Sniffen Court NYC/Then and Now

This post is a cop from Ephemeral New York but I think it could be seen here as well. On a recent trip to NYC I did take a photo that I thought was this lane but after consulting the website above I realized my mistake.

So please visit the link for the TRUE story.
The wrong alley will appear soon.

Strange Days cover by the Doors 1967.

Recently.
The wrong laneway off of University Place near Washington Square.

Old New York Signs

Oldest gun shop in the US, 1911.

A selection of old store signs in New York City.

Old Barber Shop/Williamsburg NY

This derelict barber ship in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is quite stunning both in it's originality and state of urban decay.

An older photo of the barber's pole before the glass was broken. An interesting story re: the origins of the traditional red and white striped pole:
Originally barbers were surgeons as well as hair cutters and would often travel with armies performing basic medical tasks such as stitching up wounds and amputations at the base camp. The pole represents a bloody bandaged arm......
The William Marvy Company still manufactures barber poles in the US. and this could well be one of theirs.

Looking down the side alley there appears to be a house at the back in a similar state of decrepitude waiting for the right owner to restore.

Albany Diner

A decorative ceiling and cornice panelling in red and cream formica.

Jack's Diner located at 547 Central Avenue in Albany New York is an ultra rare Comac Diner built in 1947.

Eaton's Car Theft Prevention 1914.

Obviously car theft has always been a concern.

Players Cigarettes 1914

This Players ad from 1914 has a pack of cigarettes at 18 cents a pack.
Today the price is $10.00. That's 55 times MORE! They should be 25-30 times more expensive at $4.50.

Old Parkdale Advertisements

Parkdale House Demolition 1910

An advert from 1910 seeking someone to knock down a few houses in Parkdale for the Grand Trunk Railroad.
Empress and Dunn highlighted.
The demolition of four houses in 1911 was nothing compared to the wholesale destruction of South Parkdale in the late 1950's. The Gardiner Expressway was coming and this community was in the way!!
The red box indicates where my Grandparents' house was.

Dundas and Sterling/Then and Now

The south side of Dundas opposite Sterling Ave. some time in the late 1930's.

A similar viewpoint in 2010.

Bond and Shuter/Then and Now

The S/W corner of Bond and Shuter in 1908. Massy Hall is to the extreme right.

2011.

Yonge and Queen/Then and Now

Looking east along Queen Street at Yonge in 1952.
Note the Arcadian Theatre,

2011.

Queen and James/Then and Now

Looking east along Queen Street at James circa 1910.
2010.
Another good shot of the Adams Furniture Store building.
This entire block was demolished prior to construction of the Eaton Center.
An ad from 1910.
A few pages from their 1910 catalogue.

A real Stickley chair today is worth about about $2500.
Linoleum "carpets" were quite popular back then and are extremely rare these days.

Simpson's 1911

A postcard from 1908.

A full page Simpson's ad from the Toronto World 1911.

Toronto House Prices 1910

A selection of real estate ads from 1910.
A time machine would be helpful.

Lux Burlesque/Then and Now

Back in the 1950's and 60's Toronto had quite a few Burlesque Houses where men could go to watch women take their clothes off (but not all of their clothes) The Lux was on College at the top of Bellvue.

Looking west along College.
2011.
The men are waiting...
The girls arrive...There's a good article here.

A couple of ads from 1945 for the Casino on Queen.

The Casino (outlined). By this point it had changed names to the Festival and was showing international films. Built in 1936 the Casino finally closed it's doors in 1965 band was soon demolished.