Radio Row

Radio Row denotes city neighborhoods dedicated to the retail of radio and electronic devices and components. These commercial zones appeared in numerous urban centers during the 1920s radio broadcasting surge and saw a decline by the mid-1900s.

Origins and Growth

Operating from 1921 until 1966, New York City's Radio Row was situated in Manhattan's Lower West Side, functioning primarily as a warehouse district. It served as the birthplace for prominent companies such as Arrow Electronics, Avnet—established by Charles Avnet in 1921—and Schweber Electronics.

The inaugural shop, City Radio, was launched in 1921 by Harry Schneck on Cortlandt Street, which quickly became the focal point for numerous electronics retailers.

In 1927, The New York Times first used the term "Radio Row" during coverage of a "Radio Jubilee" event on Cortlandt Street, emphasizing its significance compared to Broadway. For this occasion, traffic was halted to host festivities featuring New York’s acting mayor Joseph V. McKee and a contest to select a "Miss Downtown Radio."

Journalist Pete Hamill reminisced about accompanying his father to Radio Row during his youth to purchase radio tubes and later television parts, highlighting the district’s vital role for local buyers.

By 1930, The New York Times identified Radio Row as centered around Greenwich and Cortlandt Streets beneath the Ninth Avenue Elevated train line, spanning roughly five congested blocks with approximately 40 to 50 stores. The area was characterized by its bustling atmosphere filled with loudspeakers and a diverse inventory ranging from complete radios to small items like crystal sets and condensers.

Throughout World War II, Radio Row experienced supply shortages due to wartime restrictions but remained a gathering place for hobbyists and engineers. Businesses shifted focus toward repairs while anticipating expansion in FM radio and television sectors.

After the war, Radio Row experienced a resurgence fueled by sales of used radios, surplus military electronics including ARC-5 radios, and parts that overflowed onto sidewalks. This attracted collectors and contributed to the growth of the electronic component distribution industry that had its roots there in the 1920s and 1930s.

Clearance and Demolition

In 1966, Radio Row was cleared to facilitate construction of the World Trade Center. Five years prior, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey dismissed plans to locate the complex on Lower Manhattan’s east side within the Financial District, opting instead for a site on the west side near Hudson Terminal. Preparations commenced to utilize eminent domain for clearing the area bounded by Vesey, Church, Liberty, and West streets.

Resistance arose among local stakeholders opposing the demolition of west side streets. In 1962, Sam Slate of WCBS Radio reported fears that permitting the Port Authority to displace Radio Row merchants could set a precedent threatening all residences and businesses through government authority. The city also criticized compensation offers related to creating the superblock.

A coalition of small business owners led by Oscar Nadel contested the Port Authority’s flat $30,000 payout per establishment regardless of size or duration of operation. Nadel’s group asserted that businesses in this district employed around 30,000 individuals and generated $300 million annually. They filed suit against the Port Authority; however, in November 1963, the court dismissed Courtesy Sandwich Shop v. Port of New York Authority citing absence of a significant federal issue.

Following Radio Row’s closure, no comparable concentration of radio vendors reemerged elsewhere in New York City. Some electronics retail clusters developed later around Canal Street and Union Square. A large black-and-white photographic mural commemorating Radio Row is exhibited at the PATH's World Trade Center station.

Residences in Boston

A 1923 report by The Boston Globe highlighted a portion of Boston's North End that earned the nickname "Radio Row" because of its numerous radio antennas. The article emphasized that many inhabitants possessed several aerials connected to different receivers, demonstrating the swift embrace of radio technology by immigrants. Often, rooftops featured loudspeakers wired to devices inside the homes.

Retail districts in Cleveland

By 1928, an area in Downtown Cleveland along Prospect Avenue, stretching from East 4th to East 9th Street, was referred to as "Radio Row" due to its dense concentration of stores specializing in radios and electronic products.

Broadcasting hub in Los Angeles

During the 1940s and 1950s, "Radio Row" in Los Angeles denoted the vicinity near Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street within Hollywood, which housed broadcast studios for all four major radio networks.

Shopping area in Philadelphia

In the 1950s and 1960s, the stretch of Arch Street between 6th and 11th Streets in Philadelphia was known as Radio Row because of its cluster of electronic goods retailers.

Sports media broadcasting

The term Radio Row is also applied to the gathering of sports talk radio stations transmitting from the Super Bowl media center during the week preceding this prominent annual football event.

External links

The Death of Surplus
The History of "Radio Row," NYC's First Electronics District
Early Wireless - Leicester House, Lisle Street and beyond.
Amateur Computer Society - ACS newsletter, 1966-1976 @ computerhistory.org
Apex Electronics, Your Source for Oscilloscopes and Drop Tanks
Vintage postcard depicting Radio Row

Media

Radio Row Feature on NPR
Radio Row, Cortlandt Street, New York, 1929, YouTube video