Brooklyn Storefronts

Wow, this book is exactly want I wanted. I was looking for a reference book with pictures of urban storefronts, and that is what I got. I like that the address of the buildings are included on the facing page - that way I can find them using Google Street. The one and only thing that I was a bit surprised at, was the size of the book. I sort of figured it was going to be the size of a typical coffee table edition - but instead it's a lot smaller (7 1/2" x 6 3/8" x a bit less than 1/2" thick). Which for me is perfect, too many times I've bought the larger books and then had a hard time getting them to fit on my bookshelves. I'm guessing there are at least 75 photos in this book, each page has a single photo - while the back is blank except for the address of the building on the adjacent page.Looking up a number of these addresses on Google Street - I've found that many of them no are no longer the same business. I'm amazed at how some of them have changed since they were photographed for this book.

The author uses storefront signage photos as art. Good as an historical piece of Brooklyn. Happy to find that it included a picture of my family's store, Yoly Fabrics!

The book "Brooklyn Storefronts" was exactly what I wanted. It had pictures and descriptions of the old New York that I once knew. It was just fine. Thank you.

Quick and easy!

This was purchased as a little gift for my husband, who was born and raised in Brooklyn in the 50's, 60's and early 70's. I thought it would bring back some fun memories. After he perused the book he handed it to me and said, "You can take this back now, there's nothing in here worth looking at." He said that the neighborhoods were all "bad" and he hated seeing the borough looking like that. He by no means came from a "nice" part of Brooklyn (Sheepshead Bay and Bensonhurst) so he wasn't being snooty. He just couldn't really relate to it.

This small book celebrates the random communities that have serviced local neighborhood needs, in this case Brooklyn and surrounding areas, Bedford Stuyvesant, Flatbush, Crown Heights, Sunset Park, even the waterfront neighborhoods from Greenpoint to Gowanus. As the author witnesses a favorite local bodega replaced by a trendy upscale restaurant, he realizes that these multi-cultural stores will soon be demolished to make way for the urban blight of gentrification that forces rents higher and years-long residents from their homes in search of more affordable housing. Unfortunately for the unique individuality of our cities, these iconic venues will disappear all too soon under a wave of economically viable franchises that have spread across the country like a virus. The erratic, hand-painted signage will be replaced with corporate logos and molded plastic furnishings.So take a slow walk through the pages of this nostalgic collection of Americana. Stop at the Best Fish Market on Fulton Street in Cypress Hills, or purchase fresh produce from Golden Gate Fancy Fruits and Vegetables on Flatbush Avenue. Repair and purchase TVs, VCRs and computers at Save1 Electronics, with its wavy, hand-lettered marquee. Maybe you will discover that favorite record album in a recessed corner of New Lots Music, or select duck, lamb or goat at Bacchus West Indian Market. Everyone's needs are catered to at the Peace and Love Unisex Beauty Salon, where you can rent a stylist's booth or a nail table and enjoy local gossip with the other beauticians and barbers. The bright red paint of Ferailles Botanica promises candles, incense and oils; in contrast, Carlos Shoe Repair in Flatbush advertises its presence in sunshine yellow.The stories behind these places are as varied and fascinating as the visual collages of storefronts that dot the landscape of local neighborhoods, an individuality that perhaps speaks more to the past than to the present, but a poignant reminder of the real identity of a country come together in common purpose and needs, a vast stew of language, food and services, bearing the proud colors of many cultures, existing side by side in colorful disharmony. These are the unique characters that so define a nation built on the humble dreams of a better life, the creative endurance of free enterprise and shared community that will all but disappear in a global market with no appetite for differences. Just like the interstate highways once traveled by tourists on family driving tours across America, this book offers a glimpse into the great energy of Brooklyn neighborhoods, a brief but powerful moment in history. Luan Gaines/ 2008.

I've lived in Brooklyn most of my life and this book just proves what a great boro it really is!

I never was in NY, but pictures gave me a feeling that I was. Storefronts are very expressive they show us how peoples live. This book was a present for my girlfriend and now she wants visit NY with me :)

金のモールやレタリングが窓に映えるようなピカピカ小綺麗なお店や高級店は出てきません。演出ではなく、色褪せてペンキも剥げかけた草臥れた感じのやつれたお店の外観の本です。写真そのものはハガキ大で、そう大きくもないと思います。ゴチャゴチャしてるだけでその場の雰囲気は感じれるが、ファサードデザインの参考になるかどうかは疑問。

とにかく、私の大好物な本で何度眺めても飽きません。ニューヨークを訪れたい人、訪れたことのある人にとってもお気に入りの一冊になることでしょう。