I’ve been obsessed with store windows since I moved to New York City in 1998. At one point, I tried to figure out how I could become one of the people who create the magical display windows in places like Bergorf Goodman. Honestly, I never figured it out, but I’ve continued to keep that dream in the back of my mind. Blame it on the movie Mannequin, which I watched about 1,000 times as a kid. Hollywood was my hero.
On my way home from dinner last night, I started counting the empty storefronts on Columbus Avenue. I got up to a dozen in as many blacks before I stopped counting. There are just too many empty spaces that are begging for inspiration, art, and manifested dreams. So I started jotting down the phone numbers on those empty storefront signs. Clearly until they’re rented, there must be something we can do to make those spaces useful, or at the very least give passersby something to think and smile about, something to keep them going during these challenging times. Stay tuned…I’m going to make something happen with them.
Christa Avampato 