Joseph Ades, the man who peddled more vegetable peelers than anyone in New York -- and possibly the world -- died last month, and many people suddenly realized that they wished they had bought one of his peelers.Yesterday, correspondent Lucien was crossing through the Green Market at Cadman Plaza near Brooklyn Borough Hall and saw "a good-sized group of people" gathered by the fountain. In his words:
"As I got closer, I could see feet and a pile of carrot peels... and a strange sense of deja-vu as I heard the same patter the gentleman selling carrot peelers there for years had been doing, word-for-word, in the same accent -- but I had heard he had passed away, and this was in the voice of a woman. According to her, she is his daughter, and she's selling off his remaining stock."
Thanks, Lucien, for the tip and the photograph.Don't know about you, but we're going to run over to the park ASAP and buy a couple, in memory of the best peeler salesman in the world.
An 'A-Peeling' Task Brooklyn Eagle
- RIP Joseph Ades -- The Man Who Made Selling Peelers An Art
- Joseph Ades -- NYC's Most Successful Street Vendor -- In Brooklyn Now
I bought two from him over a dozen years ago and both still are good. . .
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to have his daughter take his place, even if it is just for a few days or weeks.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could buy one now :(
ReplyDeleteI saw her yesterday, and she was a delight!
ReplyDeleteHere's my video of Joseph: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XoeG7w8zzM
ReplyDeleteYou should buy from her if you can BUT they do sell the peeler at the Design Within Reach store in SOHO - and before you can say it, NO, they are not $50... they are $5 there too...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dwr.com/category/find+a+studio/soho-tfl.do