Watch Disappearing NYC: Three Stories

Disappearing NYC: Three Stories is a documentary film released in 2018 following the struggles of small business owners living in the city that never sleeps, New York City. Directed by Christina Schiavoni, this film touches on three different stories of small businesses that are fighting against the gentrification and rising rent costs in the city.

The first story follows Walter Dikarev, a Ukrainian immigrant who has been running his hardware store, "Paul's", in the East Village for over 25 years. It was originally owned by a man named Paul, who was the father of Walter's wife. However, after Paul passed away, Walter took over the store and has been running it ever since. Now, with the skyrocketing rent prices in the East Village, Walter is struggling to keep Paul's afloat. Rents in the area have doubled, and he cannot afford to pay rent and keep the store open without increasing his prices. This is a problem since he is already competing with larger chain hardware stores like Ace and Home Depot. Walter is fighting to keep his store open and to maintain the character of the neighborhood.

The second story follows Polo Rivera, the owner of Julie's Cuban Restaurant in Harlem. Polo was born and raised in Havana, Cuba and moved to the United States in 1996. He opened Julie's in 2013, naming it after his sister who passed away from cancer. It quickly became a neighborhood staple, serving traditional Cuban dishes like ropa vieja and yucca fries. However, like Walter, Polo is dealing with rising rent costs. After his landlord raised the rent by $4,000 a month, he is fighting to keep the restaurant open. The documentary follows Polo as he struggles to make ends meet and keep Julie's alive.

The third story follows the journey of the last independent bookstore in the Bronx, the Lit Bar. The owner, Noëlle Santos, is a Bronx native who has been on a mission to bring a bookstore back to her community since her local Barnes & Noble closed down. In 2017, she finally opened the doors to her store, Lit Bar, a combination bookstore and wine bar. The store quickly became a hit and was deemed the "it" spot for the community. However, Noëlle soon found out that the landlord wanted to raise the rent by $10,000 a month, forcing her to move the store to a new location. The documentary follows Noëlle as she fights to keep the store open and the community engaged.

Disappearing NYC touches on a widespread problem in New York City, and throughout the country, involving rent hikes, gentrification, and the challenges faced by small business owners. The stories of Walter, Polo, and Noëlle serve as a reminder of the importance of small businesses and the unique flavor they bring to their communities. It is a call to action for viewers to support small businesses and to fight against the forces that threaten to displace them.

Overall, Disappearing NYC: Three Stories is an emotional and inspiring documentary that tells the stories of three small business owners in New York City who, despite overwhelming challenges, are fighting to keep their stores alive. The film is a powerful reminder of the importance of community and the struggle to maintain it in a city where gentrification and rising rents threaten to take it away.

Disappearing NYC: Three Stories is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 12 hours.