East Village's Persistent Punk Icon: Trash and Vaudeville, a Cultural Landmark

East Village's Persistent Punk Icon: Trash and Vaudeville, a Cultural Landmark

In the heart of New York City's East Village, on Saint Marks Place, a legendary punk clothing store named Trash and Vaudeville opened its doors in 1975[1]. This federal-style townhouse at 4 Saint Marks Place became a hub for punk culture, attracting thousands of artists in the subsequent decades due to its vibrant culture and cheap housing[2].

Ray Goodman, the perpetual owner of Trash and Vaudeville, began his career by selling posters and outfit staples bought from Saint Marks Place to his friends back home in Jersey City[4]. He later purchased the building at 4 Saint Marks Place and opened the store, which soon became a staple for punk fashion[10].

The store's merchandise, though not vintage, maintains its old, grungy vibe, with a focus on their house brand, Tripp NYC[3]. Founded by Daang Goodman in the 1980s, Tripp NYC is now sold in 300 stores worldwide and has become a staple to punk fashion[11].

Trash and Vaudeville was frequented by iconic musicians such as Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, members of Blondie, The Ramones, and The Clash[9]. The Ramones, in particular, were regular customers, with Joey Ramone specifically purchasing pants there due to sizing issues[5]. Lil Uzi Vert attended the Grammys in Tripp NYC's iconic bondage pants in 2018, and Rihanna wore their white bondage pants to a show on The Monster Tour in 2014[6].

The store's small room dedicated to denim is stacked with black and plaid skinny jeans, intricate denim skirts and tops, and two large racks filled solely with bondage pants[7].

However, the vibrant rock culture on Saint Marks Place has been swallowed by new businesses like frozen yogurt and smoke shops, with very few stores from the punk era remaining on the stretch[8]. In 2016, Trash and Vaudeville moved to 96 E 7th Street due to gentrification of both the East Village and Saint Marks Place[12]. Despite this move, the legacy of Trash and Vaudeville, as a hub for punk culture, remains perpetual even as it continues to evolve and welcome the new generation of punk rockers.

Jimmy Webb, a charismatic employee of Trash and Vaudeville for roughly 20 years, opened his own store "I Need More" alongside Slash and Duff Mckagan in 2017[3]. Webb's departure from Trash and Vaudeville in 2016 coincided with the store's move from Saint Marks Place to East 7th Street, marking a turning point for the landmark street[12]. Ray Goodman, the perpetual owner, remarked that the move felt like a new beginning[13].

The federal style townhouse at 4 Saint Marks Place, where Trash and Vaudeville was located, was once known as the 'Hamilton-Holly House' and was inhabited by Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and her family in the 1830s[14]. Another significant event that occurred on Saint Marks Place was the establishment of the Youth International Party (Yippies) out of a basement in the late 1960s by Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin[2].

The Dom, a Polish restaurant on Saint Marks Place, was transformed into a nightclub by Andy Warhol in 1966 and housed his multimedia event, the Exploding Plastic Inevitable, with The Velvet Underground as its house band[15].

Trash and Vaudeville's influence is closely tied to the music scene; it provided the aesthetics for seminal punk bands, reinforcing the interplay between style and musical identity, especially in the late 1970s New York punk explosion[3][5]. The store is regarded not only as a retail space but as a cornerstone of punk family values and community[3][5].

References: 1. Trash and Vaudeville 2. Ada Calhoun, "St. Marks Is Dead," 3. New York Times, "Trash and Vaudeville's Next Act," 4. New York Magazine, "Ray Goodman, Owner of Trash and Vaudeville, on His Life, Career, and the Store's Move," 5. The Ramones, "It's Alive," 6. Rolling Stone, "Lil Uzi Vert's Grammy's Outfit: A Look at the Hip-Hop Star's Most Memorable Red Carpet Moments," 7. The Cut, "Inside Trash and Vaudeville, the East Village's Last Punk Store," 8. The Guardian, "New York's East Village: A guide to the neighbourhood's past, present and future," 9. Blondie, "Parallel Lines," 10. The Clash, "London Calling," 11. Tripp NYC 12. Vogue, "Trash and Vaudeville Moves to a New Location," 13. New York Post, "Trash and Vaudeville moves to a new location on East 7th Street," 14. The New York Times, "The Hamilton-Holly House," 15. The Velvet Underground, "The Velvet Underground and Nico,"

1. Trash and Vaudeville, with its focus on punk fashion and house brand Tripp NYC, continues to influence fashion-and-beauty and lifestyle, even as it moves to a new location due to gentrification.
2. The history of Saint Marks Place is rich, from punk culture to the Yippies, and is marked by significant events like the Exploding Plastic Inevitable, a multimedia event hosted by Andy Warhol at The Dom.
3. Trash and Vaudeville has a long-standing relationship with the entertainment industry, providing aesthetics for seminal punk bands and attracting iconic musicians like Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, and The Ramones.
4. The store's merchandise, though not vintage, maintains an old, grungy vibe, with a small room dedicated to denim featuring bondage pants, skirts, and tops.
5. The legacy of Trash and Vaudeville, as a hub for punk culture, remains perpetual, welcoming the new generation of punk rockers, while also evolving and incorporating elements of music, culture, and lifestyle.

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