Left Bank & Lee

Here's a look at the aftermath of what happens when a landlord (in the words of The Villager) seeks "the kind of higher rents and glitz that are killing what’s left of the small, independent stores and variety in the Village."



The above photo shows the inside of what was Left Bank Books, a warm, dark space recently packed with books and shelves. They just vacated this past weekend, moving to 8th Avenue.

Next door, shown below, are the hollowed-out remains of Lee's Laundry, a space formerly filled with red Chinese posters and calendars, and laundry. Lee said he was not offered a new lease after 30 years.



The wall between Lee's and Left Bank has been completely knocked down and the two spaces have been joined into one large space.

Formerly:

photos: mine & omoo's

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