The Stories Behind the Storefronts
In New York, like in many American cities, mom-and-pop shops are slowly disappearing. Owners who can no longer afford their rent abruptly fold, retire with no one in the family interested in taking over the business, or simply decide it’s not worth competing against the big box store that opened up down the street. On this week’s Cityscape, the disappearing face of New York. We’ll talk with a husband and wife photography team who’ve made it their mission to document generations-old storefronts before the shops vanish forever. We’ll also pay a visit to some New York City establishments that have somehow managed to buck the trend and stand the test of time. Like JJ Hat Center in Manhattan, billed as the oldest hat shop in all of New York City.