Christopher Ming Ryan

How Mom and Pops Stay Open in NYC... You need more than your fingers and toes to count the number independent stores and establishments that closed in 2018 in New York City.

I asked Joe Markus, the owner, how he managed to stay put in one place and thrive for so many decades. His answer was simple. His landlord was a decent man. So you either have to own your building or have the incredible luck of having a landlord with a heart to operate a long-standing store in NYC .

Take a last look at Star Struck.

A Film By Christopher Ming Ryan
Photography By Evan Fairbanks
Music By ArtList
Special Thanks: Wheelhouse Communications