My friend Bob Egan of PopSpots fame hipped me to something new quite recently. Not sure when this functionality was introduced, but if you go on Google Maps these days, there’s a new feature (in the upper left hand corner) wherein you can step back in time to view proceedings from an older vantage point. That said, it seems to only stretch as far back as 2007.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t really consider 2007 to be all that long ago. Hell, I don’t consider 1997 to be all that long ago, but of course, that’s just me being an old man.
While I was tooling around on it, however, I was continually struck by how different things are already. Step back in time to 2007, and you’ll be surprised by what you find.
Here are a few of the sights that set me off….most of which are no longer there...
The Virgin Megastore (now a bank, of course)...
The Green East Deli on Fourth Avenue and 10th Street (which has been nothing now for some time)...
The Lyric Diner's old neon sign (lost after an ill-fated dalliance as a Greek tavern)...
Mondo Kim's on St. Marks Place (since then a selection of failed ventures)...
The old 99X on East 10th between Third and Fourth (now a real estate office)...
The old DKNY mural on Houston Street (since painted over)...
Surprise, Surprise on Third Avenue & 12th Street (now a Basics Plus)...
The Mars Bar on First Street...
Max Fish on Ludlow Street....
Rockit Scientist Records on St. Marks (note punk handing out tattoo flyers in front)...
The Pizza Box on Bleecker Street...
...the original Joe Strummer mural...
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