Last Trip to LSD

As many know by now, Love Saves the Day closed this weekend. I went in for a final visit and purchased a few token items, just to buy something. Call them souvenirs: A Pez, a box of sparklers, a tin of bacon-flavored toothpicks.

I also talked to owner Richard Herson about what was probably LSD's biggest claim to fame.



The shop will perhaps be most remembered for its appearance in the 1985 Madonna movie Desperately Seeking Susan. In the scene, Madonna spots a pair of glittery boots in the window. With no money, she trades her pyramid jacket for them, claiming it was formerly owned by Jimi Hendrix. Suburban housewife Rosanna Arquette follows after and buys the jacket.



I asked Mr. Herson about the day of the movie shoot. In several hours of setting up and filming, he told me, Madonna was only there for a few minutes. "She just came in and out. Pretty cold. I mean, she was already a big deal. Her hit 'Borderline' had just come out and the whole neighborhood was lined up outside to see her."

The glittery boots she bought were not an authentic LSD item, but a prop, as was the pyramid jacket. Said Herson, "Later on we got a few of those jackets on the second-hand market. Not originals, but copies of it." The movie did boost sales for the shop.



Since Madonna used to live in the East Village (when "Boy Toy" was her graffiti tag), I wondered if she ever actually shopped at LSD. Just once, as far as Mr. Herson could recall. He told me, at that time, the Material Girl had already moved to SoHo. The Hersons sold her a piece of furniture for her apartment. But, alas, no sparkly boots.