Watch-Blog
Three-in-One Shop
By Claudie Benjamin Whether nostalgia for the pre-gentrified Columbus Avenue of years ago tugs at your heart or if you’re just curious about the way it was, the shoemaker/ watch repair/ keymaker all under the name Express Shoe Repair at 549 Columbus Avenue, gives you...
We Have Time to Burn, Let’s Burn it Listening to Records
By Claudie Benjamin Dorian Thornley is the owner of Westsider Books and Westsider Records with shops on 80th and Broadway (2246 Broadway) and at 233 West 72nd Street. Most of the records are for sale at the 72nd Street location where Bruce Eder has been Manager since...
Honoring Barbers Everywhere
By Claudie Benjamin Awesome doesn't begin to describe the remarkable NYC Barber Shop Museum at 290 Columbus Avenue. Entering by way of a pair of red velvet roped brass stanchions, you feel you are about to encounter a special experience. Your expectations are...
Advancing with a Competitive Edge
By Claudie Benjamin There's no question that Silvya Silvany sets goals for herself and achieves them. She's also open to adjusting and expanding her dreams and plans and taking on the education needed to achieve them as her experience sets her view on new...
Kosher Butcher Shop Thriving
By Claudie Benjamin Fischer Bros. & Leslie Kosher Butcher & Poultry at 230 West 72nd Street has seen the ups and downs of the Upper West Side. It has also stayed strong over the 72 years since it was opened 1949 by Morris and Louis Fischer. Leslie (Lutzi)...
Artistically Designed Glasses with Class
By Claudie Benjamin There are certainly many eyeglass shops on the Upper West Side. But the designs at Anne et Valentin are in a class of their own. Mathilde Brecy is the manager of the store at 248 Columbus Avenue that opened in March 2016. Started about 40 years...
Starchitects McKim, Mead & White – How did they get started? 4/19 with LW!
Everyone starts somewhere-even lauded Starchitects McKim, Mead & White. Individually, they were rather undistinguished as young men. How did they become the gold standard of American architecture of their era? Architectural historian Prof. Mosette Broderick takes...
Ultimate Neighborhood Grocery
By Claudie Benjamin Pioneer Supermarket at 289 Columbus Avenue goes way back. And, Steve Vasilikos, a long-time partner of Lenny Franzblau the original owner, has been managing the store for 53 of the businesses’ 70+ years. Steve’s father immigrated to the US from...
Thrifting and Community Service
By Claudie Benjamin The Goodwill store that opened at 157 W. 72nd Street in 2013 highlights a curated concept first piloted at an earlier Goodwill shop at 217 West 79th Street. The curated look? Mostly gone is the old-time jumble, catch as catch can style thrift...
Parisian Classics
By Claudie Benjamin It's hard to imagine a more spectacular plum tart than the one Sami Baker has just produced. Many other fresh sweet and savory items are still on trays in a rack ready to go into the small, charming front room of the bakery. The Epices Bakery...
