Text and photographs by Stephen Harmon
Here is another group of UWS photos from my Old Negs vault from the vanished days of the 1970s and 80s that trigger memories and make me smile.
I hope you find something to enjoy.
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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Omg – the 5th photo. The blue awning with the little key on it is from “The Last Wound Up” — a great toy store that sold only wind-up toys!! Anyone else remember that?
And Cantina (in the 4th pic) used to be “Columbus” – a restaurant that I’d always been told Baryshnikov owned (or co-owned). Pre-Google, that was the kind of inside lore that only the neighborhood folks would know.
Thanks again for the flashbacks!
My memory is that Cantina was at 70th and Columbus was at 69th. Could be mistaken…
70th and Columbus. Looks like that French cleaner place is still there, and the same sign exists. Crazy!
Yes Baryshnikov was a part owner of Columbus restaurant along with Regis Philbin, Paul Herman and my friend Rick Newman. Legendary restaurant.
@Yoma
The Cantina was co-owned by an old high school teacher of mine named Boekkleman.
I do indeed remember The Last Wound Up — and the first of owner Nathan Cohen’s Tin Commandments: “DON’T POSTPONE JOY”. Words to live by.
I may still have a very worn-out “Don’t Postpone Joy” t-shirt tucked away in the back of a drawer somewhere.
Hang on to that priceless artifact!
Ah, the late, great The Last Wound-Up – fabulous, wonderful whimsical store. We need more of this kind! (Speaking of which, anyone remember Sweet Asylum on Amsterdam & W. 80th? Wasn’t sure of the exact location, but I just checked a retro-cartoon T-shirt from there, which I haven’t worn in years (tho I will never part with) which had the store’s addy discreetly printed on it).
Speaking of things I will never part with – and still sparks joy – is the wind-up music box, with a circus clown that dances lazily (or crazily, if you wind it up tight enough) to the “Can Can” song. Hilarious! And yes – it’s from The Last Wound- Up !
I have the same one. Though the children were afraid of it, 😆
I totally get your children’s reaction, Charleigh. While I still have the music box displayed in my whimsy-filled apartment, there is something (wonderfully) wacky and…yeah, weird about it. (Which is why I love it, of course!) 🙂
Love em!!!!!!! I don’t remember Riverside Park being so different at West 74th street…….
Love seeing the Embassy at the top there. Closed: 1988. Demolished: not long after that. Bring back the old art houses!
Ah, yes, the Embassy 72nd Street Twin 1 and 2, 1938–Aug. 28, 1988. One day I attended a rally to save it at which Isaac Asimov and Janet Jeppson also showed up. (Obviously, our combined presence had no effect.)
Mr. Asimov and his wife were my neighbors, at that time, at 10 W. 66th Street. He was a delightful man with an unflagging sense of humor.
Wow, what an honor! I miss Isaac more than I can say. Something vital left the world with his passing.
As usual, you captured the soul of the UWS.
I hope that the lady in the stylish red hat and sneakers realized that her shoelace was untied before she tripped over it and dropped that great green laundry bag.
Cantina! My friends and I would meet there at least once a week.
Great margaritas.
Anybody know what that tall building in the background is in two of the photos? Has to be on Columbus or Amsterdam. Thx
It’s the Park Belvedere 101 W 79Th St. built late 80’s
We used to love the Cantina but can’t remember its location. On Columbus I think but I forget the cross street. Thanks.
That tall building is the Park Belvedere, 101 W 79th street on the corner of 79th and Columbus. It is possibly the first tall buildings on the UWS that ignored its neighbors. Now we have more of those: re: the ABC realignment.
Remember the Laura Ashley shop in its ground floor retail space? Helped soften the effect of the bulky red building on the surrounding streetscape.
Laura Ashley was IT.
Thanks!
What are the kids looking at in the last photo?
Maybe a bird, or a plane, or Superman! Whatever they are seeing, it is a GREAT photo! (I said so, out loud, as I scrolled thru this week’s selection!)
Thanksgiving parade balloons.
That first photo is driving me nuts! I know those buildings and the Embassy theater, but I can’t place the exact location. The low rise building brings back strong memories but I can’t place it
Here are some images and information you might enjoy:
https://www.landmarkwest.org/72crosstown/201-west-72nd-street/
Since 1991 the site has been occupied by The Alexandria apartments.
Thank you!
Between 72nd and 73rd on the west side of Broadway. Taken from Verdi (aka Needle) Park — that’s Giuseppe’s back on the left.
That’s the west side of Broadway ‘twixt W. 72nd and W. 73rd, looking south. 🙂
Love the red sneakers. They’re very stylish today so she was ahead of her time. I never understood what made the cleaner “French” but I remember that sign. Many thanks for these wonderful photos and neighborhood memories. Your vision and talent are greatly appreciated.
