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These days the Upper West Side is more known for stroller-packed sidewalks, big, shiny retail openings, and anti-food truck sentiment, so it's not a huge surprise that Amsterdam Video—the last remaining sex shop in the area—has shut its doors. It is kind of a surprise that the pint-sized adult emporium managed to survive in the much-changed neighborhood for 20 years, though. Amsterdam Video did seem to embrace both the old and the new—holding onto its neon pink sign and suggestive window displays, but incorporating family-friendly fare, like the presence of a sexy Mrs. Claus that remained even after the holidays.
Before via DNA Info
Nearby fancypants eateries Salumeria Rossi Parmacotto and Gina La Fornarina, plus a Jacques Torres outpost kept foot traffic going in the stretch of Amsterdam between 73rd and 74th, but not enough of the "right" kind. Plus, the advent of porn on the Interwebs and a monthly rent in the mid-$8000s, probably didn't help. We'll keep an eye on who eventually moves in, but in the meantime, let's have a moment of silence for the demise of Amsterdam Video—a holdout from a bygone era.
· UWS Century 21 Placeholder Sign Announces Fall Opening [Racked NY]
· Last Sex Shop on Upper West Side Closes [DNA Info]
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