On the side streets of New York

Acker Merrall & Condit — 160 West 72nd StreetAcker Merrall is the oldest continuously operating wine merchant in the country. Anna, a member of the Acker Merrall team, even boasts about a framed list on the wall that detailed the provisions of the Titanic. Sure enough, wine from Acker Merrall was listed. Anna explained that they were specifically known for stocking ships and that in the early 1900s, there were 29 locations scattered along the coast, stretching to Baltimore. Today, Acker Merrall is best known as the largest wine auctioneer in the world. There are beautifully bound books in the back of the store that have carefully documented these sales over the years. In a city where shops open and close faster than one can discover them, it is refreshing to find a business that has managed to stay afloat for almost two centuries.

To read more, visit Manhattan Sideways (sideways.nyc), created by Betsy Bober Polivy.