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Phil's Stationery

Opening Hours
Today: 9am–5:45pm
Wed:
9am–5:45pm
Thurs:
9am–5:45pm
Fri:
9am–5:45pm
Sat:
Closed
Sun:
Closed
Mon:
9am–5:45pm
Location
9 East 47th Street
Neighborhoods
Phil's Stationery 1 Family Owned Office Supplies Midtown East

For the first seven years, Phil Podemski had his shop on Park Row across from City Hall, but in 1973, with the help of his son, Sam, they came uptown and have resided on 47th Street ever since. "It was a good move on our part," Sam admitted. "It has allowed us to weather each of the storms that have come our way."

Because Phil's Stationery is in the Jewelry District, there have always been customers in need of memorandum books, special jewelry bags for shipping, and other necessary items that Sam and his dad never allowed to run out of stock. "This has kept us alive." That and the warm customer service that he strongly believes in. "Yes, I could close up shop and sell my goods solely on the internet, but I would miss the people — the human connection." Sam's best connection, however, was with his dad. "We were together for forty years until he passed away in 1996. I have the best memories of him yelling at me throughout those years, always in the most loving way."

When Sam and his dad initially opened, they were not known as an office supply store. They carried an amalgam of health and beauty products, chocolate, and other novelty goods. As time progressed, they evolved into a full office supply shop carrying absolutely everything that one could want or need for their desk.

In addition to having fun rummaging through the stacks of notebooks, journals, pens, markers, and an array of art supplies, it is the collection of Berol pencils made in the U.S. in the 1960s, the old Swingline staplers — and several other items that date back some fifty to sixty years — that will provide a noteworthy trip down memory lane for many.

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Phil's Stationery 1 Family Owned Office Supplies Midtown East

More Family Owned nearby

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Delicate Gem Corp 1 Jewelry Family Owned undefined

Delicate Gem Corp

After almost thirty years in the Diamond District, Delicate Gem has made a name for itself among the several thousand other businesses that crowd 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. An Armenian family that had lived in Turkey and worked in the diamond industry before coming to the States, the Minnetyans have been in the gem business for generations. When Arthur Minnetyan first came to Manhattan, and founded Delicate Gem, he built up a reputation among the other hard-wheeling diamond merchants by virtue of his expertise. The whole family became involved, as was common in the Diamond District, and has remained so. One afternoon, I enjoyed sitting and chatting with the family and learning more about their passion for diamonds, as it was here that my husband bought me a cherished bracelet a number of years ago. After his father, Arthur, passed away, son Ari took over the shop and has dedicated himself to selling and crafting only the best pieces of jewelry for his clients. Though he had originally planned on becoming an accountant after graduating college, his father's death drove him to come back home and carry on the family business. Ari's dedication to Delicate Gem exemplifies how ingrained the diamond business has become in the lives of diamond dealers and manufacturers on 47th. To those who work in the Diamond District, jewelry is much more than an accessory – it is a link to one's heritage and family that is time honored. As a Gemological Institute of America certified gemologist, Ari explained to me how diamonds were rated – the 4 Cs: color, cut, clarity, carat – and how he was able to help customers both pick out their favorite stone and create the jewelry on-site. On a street where competition is tough and a buyer can be overwhelmed, Ari and his family pride themselves on their honesty in the business. They, like many of the merchants surrounding their store, seek to establish relationships with clients and to gain their trust so that they may become customers for life.

