No, the beloved deli “appetizing” institution, Russ & Daughters, is hardly “forgotten,” but this is also a signage and infrastructure blog, so I thought I’d point out something I found interesting at Hudson Yards, which other than spots here and there I find mostly uninteresting, with its thicket of glass high-rise towers. From its original incarnation on Houston Street, the deli has begun to expand, opening new outposts on Orchard Street, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and here at 10th Avenue and West 34th Street. I noticed its ultramodern facade, with new R & D neon logo incorporating fish, like the old logo, on the 34th Street side.
…and I was glad to see the older tradition of the original storefront on Houston had been copied on the 10th Avenue side with the name of the store in red and a pair of green fish on either side. Smoked fish treats have always been prominent in the Russ & Daughters’ bill of fare.
Polish immigrant Joel Russ opened a pickled herring shop on Orchard Street in 1914. According to Historic Restaurants and Shops of New York, Russ had an irascible, argumentative personality, not an asset in the retail/deli biz, so he put his three personable daughters to work behind the counter. The business evolved into a gourmet seafood deliacies emporium, still with a vintage 1940s neon sign on Houston Street. One of the daughters’ sons, Mark Federman, ran the enterprise until 2009, when he turned it over to his daughter, Niki, and a nephew, Josh.
As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site. Take a look at the new JOBS link in the red toolbar at the top of the page on the desktop version, as I also get a small payment when you view a job via that link.
11/7/23