A new signage era for Best Housekeeping on Avenue A

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

There's new familiar-looking signage at Best Housekeeping, the longtime business selling kitchen cabinets and appliances at 17 Avenue A between Houston and Second Street. 

Manager Myriam Stern said the previous sign (see below!) was missing some letters and had "seen better days," so it was time to replace it. A company in Brooklyn made the sign and installed it several days ago, as well as hauling away the old one. (Unfortunately, this classic Avenue A signage wasn't salvageable, unlike the much smaller Champagne's from up the block.) 

She and her husband, Fred Stern, took over the business in 1975 (they also own the buildings housing Best Housekeeping). 

According to this Q&A with Fred from 2012, the store's original owner, Bernie Hymowitz, chose Best Housekeeping to honor his initials. (The business dates to 1914.)

And a look at the sign from 2014... with the s in Housekeeping MIA...

Here's another view of the storefront the other day via EVG reader Newman... on the new sign, the GE logo is much smaller and there's less copy...

A look at Ori Carino's Best Housekeeping murals

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A few weeks back we noted that Ori Carino was working on a new installation on the roll-down gates at Best Housekeeping on Avenue A at East Second Street… EVG contributor Stacie Joy recently caught up with Carino, who lives nearby on A, for a look at the final product…



Carino said that the panels took approximately three days apiece to do…





You can read more about Carino, an LES native, on his website here.

New mural in progress at Best Housekeeping on Avenue A

Ori Carino is working on a new installation on the roll-down gate at Best Housekeeping on Avenue A at East Second Street…



We last saw him create a mural here in July 2014.

New murals for 90-year-old Best Housekeeping on Avenue A

[Click on images for more detail]

Just noting the new murals on the rolldown gates at Best Housekeeping at 17 Avenue A. (Home of the best business sign in the East Village?)



You'll likely recognize the work of East Village artist Ori Carino, who worked on these last week. Among his artwork, he created the great mural on the rolldown gate outside the Mars Bar (part of which a resident was able to save!).

As Bedford + Bowery noted last week, Best Housekeeping turns 90 this year. The family owns the building … and in an interview from July 2012, owner Fred Stern said that he hopes to have the wholesale appliance store ready for the next generation — he has six boys and one daughter.