The top two photos show the original Kelly Brothers saloon that used to exist at 125th Street and 8th Avenue in the early part of the 20th century. This site was purchased by a developers in the past couple of years and now no longer exists today. As new commercial space comes into demand in Harlem, some of the older architecture will vanish and be replaced by larger, more modern structures. We are not going to miss the cluster of smaller shops at the side of the avenue but the old saloon building was a distinct reminder of 125th Street's past.
Looks like remarkable craftsmanship went into that bar, ceiling and tiled floor. We can still see that kind of quality in some of the surviving brownstone interiors. Also, that is a very hansom building back in its glory days.
ReplyDeleteThe interior photo shows stunning glass ceilings which look like they probably lit up. Stunnying
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how large the bar seems to be, it is not intimate, but very pubic, really for a very big crowd! Makes one wonder about the social space of 100 years ago and how it impacted life!
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