We’ve been wondering about this phenomenon for a while: the prevalence of barber shops, locksmiths, bodegas, and shoe repair shops inside subway entrances. Why do some entrances have them while others don’t? The answer is right there, if you look carefully.
Some subway entrances are located at the bottom of buildings in New York City, rather than off the sidewalk. Think of the subway entrances at Clark Street in Brooklyn or at Canal Street and Broadway in Manhattan for example. These entrances are maintained by the owners of those buildings and they rent out space to various small businesses (and sometimes chains like Subway). Here are some examples:
8. Restaurant/Bar Subway Entrance:
Vintage subway entrance at the Trinity Building at 111 Broadway with Subway and Suspenders Bar & Restaurant.
7. Shoe Shine Subway Entrance:
The Columbus Circle 59th Street entrance is maintained by Cushman & Wakefield with a barbershop and shoe repair.
6. Flower Shop/Bodega/Juice Bar Subway Entrance:
At Clark Street in Brooklyn, in the former lobby of the famed Hotel St. George is a bodega, juice bar and flower shop.
5. Barber Shop Subway Entrance
Right in the thick of the garment district is a barber shop, located in the 1/2/3 subway entrance at W. 40th Street and 7th Avenue.
4. Macaron Shop Subway Entrance
Located down the subway entrance of the Rockefeller Center B/D/F/M on Avenue of the Americas and 47th Street in front of the 47th Street Diamond Exchange, you will find Beny’s Delice, a spin of from the Brooklyn shop of the same name selling more than a dozen macaron flavors that change weekly.
3. Bodega/Tourist Knick Knacks Subway Entrance:
Canal Street updates its bodega with a large selection of tourist knick knacks and a scrolling digital sign.
2. Locksmith/Fast Food/Bodega Subway Entrance
In the 5th Avenue and 53rd Street subway entrance there’s a Subway (the fast food), locksmith and bodega.
1. New York Public Library Subway Entrance
This small New York Public Library Branch entrance used to be located underground in the Lexington Avenue-50th Street subway station (outside the turnstile of course). It’s got everything that an aboveground NYPL has–books of course (that can be advance requested online), free Wi-Fi, outlets for your computer and helpful staff. The building above is being renovated at the moment but to access before, you would go to the 6 train downtown subway entrance on the Northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and 50th Street.
If you’re looking for more aesthetic subway entrances, check out our roundup of vintage subway entrances in New York City. What other fun subway entrances have you come across?
