I didn’t realize it at the time, since the ground floor had been corrupted and “modernized” while I was working there, but 150 5th Avenue at W. 20th Street is perhaps the most architecturally arresting building in which I’ve been employed. The Romanesque Revival masterpiece was designed by architect Edward H. Kendall and constructed from 1888-1890 for the Methodist Book Concern (the “MBC” can still be seen at the roofline) and Missionary Society. At the time, this stretch of 5th Ave. was filled with religious publishing companies, and it would continue to harbor publishing for over a century.
The Methodist Book Concern turned out religious tomes and periodicals such as The Christian Advocate and Sunday School Journal. After a few decades, the MBC moved to Nashville, TN in 1939, but maintained a retail office at 150 5th until 1962. The three top floors had been added in 1909, providing medieval-style battlements and the trigram MBC. The building later was home to a laundry workers’ union health center and Ideax, a camera manufacturer. The original ground floor designs had been replaced with a boxier look by the time I arrived in early 1981 at a surviving printing firm, Lexigraphics. Thankfully, a 2001 reconstruction restored them. There were sightings of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, as the pair had an office in the building.
Lexigraphics, which turned out textbooks, some of which were no doubt sold at the original Barnes & Noble a couple of blocks away, was the first job in publishing I had. It paid $160 a week. It was straight proofreading, off galleys but occasional “diablos” on computer paper. The owner was kind, the boss irascible. I indulged my enthusiasm for fonts I picked up at the college paper. I was bad and was fired after 6 months, and worked for a couple of more shops before acquiring a groove at ad shop Photo Lettering.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop. As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
4/29/25