An awning wrecked and ripped to reveal a hidden sign for a forgotten grocery store. The rusted Coca-Cola logo. The clicky metal letters.
Underneath the city, another city awaits.
Camera to the window--and gone.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Old Sign in Harlem
On a bus ride through Harlem (Manhattan Ave and 116th), a piece of the past glimpsed from the dusty window.
An awning wrecked and ripped to reveal a hidden sign for a forgotten grocery store. The rusted Coca-Cola logo. The clicky metal letters.
Underneath the city, another city awaits.
Camera to the window--and gone.
An awning wrecked and ripped to reveal a hidden sign for a forgotten grocery store. The rusted Coca-Cola logo. The clicky metal letters.
Underneath the city, another city awaits.
Camera to the window--and gone.
I love that style of old sign, and it's wonderful that that one is out in the light, even tho the circumstances might not be the best.
ReplyDeleteYears ago I took a photo of a sign like that with the word Luncheonette, and it has to be my fave sign/word ever.
Harlem contains the last, best hope for preserving vanishing New York. Living up here for the past seven years, I've found treasures like this over and over. Sadly, the same forces which stripped away lower Manhattan are busy up here too.
ReplyDeleteThe vintage signs and faded ads on old warehouse buildings are wonderful & quickly disappearing even w/oversight from preservation groups. Jeremiah - one day you should get off the bus in Harlem & walk around :)
ReplyDeleteI was in San Francisco about a month ago. One thing that struck me about that city was the amount of old deli/ luncheonette/taqueria signs, many of which were hand-painted and invariably accompanied by a vintage Coke/Pepsi sign. I saw none of the cheap new awnings you see in New York.
ReplyDeleteLove that photo, great post!
ReplyDeleteI live in the neighborhood and noticed the sign the other day on a run. Here's hoping it can be incorporated into whatever goes in the space next (though I doubt that'll happen).
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that people choose to REplace instead of REstore? Actually restoration is not even needed sometimes...just leave it alone! The awnings that have become standard; those domey, poorly designed, massed produced, boring things are so freakin ugly. Why would someone think that would be an improvement?
ReplyDeletethe more distant photo would work better in blk/wht. as that bright yellow sign kills it as usual. hate this primary color stuff, so midwestern chain. i love the fact we see 2 incarnations. as i have said, its time for you to go uptown again, east & west. give us our $$'s worth. photograph the elevated train/w.125th. gee i havnt been there since new years day like '96 or '97. & yes we did take the subway, perfectly fine.
ReplyDeletemanhattan ave is 5th ave?
ReplyDeletenice!
ReplyDeleteJ, i just noticed the sidewalk. nice. is that an old style or someting new?
ReplyDelete