THIS one stumped me for quite a long time. This painted ad on the north side of Fulton, across from Macy’s, stumped me for years, but Of New York has scooped me by identifying it as Russek’s, yet another entry in the Department Store Museum of Fulton Mall. Russek’s, which specialized in furs and the fashion designs of Suzy Perrette, was founded as early as 1886 by the grandparents of photographer Diane Arbus, with the Fulton Street store opening in 1937. As it turns out, the blue window awnings for the current occupant, Rainbow Shops, have the same initial as the original tenant.
Our family made a monthly, or perhaps once every two months, pilgrimage to Macy’s in the Swinging Sixties when I was a kid, using the B37 bus, which ran down 3rd Avenue and then Fulton, where it stopped right in front of the store. I remember the elevators staffed with operators (are the elevators at that Macy’s still personally operated?) and the formal restaurant on the top floor, where I would have the Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes. In any case I have not been inside that old A&S in what must be 40 years, though I’ve passed it often; my feeling is, I shouldn’t be stalking around inside a store with my camera unless I’m buying something.
In 1979, with my college career at St. Francis winding down, Fulton Street was turned into Fulton Mall, and traffic severely curtailed to deliveries and buses. Specialized bus shelters and signage was installed. In the early 2010s, the mall was remodeled, with new signage and very odd lampposts (I don’t have time to fish out a photo of them, but Street View will show them.)
For more of Fulton Mall’s ancient emporiums, see this FNY page.
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12/21/22