Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Revisiting NYC In 1988, From Sophie's Bar To Dumpster Diving
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 16, 2012
Modified Mar 16, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Gothamist
View all 7
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 16, 2012
Modified Mar 16, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Recently some corners of the internet discovered Michael Sean Edwards's photos of New York City in the 1970s and '80s, which we published a couple of years ago. But they're always worth revisiting, and now you can click through for a look at some of his black and white images from 1988, which we didn't include at the time. If you end up feeling nostalgic, you'll be happy to know you can still visit Sophie's Bar in the East Village—they might even be using the same pool table you see in these images.
For more 1980s New York, check out Steven Siegel's apocalyptic-looking photos (and portraits of New Yorkers), as well as our 1980s archives.
Tagged
east village
flashback
history
new york city
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Would you live on a Halloween block? These Hackensackers live for it.
A guillotine, killer clowns, clownfish: They've got it all on Clinton Place.
By
James Ramsay
Published Oct 29, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Owl pellets and period equity: What's happening at NYC's public libraries this November
Also: Books!
By
Alec Hamilton
Arts & Entertainment
Owl pellets and period equity: What's happening at NYC's public libraries this November
Also: Books!
By
Alec Hamilton
How the Village Halloween Parade keeps its soul
By
Hannah Frishberg
'You Can See Everything' … as long as you go to Staten Island
By
Sonia Rao
Inside the hidden chamber that controls Lincoln Center's magnificent fountain
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .