Store Front NYC Photographs of the City's Independent Shops, Past and Present

This collection of hugely popular and critically acclaimed photos celebrates New York City’s unique history and culture—from long-disappeared icons to still-thriving favorite haunts.

For decades, husband-and-wife photography duo James and Karla Murray have been on a mission to document and preserve on film the various small shops of New York City—many of which are quickly disappearing—and a culture of authenticity that is hanging by just a thread. Featuring glorious new reproductions of images from their past books as well as never-before published photos, this elegiac volume will delight the Murrays’ multitude of fans, as well as anyone interested in the charm and history of small urban retail.

Large in format and filled with color and affectionate detail, the book includes an introduction by the Murrays explaining the genesis of their lifelong project and why they love to photograph store fronts. Chapters are organized by each of the city’s five boroughs and include descriptions and maps. Most of the store fronts are featured in generous single-page images with captions listing location, neighborhood, and year the photo was taken.

Filled with diversity and character, these images honor destinations lost to rising rents and changing demographics. Together they comprise both a guidebook and a love letter to a city that never sleeps, and is always evolving.

JAMES T. and KARLA L. MURRAY are architectural and interior photographers based in Manhattan’s East Village. Their books include Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York, Store Front II: A History Preserved, New York Nights, and Broken Windows: Graffiti NYC. Their work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world and featured in numerous publications including the New York Times, the Telegraph, the Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, and the New Yorker. 

CHRIS STEIN is the cofounder, songwriter, and guitarist of the iconic punk band Blondie. His photographic work has been featured in galleries and press around the world, and published in multiple books.