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The Midtown Shave

A great shave, haircut and good company abound at family-owned and operated The Midtown Shave on E49th Street — where father-daughter duo Boris and Luda Mirzakandova draw on decades of barber experience that loyal clients call unparalleled. “I’ve been going to Boris and Luda for twenty years, ” said client Steve Elvin, in the chair on a sunny Monday morning for a quick haircut when we stopped by. “I wasn’t grey when I started going to them, but I don’t blame them for that! ” he laughed. “I’ve followed them to every shop and I’m so thrilled Luda’s gotten to open her own place. ”Luda and Boris, who immigrated from Uzbekistan to the US in 1992, told Manhattan Sideways that it “only took us 30 years or so” to found their own storefront. Boris, a lifelong barber who originally learned the craft as an apprentice back in Uzbekistan — “there were no barber schools, ” he explained — taught Luda the ways around a shaving kit before their family moved to New York. Once there, Boris, and eventually Luda both worked at barbershops around town, where their reputations as thoughtful, precise barbers kept loyal customers coming back. One of the first employees hired by the Art of Shaving, Boris was deemed their first-ever Master Barber — something that Luda adds is due to his careful technique. “People come in and say, ‘your father has the lightest touch — like a feather, ” she told us. “Clients are very loyal to him because once they’re found him, they stay — men don’t like change! ” When COVID-19 hit and many barber shops closed, Luda considered leaving the business altogether. “I would come home and call my dad and say, ‘I think it’s time to change my career, ’” added Luda. “He said, ‘No, you can't — you’re too deep in it. You love it too much. Why don’t you start something on your own — I can help you! ’ — and here I am today. ” Boris and Luda brought on one of their fellow barbers, Gabriel, and took over the space at New York Shave in East Midtown, a barbershop where Luda had worked previously before it shut down in the pandemic. “It took us about a year to get everything ready, but we’ve now been open since June 2022, ” she told us, adding that a grateful flock of longtime customers had migrated with them. Gabriel agreed, recounting a recent day where a client wistfully mentioned their favorite barber. “He said to me, ‘You’re so good, and it reminds me of a guy I used to see on 46th Street and Lexington named Boris…’” said Gabriel, “And I said, ‘He’s right behind you! ’” After over 50 years in the game, Boris said he was happy to maintain these kinds of cherished relationships — and perhaps, along the way, change the culture of beard shaving in America. “In my country, everybody went out to get a shave, ” he told us. “When I got here, nobody shaved! ” 

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La Rukico Tailors

While predominately an online venture, La Rukico Tailors has its headquarters on the east side of 48th, within close proximity of many corporate offices. It was here that I was able to get a behind the scenes look at this impressive father and son operation. The owner, Kelly La Rukico, considers himself "a cloth merchant instead of a tailor. " He does not do the sewing himself but rather "takes measurements, purchases the fabric and arranges for the custom production in Hong Kong. " By ordering the fabrics abroad in bulk, and having the manufacturing done overseas, La Rukico manages to produce less expensive, custom-made quality suits for his clients. "I've never sewn a button in my life! " he shared, "I only stock the fabric and organize the transaction. "The La Rukico family has a long history in the trade. In addition to the son who currently works by his side, Kelly's father and grandfather were both cloth merchants before him. And, although Kelly initially came to America from India in 1968 to study chemistry, he ultimately decided to return to the family trade - only now in Manhattan. "I wanted to be my own boss, " La Rukico said, "I wouldn't have been able to manage my own hours if I had continued with chemistry. "Opening his first shop in the Lexington Hotel in 1972, Kelly La Rukico described the pleasure of being in the industry and neighborhood for so long. "We have many repeat clients coming in, and many of my original customers have started to bring their children to me, hoping I can get them the look they desire. " When I asked him what makes people return year after year for new suits, he laughed and said, "You don't change your doctor, you don't change your dentist, so why should you change your tailor? "

More places on 47th Street

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The Actor's Temple 1 Synagogues Videos Theaters Founded Before 1930 Historic Site undefined

The Actors' Temple

Ezrath Israel was originally established as a Jewish Community Center in 1917 by the West Side Hebrew Relief Association, a group of Orthodox Jewish shop owners. The area was known for its busy steamship ports, however, the entertainment business eventually became one of the biggest industries in this part of town. As show business grew, so did the number of congregants, and it became the place of worship for many prominent actors and performers, including Sophie Tucker and Shelley Winters. The Actors' Temple continued to thrive until shortly after WWII when people in the industry began journeying across the country to Hollywood. The synagogue then found its membership slowly decreasing. By 2005, there were only twelve members left in the congregation. A year later, when Jill Hausman became the rabbi, she found herself resuscitating what had once been a proud shul. Rabbi Hausman was pleased to report to us that in the eight years that she has been there, membership has increased to about 150, a marked improvement. Still, she has hope that the Actors' Temple will continue to grow. "We are a well-kept secret, " she says, "but we don't need to be. " To help maintain the synagogue, the sanctuary is shared with an Off Broadway theater company that performs on their "stage, " just a few feet in front of their sacred arc and collection of eleven torahs. Today, Rabbi Hausman welcomes all denominations of Judaism, even those who are "on the fringes of society. " She is a warm, sweet, bright woman who not only has her door open to everyone, but her heart as well. She emphasizes the importance of love and acceptance in her sermons and is adamant that the Actors' Temple is a "no-guilt synagogue. " People should come if they feel compelled to pray – Rabbi Hausman's only goal is to have them leave with a desire to return.