Everything about No Particular Hours stands out. Amongst the rows of brownstones along Chelsea Lane, the thrift shop’s green garage door seems quite out of place. Through the strange gateway lies an even more peculiar discovery. There are no parked cars or mechanics at work. Rather, visitors should expected the unexpected. No Particular Hours contains the most harmonious hodgepodge of chaos. One will find vintage typewriters stacked on antique furniture, ornate light fixtures hanging from the ceilings, overflowing bins of mix matched buttons, and aged photo negatives.
Located on 247 W 16th St, No Particular Hours is no ordinary thrift store. It is a museum for the prosaic artifacts of the 19th and 20th century. No Particular Hours was created by owner Jerry Lerner, also known as “Jerry the Junkman.” Over the decades, he has procured an eclectic collection of gadgets and gizmos. Other people’s trash is his treasure. He told us “If a homeless person had a home, this is what it would look like.” Jerry finds value in the unwanted things that people leave on the streets of New York City and gives them a new home at No Particular Hours.
A set of headlights from a 1924 Marmon luxury car that Jerry found on the New York City streets. The rare artifact is worth $2,500!
No Particular Hours advertises “vintage goods, industrial artifacts, and dead people things”. Yes, you read correctly, dead people things. Patrons of the store sell or donate vintage items that were owned by their relatives who have past away. Resultantly, No Particular Hours is a thrift store that is invigorated by history. It is a place where the lost and forgotten can be recollected. You can find everything from a bizarre collection of lucky horseshoes to patchwork sets of dainty teacups, and each item tells a story.
For artists, No Particular Hours is a source of endless inspiration. A place where they can perhaps discover the missing puzzle piece that will complete their masterpiece. Additionally, the store has proven to be a useful resource for film makers and set designers. Having an extensive background in set design himself, Jerry knows exactly what a production needs to create an authentic looking setting. No Particular Hours extends to a warehouse in Red Hook, Brooklyn which houses a plethora of props, some of which have made an appearance in critically acclaimed productions such as Orange is the New Black, Stuart Little and Law and Order.
But you do not have to be an artist or a filmmaker to visit No Particular Hours. Quite like the motley array of things that inhabit the shop, No Particular Hour is welcome to everyone and everything. In an ever-growing and ever-changing world, No Particular Hours has encapsulated moments in time and evokes a sense of nostalgia. Within the miscellaneous details of this land of the lost, visitors are able to find familiarity, a reflection of themselves that they will gravitate towards.
As suggested by its name, No Particular Hours operates under an unpredictable time schedule, widely dependent on the availability of its staff members. The only way find out is through their Instagram @noparticularhours.
