JAMES AND KARLA MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

 Flag Day at Veniero Pasticceria:

From our award winning book New York Nights (Includes an interview with Robert Zerilli, 4th Generation Owner of Veniero):

“Their superb collection of images are as vibrant as they are atmospheric, focusing on the diverse range of typographic styles and signage used in each location. Thankfully they’ve collated and documented their journey into a glorious coffee table book titled New York Nights”

http://sobadsogood.com/2013/06/13/atmospheric-photos-of-new-yorks-storefronts-at-night-by-photographers-james-and-karla-murray/

Since 1885, a drug store has stood at the corner of 2nd Avenue and 6th Street. Although it has had various owners over the years, members of the Palermo family have owned the store since 1962. Ever since, the family has worked to provide the community knowledgeable and personalized service in the sale of prescription and over-the-counter medicines and health and beauty aids. Block Drug Store will be presented with a 2013 Village Award at GVSHP’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on Monday, June 17. ” GVSHP

For more information:

 http://gvshp.org/blog/2013/06/03/block-drug-store-2013-village-award-winner/

Here’s some of our pictures of Block Drugs throughout the years:

Block Drugs as it appears in our book NEW YORK NIGHTS.
Block Drug Store is a second-generation family-owned pharmacy located at Second Avenue at the corner of East 6th Street.  Carmine Jr. Palermo is the owner and pharmacist along with his wife Beth.

A daytime photo which appeared in our book STORE FRONT: The Disappearing Face of New York.

CARMINE PALERMO owner Block Drug Store with his copy Of STORE FRONT: The Disappearing Face Of New York.

Here’s an excerpt of our interview with Carmine Jr. Palermo, second-generation owner and pharmacist at Block Drug Store:

“This neighborhood has undergone a dramatic change since I’ve been working here.  In the 1970’s it used to be a neighborhood with lots of artists and poets and musicians.  There were also a lot of Hispanics in the area.  There were definitely more minorities living here than now.  I can recall when President Carter came to the East Village because he was trying to revitalize Avenue C and Avenue D and then developers started purchasing a lot of the dilapidated buildings and empty lots for a very cheap price and quickly turning the properties over for a large profit.  Our customer base is vast and many of them have been coming here for years.  We even have customers that we mail prescriptions to in Florida.  They don’t want to leave us…it’s so funny.  I also have customers that regularly come here from every borough in New York.  Even though they’ve moved away from the East Village, they come back because there’s not too many independently owned drug stores anymore.  The pharmacy business has changed a lot.  Chain stores are in abundance and sometimes that improves the business of independent stores like mine because of the chain store’s lack of ability to help customers personally.  It’s confusing for the customers at a chain store because there are so many different pharmacists working there all the time.  If someone comes back into my store with a problem or complication, it’s just me or my wife or even my father.  We can talk amongst ourselves and find out what is going on with the customer and their medications.  We are more familiar with the patient’s background and history.  But with chain stores, communication is probably scarce.  So it’s that attention to the customer that brings them back and also brings in new customers who have gotten fed up with the chain store’s service and lack of personal attention.”

Hudson