Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York

Mom-and-pop stores have vastly decreased since the millennium and with the hit of the recession they are steadily going downhill. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, more than half of American workers are employed by nearly 30 million small businesses. That is as of right now. With everyone moving to find the newest and best inventions in products, the old labels, brands, handmade goods, and repairs shops are becoming obsolete. Especially in an urban setting, with the quick paced mentality and desire to impress tourists, new shops, attractions and merchandise are a must.

Photographers Karla and James Murray released Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York in hopes to open the eyes and minds of readers. The couple took pictures of the ever existing mom-and-pop stores of New York and in the eight year process of composing the book, one third of the stores featured went out of business.