20 January 2009

Grand Street No Longer Ideal for Hosiery


That Grand Street on the Lower East Side was once known as a sort of Hosiery Row, I did not know. But a reader writes in to say it was so, and that one of the old hands in the business, Friedman Hosiery, has just closed, and they are tearing the building down.

Above is a picture of Ideal Hosiery, which sits across the street from the late Friedman, and is still doing business.

But here's a big of weirdness. According to a New York Times article from 1996, the owner of Ideal is one Len Friedman, whose family has run the shop since 1950. So maybe the Friedmans are not so out of business as it would appear.

5 comments:

Ken Mac said...

i love this sign. I can shoot it for hours

Anonymous said...

It was hosiery row as recently as the late 90s/early 00s, when the stores started closing one by one.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't Grand Street also known for bridal shops?

Peter

boweryboogie said...

i agree, great signage.

Phyllis said...

Does anyone know where to find old photos of Grand Street when it had the bridal shops??? I remember walking with my grandmother and admiring the wedding, but especially the First Communion Dresses.