Schitibank

Iconic East Village newsstand Gem Spa has rebranded as a “Schitibank” in a wry comment on the gentrification that is pricing out mom and pop businesses throughout the neighborhood. Posters read: The same schiti ATM used by the New York Dolls and Get Robert Mapplethorpe rewards points, which can be traded in for the likes of egg creams, vapes, and leather cockrings. Since 1957, Gem Spa has sold newspapers, magazines, candy bars and egg cream on the corner of St. Marks Place and Second Avenue. The birthplace of the authentic New York Style Egg Cream, Gem Spa was once dubbed the “Official oasis of the East Village” by the Village Voice. It was a gathering place for beat poets in the 50’s, a hippie hangout in the 60’s, and today continues to supply egg creams to the local community as it has been doing for decades. The New York Dolls featured Gem Spa on their album art, Allen Ginsberg wrote poems about it, Basquiat painted it, and Robert Mappelthrope welcomed Patti Smith to NYC with an egg cream from there.