By Gus Saltonstall
What is going on around the Upper West Side?
Following a shark sighting along the Hudson River near West 70th Street, a bear attack was spotted Thursday afternoon beside Tom’s Restaurant near West 112th Street and Broadway.
We’ve got some answers.
Like the shark being reeled in on Wednesday, the hooded figure and bear that appeared on Thursday are both mannequins.
Daniel Sommer, who sent the photos to West Side Rag, also provided the helpful tip that the figures are a “promotion for the outdoor brand Columbia.”
A trip to the Columbia Sportswear Instagram page quickly verified the tip.
“Lock in NYC, the hunt is on! Our mannequins are all over the city,” Columbia Sportswear wrote.
If you spot the mannequins, scan their QR codes and you’ll have a chance to win a free trip to Japan for two, according to the outerwear company.
View this post on Instagram
The mannequins will continue appearing around the city through October 13.
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Do they need permits to install these on public sidewalks? Should we have the same conversations we had about outdoor dining?
No joy or whimsy allowed!! Not in my backyard!
Anything goes in NYC these days. The only thing that doesn’t fly is your ability to buy pepper spray without applying for a license.
Okay, Debbie downer.. 🤷♂️
Sheesh, are they stopping you from getting your daily coffee and bagels?! 🙄
these comments, man. holy smokes.
lotta people here with no sense of humor or appreciation for whimsy
Not sure we need to complain about the tiniest little things. You could just smile and move on
They do and they have them – the same permits that “unhoused” dude has to set-up a king-bed sized lair of random possessions and junk around the neighborhood’s sidewalks.
Tree pits make great places to put your junk in storage without paying fora storage module.
Now THIS is marketing 🙂
So, Columbia Sportswear intends to have people also chasing a “taxi” and a “moving truck” to potentially snap a QRcode, to win a trip to Japan? Is that what that list is implying? Because if they mean a taxi w/a surfer on top or a “moving” truck (hopefully they mean like a company truck that moves your belongings and not the other kind) I hope they won’t have people walking into traffic, trying to win a free trip and getting mauled by a taxi in the process. I think this requires some clarification, no?
Is your name Kevin or Karen?
What about when someone riding an E-bike on the sidewalk runs over the bear?
You aren’t supposed to ride a bike on the sidewalk so it’s on the rider if he gets hurt.
I think we can rule out the bear’s taking the rider to court over it, unfortunately. (Riding an e-bike on the sidewalk?)
Urbanists will think that it is okay and make excuses for them.
Those dang urbanists and their excuses!
Great stories !! I grew up on the upper West side in the 60’s. Love to know what’s going on in my neighborhood. My wife Cecilia absolutely loves shopping, theater, dinning, And Just NyY. We go there every yr for the last 23 yrs. Keep up the great work!
Ah! I think that’s fun! (now that I know what it is and what these may be about and so my risk of heart-attack on the spot if I sight something like that on an earlier twilight evening is markedly lowered…) 😀
When people talk about your business and or ad, than you have partially succeeded in coming up with good marketing campaign. The true test will be based on how many people are driven to the Columbia website and end up buying something. But they win on originality and getting free publicity. Plus the installations are cute and temporary. They aren’t disturbing anyone just making it more fun and entertaining to live here. There are more important things to stress over than whether they secured permits.
Surely… the placement of a Columbia Sportswear ad on Columbia University’s doorstep has nothing to do with their trademark dispute… right? Right? 😳
It looks like a demonstration at Columbia.
Another bear in NYC? Does that mean RFK was visiting again?
I give it a week, before someone decides it would look great in their apt.
LOL
Darn it, there was one at 116th & Broadway on Thursday. I didn’t see a QR code. It even had Columbia gloves.(Columbia University hmm)
I hate this. Why do people think there’s something nice about sticking some stuff in the street?
I have the same thought myself every Christmastime.