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Documenting the Disappearing Storefronts of Ludlow Street

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[Daredevil Tattoo, which has since relocated to Division Street. All photos by James and Karla Murray via their blog, Urban Image Photography.]

EV Grieve spotted some new work by photographers James and Karla Murray on their blog. The urban documentarians, known in part for their work snapping storefronts, revisited Ludlow Street recently?about a decade after they first immortalized its shops, and noted how much difference a couple of years can make. Many of the beloved outposts in their book?Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York?are now gone. In short, it's gentrification, captured. Till October 27, the duo has an exhibition up at the Upper East Side's Lumas Gallery with more of their NYC storefront photography.

Max Fish, one of gentrification's latest victims. EVG reports that that the storied bar's space will be taken over by southern-style restaurant Sweet Chick, whose first location is on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg.




The Pink Pony, then and now. It shuttered earlier this year due to a rent hike.




The old Ludlow Guitars location, which is now a boutique. The guitar shop has, however, relocated.




Some institutions, thankfully, haven't changed that much. If only the LES could always, well, have what she's having.




· James and Karla Murray Photography [official]
· Store Front exhibition [Lumas Gallery]
· A walk down Ludlow Street 10 years later, Lower East Side, New York City [Urban Image Photography via EV Grieve]