That cleaner closed a few years ago, but the current store (a high end skincare company) kept the signage because it’s such an old school New York look.
So wonderful!
Thank you!
Does anyone know where the third picture, the large abandoned building with the marquee is and what it is?
It is the former Level Club at 253 W. 73rd St. It was built by the Freemasons in 1927 and eventually turned into condominiums.
https://share.google/zfaIwL7iI0i06ceqC
Lo! Finally, I have spotted Star Magic in a Throwback Thursday photo! Observe the right side of image #11 — there it is, with diagonal white letters on a blue canopy. Thank you, Mr. Harmon! With so many shots in the Verdi Square vicinity, I had faith it must appear in at least one of them.
How about having a new series ?
Placing photos of streetscenes as they are Now with the Throwback Thursday pictures. It’s so easy to forget older spots once they’re demolished, so it would be a nice way to stir up the memories.
Great photos! there’s one of our building , the Level Club (the lady with the green laundry bag is in front).The Level Club, originally built by the Masons in the 20’s was being renovated in the late 70’s or early 80 to be a condo. And some more of Verdi Square and I see the Apple Bank with it’s clock.
I love these so much! I was a kid for some but I lived in Columbia housing starting in August 1985 and walked south often. I miss it all
There’s so much more to remember as I was living on the UWS from 1955 until I moved to an outer borough in 1978. Finally after retiring, I moved across the river. I just have my memories now of what I loved about the UWS. ( And personal photos ).
Cantina was one of the free good restaurants in neighborhood! I was in Breton Hall, 86 and B’way, advertised in Village Voice classifieds as new renovated apts./:studios for artists, students!
Full of older European refugees from WWIi eta and dug dealers /0prostitutes in 1975, an experience for a Douglass College graduate and grad school student at John Jay!
Despite the nostalgia, the city has improved a lot in the last four decades. The second picture has a car with a “No Radio” sign in the window. My friend used to visit me and he had a sign like that. But he also left the door open. He said the thieves might not believe the sign and might break the door lock to see if there was a hidden radio. People also regularly kept money in their shoes to defeat muggers. I worked at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, which was located in a dilapidated building on Broadway between I think 47th and 48th Streets. Chain snatching right off people’s necks happened regularly.
I’m a lifelong NYC resident who’s old enough to remember those crime ridden 70s ..& how it was said back then that “It wasn’t IF you were going to get mugged in NYC..& it was just a matter of WHEN”
Thankfully we have come a long way since then.. now we have to make sure that PRO criminal politicians don’t make us go back there..
I just love these pictures. We moved here in 1975, and I’ve noticed the huge difference in Architecture.
I still have a lamp I bought at that workbench store .
I’m a lifelong NYC resident..& those
“PLEASE DON’T BREAK MY WINDOW..NO RADIO IN CAR” signs that you saw on every other car during NYCs CRIME RIDDEN 70s 80s & 90s are one of those “ONLY IN NYC” are iconic symbols of one of a NYC era that was portrayed in many Hollywood movies & ADDED NYCs image as a place where MANY come to make it.. but ONLY the TOUGHEST survive..
I’ve been trying for years to remember the name of the new age/crystal store on Amsterdam near 73rd. Although blurry in the photo third from bottom, I can make it out, Star Magic!
In the late 80’s. I found a beautiful stone on the street in a puddle in a plastic envelope the day before I was going to resign from a good job that I didn’t like. I went to Star Magic to find out the meaning of this stone, a blue topaz. The stone meant good success and it came true! I always have had a special place in my heart for that store whose name I couldn’t remember.
PS- I had the stone put in to a ring and wear it every day.
See my comment on Star Magic, above! The Amsterdam Ave. branch opened in 1985 and there were two more of them in the city; you might recall the one on Broadway at the foot of Astor Place. Their big draw for me was all the space stuff, including not only a decent selection of books but also the ever-popular astronaut ice cream.
I think #9 is the pre-restoration entrance to the Luzerne (79/Amsterdam), now a hotel over Nice Matin restaurant, when it was SRO housing for Fordham U grad students, among others. There were many post-exam parties there with fellow Fordham Law students. A little scary inside (“kitchens” were hotplates…) but location, location, location!!
Amazing
Third picture showing “Arnel Cleaners” at corner of Columbus avenue and West 70th street.
Name “Arnel” came about after original of “Chanel” brought legal action from famous fashion house of same name.
Arnel “French” Cleaners closed back in 2014 IIRC, having survived arrival of Lincoln Center just down street, but after 40 years the Saltzman family decided it was time to retire. Since Mr. Saltzman owned the building closing wasn’t about rent.
Aesop skin care now occupies the space.
https://archive.ph/QF6RN
https://www.landmarkwest.org/theywerehere/219-columbus-avenue/