Straphangers at this Williamsburg station don’t have to go street level to get a taste of the underground art scene.
The newsstand between Lorimer and Metropolitan is selling self-published, small-circulation periodicals, playing records, showing off quirky artwork, and is home to all kinds of amusements, including a repurposed condom dispenser.
Four quarters and a crank of a handle will produce a collectible mini zine, just part of the large selection of publications curated by the founder of 8-Ball Zine Fair Lele Saveri, who has brought to the stand widely distributed magazines like the Gourmand, Tissue, 032c and self published and even hand made titles.
“My main goal was to have as wide of a selection as possible, in terms of themes and prices,” said Saveri.
The newsstand is a fresh take on a familiar part of the commuter’s world, though instead of a quick pit stop, the guys behind the counter hope customers stop and peruse.
“The shop, its contents, and the way in which Lele has curated the space make it so different from the normal version of a newsstand that it is hard to not take interest in what is happening here,” said Kevin Kearney a managing director at Alldayeveryday, a marketing and media company responsible for the temporary newsstand takeover.
As opposed to Snickers bars, hungry commuters can find snacks of a different kind, such as White Russian-flavored popcorn from Butter & Scotch, Kings County Jerky, cookies from the Good Batch, McClure’s potato chips, and beverages from Kombucha Brooklyn.
“The local goods were a nice opportunity to provide something outside of the norm and compliment the selection of printed materials,” said Jamie Falkowski, another managing director at Alldayeveryday.
The Newsstand also doubles as an event space. Art exhibitions, book launches and musical performances are taking place until the project closes down.
“We have a number of signings and guest clerks scheduled, turning the space into both a shop and a platform for artists,” said Falkowski.
They plan to share updates on events on their blog.
The Newsstand at the Lorimer Street, Metropolitan Avenue Subway station (Metropolitan Avenue between Lorimer Street and Union Avenue, www.blog.alldayeveryday.com/thenewsstand). Through July 20, Mon–Fri, 10 am–9 pm, Sat, Sun, noon–7 pm.
