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    THROWBACK THURSDAY: DON’T PRETEND YOU DON’T LOVE THE 80’S

    October 20, 2016 | 3:42 PM
    in HISTORY
    19

    Remember the olden days, when young men wore tight shorts, old ones wore hats, and everyone read actual physical newspapers? Here are some more great 80’s-era images of the Upper West Side from Stephen Harmon.

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    See more from Stephen here.

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    Please limit comments to 150 words and keep them civil and relevant to the article at hand. Comments are closed after six days. Our primary goal is to create a safe and respectful space where a broad spectrum of voices can be heard. We welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage readers to engage critically with one another’s ideas, but never at the expense of civility. Disagreement is expected—even encouraged—but it must be expressed with care and consideration. Comments that take cheap shots, escalate conflict, or veer into ideological warfare detract from the constructive spirit we aim to cultivate. A detailed statement on comments and WSR policy can be read here.

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    19 Comments
    dannyboy
    dannyboy
    9 years ago

    wait a second

    …i wear hats!

    That woman with the red sweater looks like she’s enjoying herself. Nice

    0
    Reply
    Jan
    Jan
    9 years ago

    So nice to see, thanks!

    0
    Reply
    Leon
    Leon
    9 years ago

    Great pics – thanks! Where was the Kentucky Fried Chicken?

    0
    Reply
    Sue
    Sue
    9 years ago
    Reply to  Leon

    I lived above a KFC on 72nd between Columbus and Amsterdam. ((North side)

    I think this is the one. It was fine except when their anti-chicken smell fan broke. But that only happened when I had guests.

    It broke so often they got a new fan. No smell, but
    It sounded like a jackhammer. And the whole building shook.

    FYI there are different phone numbers for different complaints. I had to call one number for odors, one for noise, and a 3rd for
    “feels like an earthquake 24/7”

    This may have predated 311.

    I don’t live there anymore. Nor does the colonel. But I suspect with 311 it may be one stop complaining.

    0
    Reply
    Howard Freeman
    Howard Freeman
    9 years ago
    Reply to  Sue

    The anti-chicken fan only broke “when I had guests.” LOL!

    0
    Reply
    Colonel
    Colonel
    9 years ago

    I wish we still had a KFC here.

    0
    Reply
    Bill
    Bill
    9 years ago

    Ah and WKTU was on the radio……

    0
    Reply
    Nelson
    Nelson
    9 years ago

    A reminder that, as unimaginable as it may seem, these are “the good old days” for today’s youth!

    0
    Reply
    lyla
    lyla
    9 years ago

    Great photos!

    0
    Reply
    Mark
    Mark
    9 years ago

    What a nice city it was before DeBlasio took over.

    0
    Reply
    ScooterStan
    ScooterStan
    9 years ago
    Reply to  Mark

    Re: “What a nice city it was before DeBlasio took over.”

    Really? Not if you were one who participated in the 12 years of Bloomberg-Bashing and who insisted that the self-made billionaire mayor was the worst thing to ever happen to this city.

    And then these anti-Bloomberg types swooned over deBlasio’s cleverly-constructed campaign (income inequality, bi-racial children, etc. etc. et-ceterahhhh) and elected as mayor of the most complex U.S. city a “do-gooder” who had never held an elected position and is, though a capable mayor, certainly a most uninspiring one.

    Now, of course, these faux-populists are again disenchanted with their choice and spend their time blaming their former Superhero for everything that offends their delicate sensibilities, denying that NYC still is, and always was, nice.

    0
    Reply
    HelenD
    HelenD
    9 years ago
    Reply to  Mark

    While I appreciate the photography, what I see is a hell of a lot of litter and cracked sidewalks, a senior with her legs wrapped in Ace Bandages, a homeless person, and the lady in red is selling jewelry on the sidewalk. All things that we’re still complaining about on this site.

    0
    Reply
    WestEndWendy
    WestEndWendy
    9 years ago
    Reply to  HelenD

    I’m not complaining about that thigh meat.
    And we all know I mean the skater, not the KFC variety 🙂

    0
    Reply
    Howard Freeman
    Howard Freeman
    9 years ago
    Reply to  WestEndWendy

    Not since HizHonor’s time have we seen socks like that. Not, at least, in public view. Love those socks.

    0
    Reply
    VickyZ
    VickyZ
    9 years ago

    Loved the 80s. So much fun esp the roller disco stuff.

    0
    Reply
    Lucien
    Lucien
    9 years ago

    Great photos. I like the haze effect with the photo of the man in front of the pastry shop.

    The roller skating in that portion of Central Park still occurs and with the same music on Saturdays (or is it Sundays?)

    0
    Reply
    jezbel
    jezbel
    9 years ago

    I moved to the UWS right after college (in Philly)and celebrated my first Christmas as a grown-up by buying all my decorations at the Woolworths at about 90th St on Broadway. I love that old store. It still had counter service where they had the best soup & sandwich deal in town. I bought my sewing basket there an filled it was thread & needles which I still have 40 years later. The Library restaurant was just up the street. And Mikell’s at about 99th & B’way with a house band called “Stuff”. They were the first SNL band and they were A-Mazing. Those were the days. Music everywhere and interesting neighbors. Love it here still.

    1
    Reply
    jerseyboy
    jerseyboy
    9 years ago

    Interesting how the prices for fans were in the same ballpark as nowadays. Thanks China!

    0
    Reply
    dannyboy
    dannyboy
    9 years ago
    Reply to  jerseyboy

    But if the fans are manufactured in China then US workers don’t make any money from the fans.

    0
    Reply

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