coffee Supply offers drip coffee, lattes, macchiatos, cappuccionos, and Americanos using blends roasted locally in Red Hook, Brooklyn. In the back of the cafe through a passageway, patrons can also get a haircut or trim while drinking coffee via the in-house Ludlow Barber Supply, a three-chair barbershop complete with vintage-style barber chairs.

We were contacted by Evan, the general manager of Ludlow Coffee Supply, to provide the large-scale prints of Pink Pony Cafe and Max Fish presently hanging on the wall, showing homage to the history of the Ludlow Coffee Supply storefront and its former next-door neighbor Max Fish. The Pink Pony and the iconic Lower East Side bar, Max Fish both closed in 2013 after their rent was tripled and taxes increased. Our photographs of both Pink Pony and Max Fish were taken in 2001 with 35mm film and appear in our book, "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York".

Piemonte Ravioli Company was founded in 1920 by the Piemonte family who were from Genoa, Italy.

In 1955 Mario Bertorelli took over the business and to this day continues using the same Piemonte #Italian family recipes to make all the #pasta they sell. Their most popular item they sell is their #homemade tortellini. We love their #vintage #signage in the colors of the flag of #italy🇮🇹 and also the beautiful #flower that the #streetartist Michael De Feo @theflowerguy painted on the doorway of this #storefront in Little Italy of Manhattan. For full interview we conducted with the owner, Mario and front exterior of the #ravioli store please see our book "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York."

Hudson and Karla with Ola at The East Village's B&H Dairy Kosher Restaurant

Earlier today we gave the owners, Aleksandra Abdelwahed & Fawzy Abdelwahed of B&H Dairy Kosher Restaurant a framed print of their exterior of their iconic restaurant which was taken by us with 35mm film in 2001. This photo also appears in our book, "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York". Pictured are Ola and Karla, holding the photo, and Hudson, who is eagerly awaiting some challah from B&H. Please join us in our support of this wonderful Mom & Pop small Business!

Hudson. Mouthful of challah por favor thanks to Aleksandra Abdelwahed at B&H Dairy Kosher Restaurant ...

A&A Candy Store in East Harlem.

We love the variety of products that are displayed in the window at this ‪#‎candy‬ store. We spotted a calculator, mouthwash, cleaning products, deodorant, earphones, and phone prepaid calling cards. Inside there was also cigarettes and a few packs of ‪#‎gum‬ and ‪#‎chocolate‬ bars. This truly is a ‪#‎NYC‬ ‪#‎storefront‬ complete with ‪#‎graffiti‬ and a payphone outside. Photo from 2001 taken with 35mm film appears on our book, "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York."

Grand Wig & Jewelry on the Grand Concourse in the #Bronx.

We fell in love with this #storefront #signage as soon as we saw its bright bold #type! The added bonus was the #sign advertising human hair as well as synthetic #wigs. And who wouldn't want to accessorize their new #wig with #gold or #silver #jewelry. Photo from 2010 appears in our newly released book "Store Front II-A History Preserved."