One of Harlem's oldest diners closed a couple of years back and now it looks like the storefront is going through its last leg of renovations. Facade work started just last month and now all of the yellow paint has been removed from the corner building at 383 West 125th Street that used to be the home of M & G Diner (center photo). The iconic sign is still somewhere under there but we noticed that the original diner interior had been totally gutted when peeking through the plywood out front this past weekend. This retail space is apparently available so the fate of the old fashion signage is still up in the air.
I contacted the American Sign Museum about this and they said they would be interested in helping to preserve and display the sign, if the current owners are considering removing it. They could organize removal and shipping. Of course ideally it should stay where it is, but if that's not viable, it would be great to have it refurbished and permanently displayed.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how to contact the owners?
Click on the center image to get a larger view of the phone number on the scaffolding. The broker would probably have all the details.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ulysees.
ReplyDeleteI'll phone them tomorrow. What are your feelings about the idea of donating it to a museum that's out of state if need be? Just curious.
We have made a comment in the past that the ideal situation would be to have a new shop open and just keep the old sign as a cool design element. The J. Crew Liquor Store sells clothes out of an old Tribeca liquor storefront with the original neon signage and it would be amazing for someone to come along and have a adaptive reuse concept for M & G. If the owner does decide to chuck the sign then definitely a museum would help save it for future generations. It's quite special.
ReplyDeleteI spoke to the broker and informed me that several people have contacted him with offers to purchase it, move it etc.
ReplyDeleteluckily the building owner is hopeful that it can remain just where it is, but that will be contingent on the new tenant's plan.
i left my number with him as the sign museum is willing to take it and refurbish if it comes to that.
nice to hear so many people are concerned about it.
Thanks Norm. We will have an update on the story next week with your findings.
ReplyDelete