A wooden phone booth in an old Flatiron bar

OldtownphoneboothFew bars have as much old-school atmosphere as the circa-1892 Old Town Bar on 18th Street next to Park Avenue South.

The long mahogany and marble bar is original, as are the tin ceilings. And the neon sign hanging outside gives off a warm New York glow.

The best part is inside: a wooden phone booth! It’s way in the back on the ground floor, partly obscured by a table. In the darkened room, it’s hard to even notice it.

The phone is gone, of course. Yet there’s a folding door for privacy, a wooden counter, and a sign on top referencing the Bell Telephone Company.

More of these remnants of pre-cell phone New York can be found here.

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5 Responses to “A wooden phone booth in an old Flatiron bar”

  1. Crankydem Says:

    Love that place:)!

  2. pinto1247 Says:

    not to mention the old urinals 1 philip j bruno 125 West 16th str #134 New York, NY 10011 212 366 4232

  3. ephemeralnewyork Says:

    It’s wonderful, especially on afternoons before the after-work crowds arrive. And the urinals, yes, have a fascinating history of their own (I can’t say I’ve seen them firsthand, but so I hear…)

  4. chas Says:

    Wow…where else but here would a discussion of urinals be accepted and expounded upon…I love it!

  5. The Week in Wooden House News : The Wooden House Project Says:

    […] Residents Push for Landmarks Extension [Brownstoner] Documenting Wooden Phone Booths in Manhattan [Ephemeral New York] An Obsession With Brooklyn’s Wood Frame Houses [thanks, Brownstoner!] […]

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