Economy
The Storefronts That Survive
An oral history project collects stories from the owners of some of New York City’s mom-and-pop shops.
On Avenue A in New York City’s East Village, a two-headed cow stands guard over a Ouija board. Obscura Antiques and Oddities has been holding court in the neighborhood since the early ‘90s, when its slice of storefront real estate commanded just $250 a month. Since then, many neighboring businesses have closed up shop; others have fled to reaches of the city where they can still find a better deal.
Nearby, Downtown Yarns is stocked with skeins in every imaginable hue, and offers free patterns and classes for beginners worried about ensnaring their fingers; the owner, who has run the place for 15 years, lives upstairs. Despite rising rents and the proliferation of cheap, quick online shopping, the shop has beaten the odds.