Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Times, They Are A-Changin'


I had never heard of retailer Brooklyn Industries until I saw their store in the West Village a few months ago. And the reason I noticed wasn't because of the fashions, but because of what that location USED to be.


The building at the southeast corner of Christopher and Hudson Streets in Manhattan housed the "Christopher Street Bookstore" from 1972 up until 2006. Christopher Street Books didn't sell many "books" (unless you count "Honcho" and "Black Inches"), but the upstairs store sold everything from movies to leather to "toys". Here is a hysterically cheerful and low-budget commercial which ran on local cable access in the early 90's...



Sounds better than Barnes & Noble! In addition to selling "stuff" on the 2nd floor, the location also featured a video booth arcade behind the front counter, and a "theater" in the basement. Or so I've been told [[insert side-eye here]]. For an amusing recollection of what a "normal" night at the Bookstore was like, read THIS.

So, you can imagine my surprise that a relatively hip and upscale retailer like Brooklyn Industries decided to use that particular space. I wonder how many yuppie mothers have dragged their baby strollers in to peruse floral print dresses ($128) and got a hotsweatygaysexy vibe once inside?


If they ONLY KNEW...

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Hmmm. I seem to have a vague memory of this place... [stifling a giggle]

RAD said...

LOL...Lots of old Seattle Vid bars and old sex shops are gone and replaced with fu fu coffee shops and retailers....If cutomers today only knew what happened in those places in the past eh?

Stan said...

I remember the bookstore for sure. How sad. This is one reason I hardly ever venture into the City anymore. It's too painful to see all my old haunts disappear one by one. It really hurt when I saw the infamous piers were gone.

Joy said...

That is too funny! (except for the old haunts being replaced by yuppie places)

Kitty Bradshaw said...

loll@ [[insert side eye here]] that is my favorite new internet lingo...

Mark in DE said...

I realize progress can't be stopped, but its still sad that Christopher St Bookstore closed.

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