Radio row

A 13-block stretch going north-south from Barclay Street to Liberty Street, and east-west from Church Street to West Street, was a thriving small business stronghold known as Radio Row.

It was the hub of the electronics industry in New York, Radio Row earned its nickname for its abundance of retailers who specialized in radios and electronics. Radio Row bustled with approximately 325 store-level businesses and 1,000 above street-level businesses, as well as 30,000 employees.

Its origins can be traced back to 1921, when Harry L. Schneck opened up City Radio, a humble and homegrown mom-and-pop store nestled comfortably on Cortlandt Street in Lower Manhattan. At the time, radio was still an emerging technological field, and there was some skepticism about how useful it would be.