Of all the streets in Lower Manhattan, it’s hard to think of one that is as immediately identifiable as Orchard Street, although perhaps not as much, these days. Formerly the main thoroughfare of discount shopping for the Lower East Side, Orchard Street was once peppered with shops on both sides, selling all manner of affordable textile and related ephemera. Flip through any number of images of Orchard Street throughout the centuries, and you’re bound to spot depictions of a strip full of bustling bargain-hunters and street-side merchants hawking their wares.
I was recently struck by one such depiction by a Swiss photographer named Willy Spiller. Captured at some point between 1977 and 1985, here’s a telling portrait of the typical Orchard Street hustle of that era. It’s a remarkable photograph by every standard. Click on it to enlarge.
Curious as to what that particular storefront looks like thirty-something years later, I did a quick Google Maps search, and was again struck, this time by the dichotomy. Here’s that very same address as snapped in 2023
Be sure to check out more of Willy Spiller's amazing photography by clicking right here.
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