Bickford's & Gross
One member of a favorite pair of buildings, the old Bickford's on 8th Ave and 34th, is draped in Vornado. That means it's probably time to say goodbye.
photo: nick widzowski
According to 14to42, this Bickford's location opened in 1929. A New York Times article, found here, tells us that the sign was revealed in 2000 when a facade for the Adult Entertainment Center on the site came down:
"Bickford's, trim and tidy in white terra cotta, its distinctive script logo in a stepped entablature over a field of Art Deco chevrons...
'It's a gift back to the street of a beautiful facade,' said William K. Dobbs, a lawyer and amateur preservationist who has immersed himself in Bickfordiana ever since discovering the old facade. He determined that the branch at 488 Eighth Avenue, whose telephone number was once CHIckering-3339, went out of business in the mid-60's. It was replaced by a restaurant called Snacktime, which was supplanted by the adult book store."
photo of the same building, ground floor
Now the adult book store is gone. ForgottenNY took a peek not long ago.
Remarkably, the neighboring S & G Gross pawnbrokers, established in 1901, still lives. 14to42 also has more info on them. S & G were Solomon and Gustav of Stanton Street. Their heir, Robert Gross, was working in the place 20 years ago, when he was interviewed by the Times who described him as "a pleasant pistol-packing pawnbroker." His granddaughter was also working the counter in 1988. Maybe she's still there.
photo: michael dashkin
photo: nick widzowski
According to 14to42, this Bickford's location opened in 1929. A New York Times article, found here, tells us that the sign was revealed in 2000 when a facade for the Adult Entertainment Center on the site came down:
"Bickford's, trim and tidy in white terra cotta, its distinctive script logo in a stepped entablature over a field of Art Deco chevrons...
'It's a gift back to the street of a beautiful facade,' said William K. Dobbs, a lawyer and amateur preservationist who has immersed himself in Bickfordiana ever since discovering the old facade. He determined that the branch at 488 Eighth Avenue, whose telephone number was once CHIckering-3339, went out of business in the mid-60's. It was replaced by a restaurant called Snacktime, which was supplanted by the adult book store."
photo of the same building, ground floor
Now the adult book store is gone. ForgottenNY took a peek not long ago.
Remarkably, the neighboring S & G Gross pawnbrokers, established in 1901, still lives. 14to42 also has more info on them. S & G were Solomon and Gustav of Stanton Street. Their heir, Robert Gross, was working in the place 20 years ago, when he was interviewed by the Times who described him as "a pleasant pistol-packing pawnbroker." His granddaughter was also working the counter in 1988. Maybe she's still there.
photo: michael dashkin
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