Folks of a certain age will recall this now-iconic Maxell Tape Commercial (and its print counterpart) which first aired in 1979 and continued to resurface at random intervals for years. Widely known in the pop culture vernacular as the Blown-Away Guy, the ad’s featured-character is rather accurately depicted in this security gate mural by street artist Chris Weller.
The storefront is home to the Marshall Stack Bar, which appears to still be open despite Covid. Good for them.
Visit the mural and the bar at 66 Rivington Street, at the northwest corner of Rivington and Allen Streets. The mural faces Allen Street.
Savasana Station Yoga Studio Security Gate Mural (All Photos By Gail)
When the only outdoor activity that’s still permitted is taking a walk, it’s important to give your walks a purpose. As the Covid Life hit us back in mid-March, I started collecting what you might call ‘mundane’ pictures on my iPhone camera roll during my afternoon jaunts; documenting things I see in the East Village in order to share the stories these photos tell about the people who live in my awesome neighborhood. For as long as this shit lasts, I’ll be publishing a thematic weekly series of photo-blog posts featuring snapshots from my East Village Life, so that we all might feel more connected. This week’s theme is Storefronts. Enjoy!
The UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) Theater’s East Village, NYC location may have closed this past February, but the colorful mural by local hotshot street artist Kenny Scharf lives on across its now permanently-shuttered security gate! See it for yourself on your next Urban Art Safari at 155 East 3rd Street between Avenues A and B.
“Let Go of Who You Were, to Become Who You Are.” — Frank Ape
This fun and inspiring mural can be found on the security gate at East Village Vintage Collective, a vintage clothing store located at 545 East 12th Street (Between A and B), East Village, NYC. The mural went up in April of 2018.
Update: Frank repainted the mural to the design below in 2019, and the mural has stayed up into 2023!
I spotted this fabulous Jimi Hendrix mural as I was out for a post-snowstorm stroll through my East Village neighborhood one Saturday afternoon. The mural can be found on the security gate for Mikey Likes It, an ice cream shop located at 199 Avenue A. According to their website, Mikey Likes It is the world’s first Pop Culture-inspired premium ice cream brand! I’ll have to make a point to stop by for a cone during their regular business hours!
