Text and Photographs by Stephen Harmon
I have long loved hand-painted signs, and there were and still are many of them on the Upper West Side. Hand-painted signs are one-of-a-kind art that reflect the skill of the sign painter and a business’s unique identity. They are eye-catching and often memorable. See if you remember these spots from the time when some telephone numbers still had letters.
Can you find the place(s) that remain?
Stephen Harmon is a longtime Upper West Sider, a retired lawyer, and a world-class photographer whose work is on display in many of the city’s museums, including The Museum of the City of New York, The Brooklyn Museum, New York Historical, and The New York Public Library.
Check out our audio interview with Stephen Harmon on Rag Radio — HERE.
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Love that Steve Harmon keeps me grounded in memory.
where are steve jenkins’ incredible signs at fairway?
Where is Steve Jenkins?
Mr. Jenkins is likely shaking his head [in private] at what could have been, even after Wakefern launched Fairway Mark IV.
You know that things are bad, when 2 private equity firms managed to do a better job of running Fairway, at least the original store location, than a supermarket chain (Wakefern).
And specific to Jenkins and the Wakeferned F’Way, he must be appalled at the degradation of the cheese department.
A whole other category – interior signage. You are the master of that, Stene!
where are steve jenkins’ signs at fairway market? they were famous!
Zingone is definitely still there
Yes, Zingone’s is alive and well despite the deaths of some beloved family members (I miss Josephine and Mary) and the aging out of the older generation. A real UWS institution and an integral part of what makes the neighborhood great.
they made the new yorker, new york magazine, all the newspapers, etc.
I’m ashamed to admit that, although I must have seen most of these, only H&H registered strongly.
The photo of Angelo’s Shoe Repair is identical to one I took on April 13, down to the fold-up yellow sign on the sidewalk. Is it really a vintage photo?
Angelos frontage was in a Seinfeld ep back in the day. Disappointingly, I can’t remember exactly which one.
I miss Mr. Zierler the jeweler! Thank you for that memory.
Gray’s Papaya and West End Superette still there. The rest look so familiar I can’t believe they’re gone.
Zigone Brothers is still there. And the sign is pretty much the same.
Also, Angelo’s Shoe Repair, still there.
The owner of H & H was criminally convicted for not paying payroll taxes.
Nothing can replace the memory of the Royale Bakery’s cream cheese squares.
Wonderful, thank you!
Love these walks down Memory Lane. And oh, how I loved Pandemonium and the hot pink jeans I bought there long before brightly colored jeans became more mainstream!
As a native Upper West Sider who still lives there, your weekly photos send me straight into my childhood. I always keep an eye out for anyone I might know. They’re just wonderful. Thank you.
Man if only there was somewhere that did jewelry repairs… Send me a sign! Haha just teasing I love these.
Ernesto‘s on Broadway right near W. 86th St. does jewelry repair they’ve been there for years and years
Yes, Ernesto’s is a good place for jewelry repair and purchase. very nice people. They didn’t turn up their noses at my inexpensive Timex watch the needed a new battery or a Disney-themed base-metal keychain (Tinkerbell, for my car key) that needed repair.
As always, Steve, your images show the beautiful, lively tapestry that is/was New York City. Thank you for sharing them.
As always, these are beautiful and bring back so many memories. Thank you.
As a native upper west sider who hasn’t lived there since the era in which these signs were up and in action, I have to say Thank You for posting them and letting me relive my fond memories of childhood.
The Jeweler sign with the clock in the window reminds me of the old joke:
Guy looks at his watch, sees it is broken. Fortunately, he happens to be in the middle of the jewelry district but all he sees are windows with expensive diamonds. Where to fix a watch?? Looks up and on the 5th floor there’s a dirty window with a big clock in it. He walks upstairs, knocks on the door and a rabbi answers, “So, what you want?”.
Man explains about his watch and the rabbi says,”why are you bothering me with that? I’m a moihel, I perform circumcisions.”.
Guy asks,” then why do you have a clock in the window?
Rabbi says,”so what want I should put in the window??”
Steve MUST have photo’s of Citarella’s daily fish art, displayed in their front window (80’s?). I believe a talented employee was responsible for the magnificent “murals” that featured the catches-of-the-day. This went on for years … or as long as the fish artist worked there (I think). Also.. I’ll never forget that Pandemonium (a jeans store) shared Citarella’s pungent fish odor of the that time.
The hot dog one is definitely not a vintage photo, because shipping by gold belly wasn’t a thing in the 70s and 80s.
My observation too! Goldbelly was founded in 2013.
So much fun to see these photos — especially of the old Pandemonium next to the much smaller Citarella!
I remember a grocery store down in Greenwich Village called the Co-Op…is anyone remembering that store? It was there in the late 60s I would love a photo of it if there is a pic out there somewhere!
There’s a sign business over in BK, called Noble Signs. They ‘rescue’ old signs of all types and have created a sign museum in their shop. Unfortunately the museum is only rarely open to the public. Learn more at NYSignMuseum.org. Or follow them on Instagram @nysignmuseum.
And in the Grossingers bakery window you see the kindly Hungarian Jewish sales lady, who would always ask: Something else? And may I give some cookies for your children?
Recently came across The Barbecue Pit in Riverdale which turns out to be run by the family that owned a restaurant on the West Side – Indian Oven.
BTW our family enjoyed our Barbecue Pit meal and the owner Rani Vaswani is a lovely person.
Oh how I loved Pandemonium!!! Great memories of a unique fun place with the coolest clothes and there it was in our very own neighborhood!!!
Love! Zingone’s hasn’t changed a bit. Just spoke to Dominic yesterday for some vegetables and staples.