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linawil

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  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    Ziegfeld Bookshop
  • City**
    Ellicott City
  • State (US only)**, Country (Outside US only)**
    MD
  1. We're actually hoping to find photos of the storefront or even inside the store if anyone runs across one. There's also an apparent recorded interview that my grandmother gave to a radio program "World of Dance" in 1967. It includes interviews with "Merle Lister, Erick Hawkins, and Bertha Pollack, 1967" and is apparently held at the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the Library of Performing Arts. I've been in contact with an archivist who believes it was digitalized and that I will be be able to have it. It is supposed be approximately 7 minutes in length: Alvin H. Reiss, host on the radio program World of Dance, introduces his guest Bertha Pollack, a specialist seller of dance books, at her store Ziegfield Bookshop in New York City; Pollack speaks about her business including her specialization in ballet; her customers; and books she would like to have available [concluding remarks of Reiss; announcements made by Horosko; music and closing remarks by unidentified male]. Hopefully this will add some more light, directly from the source.
  2. I spoke with my older brother who had more of a memory of the whys of Ziegfeld Bookshop. I've always wondered about the name since I knew the shop to be @ 910 Seventh Ave between 57th and 58th streets. My brother shared that the shop was originally across or next to the original Ziegfeld Theater on 6th Avenue. The store, my grandparents' apartment, and the theater were torn down when the Sheraton was built. (My research seems to show this occurring near 1969.) As far as how the store began, apparently my grandfather had lost his job as an accountant and they needed to do something to get by. They acquired the shop and began more as a Hallmark-like card shop. They would travel to lower Broadway to the secondhand book stores like Strands and search for finds. My brother remembers hearing that they would buy a book for 25 cents and then sell it for something like $4. Where the buyer would feel they were not paying enough for the books, my grandmother knew she had made a good profit. The book section was built from there. As far as the Kamin book stickers, it seems my grandparents bought their stock and also ran a lending library. Both my brother and I can picture the shop on 7th Ave.'s layout with an alcove used to house dance books, and the lending library toward the back of the shop. Walls of greeting card displays that I recall inventorying with shelves of chotskies and other items above the card racks. We're still trying to figure out how the boxes of black and white 8 x 10 photos came to be. We have strong memories of looking through them as well as seeing dancers spend hours looking at them. The dance specialization came directly from my grandmother being enamored by the dance. She loved everything about that world. I have a call into my uncle to see if he can fill in some of the blanks (and make sure my brother's memories are accurate). I truly would appreciate any other memories that you have to share.
  3. To those speaking of Ziegfeld Book Shop, Sam and Bertha Pollack were my grandparents. Some of my fondest memories are coming to spend school vacations working in the shop. At 5 years old I was ringing up sales at the cash register while dancers from ABT perused books and still photos of other dancers. My grandparents, especially my grandmother, loved the dancers. "American Mama and Papa" they were called by dancers visiting from other countries. To be introduced to so many wonderful artists at such a young age was incredible. I have autographed practice point shoes from Carla Fracci. Met Nureyev and Margot Fontaine. I always described the store as a book shop that specialized in dance. It was my grandmother's pride and joy. Thank you for sharing your warm memories.
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