They speak a little English..., a photo from New York, Northeast

Photographer's Note

In the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, there are few businesses that have survived for several decades and are still going strong. Astor Place Hairstylists is one of them. It came very close to permanently closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, but was saved by donors who couldn’t bear to see this iconic spot disappear.

Opened in 1947, this barber shop that was family-owned until just last year, has set some of the hairstyle trends of the recent past. In the late 1970s through the early 1990s, when the neighborhood was the center of punk, Astor Place Hairstylists was especially successful. They offered spiked hair, colorful mohawks, and other edgy cuts to regular New Yorkers and celebrities alike. Robert De Niro, Andy Warhol, and many others, have been customers. At the height of their success they occupied two floors, but in more recent years they have occupied only this iconic basement. They’ve always kept the prices relatively reasonable, too.

I’ve never been inside, but I’ve seen photos and videos of the interior, the walls covered with photos of celebrity clients, and dozens of stalls crammed into the site. At one time there were 50 hairstylists; currently there are around 30. The staff has always been a mini United Nations, with employees from all over the world, which is why they have that sign about languages over the front door. :-)

Having been a student at New York University in the same neighborhood as this iconic shop, I remember a steady stream of customers descending down those basement stairs. This is one spot that everyone from the neighborhood, and many New Yorkers from other parts of the city, recognize right away. It was nostalgic to walk by the other day and take a few photos.

pajaran, Fis2, holmertz, jemaflor, ikeharel, PaulVDV, adramad, macjake, COSTANTINO has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

pajaran (115989) 2022-03-20 11:26

Pozdrav.

Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lepe stepenice, ulazna vrata i i reklame na zidu, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama i kontrastom.
Dobar rad, lepa fotografija.
Fotografije bude secanja na neko vreme.

Zelim vam sve najbolje.
Paja

Silvio1953 (221729) 2022-03-20 11:46

Ciao Brenda, lovely and original composition, wonderful colors, fine details and splendid sharpness, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

Fis2 (170861) 2022-03-20 13:13

Witaj Brenda!
A very curious place.
I like framing and composition.
Good colors and light.
Interesting notes.
Well done.
Have a nice new week.
Krzysztof

holmertz (102774) 2022-03-20 13:17

Hello Brenda,
Great combination of different styles of signs appealing to straight people as much as punks. It looks like the entrance to a subway station but is a lot more colorful and most likely more fun. It's a very good street shot, or rather staircase shot.
Kind regards,
Gert

lousat (139332) 2022-03-20 13:44

Ciao Brenda,a really interesting place, it makes me laugh seeing the word "beware of your head" while entering a hairdresser, but obviously it refers to the rather low entrance ... ehhe .. A historical place where fashions and artists have passed, me I am surprised to read that during the pandemic he survived thanks to donations, the government did not help the businesses forced to stay closed? Beautiful and colorful photo for an original and alternative post, where the italian language is the first on the list over the entrance,i'm proud about that..ahaha... Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

emka (158204) 2022-03-20 15:30

Hello Brenda,

Very interesting note about this hairdresser of the celebrities. I haven't heard about it. Nice picture. What the languages they speak! It is even Polish, but only a little English. Amusing sign.
Best regards MAlgo

Tue (92470) 2022-03-20 15:34

Hello Brenda,
Great photo of the entrance to this old barber shop, I really like the bright colours and the murals, which stand out so well from the darker areas. Well captured from a good angle.
Lars

ifege (48159) 2022-03-20 21:32

Hi Brenda
A good photo of this very quirky business.
cheers
Ian

jemaflor (147224) 2022-03-21 0:23

Hi Brenda,
original and well observed and also presented, good photo and contrast colors, with an interesting note, tfs.

ikeharel (113427) 2022-03-21 1:01

Hello Brenda,
New-York is THE town wihere most immigrants yield to live, so no wonder the sign declare what are the verbal communications possibilities with them.
Mind you, the posted another sign warning to "watch your head"... Seems they care verty much for theit customers.
Nicely spotted.
Have a nice new week,
Ike

PaulVDV (62978) 2022-03-26 7:31

Hello Brenda,
I'm trying to picture Robert De Niro with a punk haircut :)
Since you have never been inside, you have never left this place with a very striking haircut.
The employees come from very different places in the world. Yet it are the colours of the American flag that welcome visitors.
Maybe you could try and see if they also speak Japanese. If I remember correctly, you speak that language a little.
Best regards, Paul

foxy (3461) 2022-04-14 14:02

Hello Brenda,
I don't need to look any further ... I've found one I like.
This Astor Place Hairstylists , will do me perfectly ... 'colorful mohawks' too good to refuse :-)
The entrance itself , is so funky and iconic with the 'Blue & Red' stripes.
Too bad ... they don't speak Cantonese and accept cash only.
Well, it's better than having a bad hair day :-)
Thanks for the interesting note of this barber shop.
Loong

mkamionka (74535) 2022-04-29 23:05

Hi Brenda,
It is nice to have some of the historic shops still functioning as before. I am sure in NYC which is so densely populated there is the temptation to turn every square inch into a shopping mall or expensive condominium but the simple in style old places like that have some unique charm.
Great reportage form a less known but such colorful side of NYC.
M

adramad (73006) 2022-04-30 12:04

Hi Brenda.
Very original composition, in which the linguistic poster surprises us at first glance, after reading your note everything is understandable.
Sharpness, lighting and color are magnificent
Nice job. I like it.
Have a nice day. Very best regards.
Luis.

macjake (98456) 2022-05-10 13:56

Hi Brenda
excellent TE post here from your neck of the woods. awesome just doesn't do it. I'm surprised to hear you say you didn't go inside...even to take a look. funny to see the Watch your Head sign...why? are they expecting people who are 7 feet tall? Or maybe the door really is short - like me - haha. anyways, its a wonderful New York post full of history, and glad to see it will continue. cheers
Craig

COSTANTINO (116580) 2022-05-10 22:36

Hello dear Brenda and have a nice day
interesting capture
thanks for the sharing and your
useful notes...in the East Village
neighborhood of Manhattan
there are few businesses that have
survived for several decades...
too impressive
regards
costantino