209 Stationery on Prospect Park West near the circle has been around for 90 years. The current owners who've run it for about 25 years are very friendly people with no ambition to renovate, organize, or "curate" the store in any way. I like it because it's the kind of place that seems able to yield unexpected things, like the cigar case with the Dutch Master sticker running down the bottom, one of the things in the store that provides a window into the history of the place.
The cashier seemed apologetic for the store's condition, but then flattered by all the pictures I was taking. I was going to try to take her picture, there was something really beautiful about her and the strangely adorned green satin shirt she was wearing. It would have been awkward though, and by the time I found my resolve the store filled up with men buying lotto tickets and newspapers so I lost my opportunity.
This is two doors down from the Verizon store, which has all the falseness, hard edges, banality and toxic marketing pragmatism of almost any franchise built in the last 10 years.
I am a sucker for stationery stores. Does anyone remember The Paper Place that used to be one 7th Avenue? Loved that place... I think it was one of the first victims of the vampiric push for renting at "market" values.
5 comments:
I think I remember that store! There was another store, or was it the same one?, run by a guy named Irv, that my mom always just called "Irv's."
I am also amused at what pops up on my ads. (mostly baby stuff, but it can vary). Of course, I can't click on my own, either.
After one particularly horrid effort by the Rangers, an ad for blood-pressure medication popped up on the hockey blog I visit.
I love stationery stores/candy stores so much. I was blessed growing up; a block from me, on Quentin Road, there was a candy store on either side of the street. An embarrassment of riches--or, at least, penny candy.
I just realized as I posted that my name has somehow changed to the one I use for photography. Still BaHa here, and would like to remain so.
I love that little 209 store! I buy this and that there sometimes because, well ... as nice as the Indian family that runs the "Love" store is - they kind of stick it too ya, Anyhow. I love the Hotwheels display in 209's window! I guess we usually call it "The Stationary Store ... no, not that one, the other one."
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