A current article in Bloomberg's Business extols expansion in New York City, with a storyabout the recently completed "ONE57" building on West 57th Street. As you probably know, 123 West57th Street is the address of our Stack's Bowers coin store and has been since 1953, when theStack family, looking toward a future of growth, relocated the shop to the art, cultural and eliteshopping center of New York.

The new ONE57 is the tallest office and hotel building in New York, with the first 25 floors aHyatt hotel. The balance comprises residential apartments; the Penthouse has been sold for $98million! It is now considered one of the most luxurious and costliest locations in New York. Themajor portion is so high that it overlooks the entire Central Park located two city blocks to itsnorth.

In the early 1940s, as New York business and cultural establishments moved north of HeraldSquare, Stack's moved from 23rd Street to a more prestigious location on West 46th Street. In 1946,at the end of World War II, they moved from 32 West 46th Street to 12 West 46th Street and thisstore became a home for many famous collectors, as well as for youngsters beginning theircollections. Many of these youngsters grew up to become famous collectors. On the second floor ofthe building just a few steps from Fifth Avenue, they established their own auction gallery.

But neighborhoods sometimes change in New York and many of the locations on 46th Street becamediscount appliance stores, cheap clothing establishments and by 1953, it was no longer an appealingplace for a coin store or gallery and also became less of a "walk in" type of location.

My father, Morton, Uncle Joe (Joseph B.), and I searched for new quarters. As luck would have itwe found a vacancy at 123 West 57th Street, (our present location) between the Avenue of theAmericas (originally 6th Avenue) and 7th Avenue. This store was a one-block walk from Fifth Avenue,the home of Tiffany's, Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Black Starr and Gorham, to mention a few high-endretailers on that street.

Also near the new store could be found Carnegie Hall, the famous Russian Tea Room, the GreatNorthern Hotel (now the Parker Meridian), the last fully operating Horn and Hardart Restaurant (alandmark), the Buckingham Hotel and the Buckingham Steinway Hall. West 57th Street was alwaysconsidered a fashionable walking street with some famous eateries. While only 11 blocks north ofour previous store, it was a great improvement and remains a desirable location today.Accessibility has never been a problem and for those who want to come by train, two differentsubway lines are located at each corner of the Stack's Bowers shop.

Stack's was lucky to find such a divine location and we built another warm, home-likeatmosphere, with sit-down showcases and coins of all value on display or in stock, a section forbooks and albums for sale, and walls lined with items related to numismatics or to people portrayedon worldwide coins. Collectors came often to Stack's to view the coins, meet fellow collectors, anddiscuss numismatics. We had a very extensive library where specialists could gather specialinformation, and our staff was composed of many specialists. Our staff produced a world recordnumber of different auction catalogs and price lists. Many staff members moved on, often to othernumismatic endeavors including as curators, and some continued to help Stack's preparecatalogs.

West 57th Street attracts diverse people, many of whom look in our windows, and some who stop inour shop. You will often see bankers, trust officers, lawyers, actors, directors, writers andauthors, politicians and other noted personalities. The street is one of the art centers of thecity and only two blocks north is Central Park South, boasting many famous hotels (including thePlaza) and, of course, Central Park itself. Slightly west is Columbus Square, which anchors thesouthwest corner of Central Park.

Over the decades there have been changes - buildings torn down and new ones erected alongsidethe older buildings. The charm of the area remains. As Stack's grew over the last 60 years weexpanded to include an entire floor at 110 West 57th Street that includes a special room to displayand show lots for a forthcoming auction and offices for catalogers and staff, as well as an auctiongallery where we conduct some of our New York City public auction sales.

We welcome collectors and visitors daily from Monday to Saturday. We are open to the publicweekdays from 10 AM to 5 PM, and Saturdays from 10 AM to 3 PM. If you wish to buy or sell coins,look at displays or ask questions of our staff we invite you to come by. We look forward towelcoming you, getting to know you and helping you with all your numismatic endeavors. The Stackfamily recognized the positive attributes of this dynamic location in 1953, and we are proud thatwe have remained right here, offering the same unparalleled personal service in our great city ofNew York.

To read the complete article, see:
Revisiting the Coin Shop at 123 West 57th Street, New York City(www.stacksbowers.com/NewsMedia/Blogs/TabId/780/ArtMID
/2678/ArticleID/64806/Revisiting-the-Coin-Shop-at-123-West-57th-Street-New-York-City.aspx)