In a way, Canal Street is New York City at its best and its worst. On a hot summer day, with the grit, grime, trash, crowds, and traffic, it is really is quite abhorrent. Yet it is and has been home to some of the city’s truly unique and really useful merchants, not just catering to tourist traffic. Some of the stores are (or were) real meccas: Pearl Paint (5 stories of art supplies), Electric Trading (motor and fan suppliers), Industrial Plastics (just out of business), Canal Hardware (out of business), along with jewelry, Chinatown, street vendors, counterfeit consumer products, electronics, lighting supplies, surplus metals, audio equipment, etc. (and there is plenty of cheap schlock too).

One of my favorites is Canal Rubber. I doubt that there is another place like it in the country, with its amazing inventory of rubber goods displayed at retail. The service can be brusk “New York style” – understandable with the tremendous volume of customers, many of them unknowledgeable about rubber and what they want or need. They have been in business since 1954, serving industrial and retail customers. These independent specialty shops are what have made New York so remarkable and, sadly, are fast disappearing. If you are in New York City, I recommend a stroll down Canal Street. But be forewarned – this is a FUNKY place, not one that is polished or glamorous.