Inside Ideal Hosiery on a Rainy Sunday
Sunday afternoon, we stopped into Ideal Hosiery at 339 Grand Street to pick up a few items, and haggle with the shopkeep. Stepping off the rain-soaked sidewalk, the interior was equally musty, yet welcoming nonetheless.
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But before we could grab what was needed back at Boogie HQ, a dozen or so Orthodox Jewish men entered the storefront with prayer books in hand, and began chanting. After all, it was 2:30 pm, and time for the afternoon service (Mincha). The cramped aisles, lined floor to ceiling with cardboard boxes, became impassable. It was a sight to behold.
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Quite unique that the storefront provides sanctuary for a collection of neighborhood Jews seeking prayer. We were told that this is a normal occurrence at Ideal Hosiery.
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The Grand Street institution (with its awesome signage) has been a family-owned business since 1950, and is currently run by Len Friedman.
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