Champion Stamp Co.
M-W, F 10am-4pm; Th 10am-7pm
It had been quite some time since I had meandered into an absolute hidden gem on a side street in the 50s, but Champion Stamp Co renewed my energy and excitement as I learned the history of this shop and pored over their inventory.
During the 1940s, when stamp collecting was still a popular pastime, there were stamp dealers across Manhattan. Today, the declining interest in this hobby has been balanced out by the fact that Champion is the only one of its kind for miles around; between their mail order business, dealings with auction houses, and the occasional walk-in customer, the store survives. Jon Morowitz, whose father opened the store in 1992, and Liliana Rosende, the manager for over twenty years, have adapted to the times; one recent tactic has been selling collections of vintage stamps to people who want themed wedding invitations. They continue to buy stamps, and frequently get visits from people who have discovered a parent or relative’s extensive personal collection. Most of these stamps are fairly run-of-the-mill, though Liliana said that they do occasionally find something extraordinary. Champion has a treasure trove of stamps from around the world and across history. When I asked how many stamps he thought were here, Jon admitted that he had no idea, guessing that the number had to be somewhere in the millions. Regardless of the exact count, wandering around the shop and rummaging through the bins rated as one of my most memorable experiences on a side street.
