The real history of Naugahyde vinyl — developed by U.S. Rubber in 1914, adopted in diner booths across Long Island, and sold with a fictional creature invented by Madison Avenue.
My Marcellino NY workshop in Setauket sat directly across from the Brewster House, c. 1665 — the oldest building in Brookhaven and a Culper Spy Ring landmark. What that place meant, and why I’m going back.
How two factories — Kullman in New Jersey and DeRaffele in New Rochelle — fabricated the chrome-and-porcelain diners that defined Long Island’s roadside landscape for generations.
The raw denim world sells selvedge edges and Japanese mills, but what actually makes jeans last has nothing to do with the red line on your cuff.
Three American outerwear brands built a century ago for men who needed gear that worked. Here’s what the tin cloth jacket, the Detroit jacket, and the Perfecto each actually do — and which one belongs in your closet.
One’s made in Tennessee for $30. The other’s made in France for $400. Both will outlive you. Here’s what you’re actually paying for — and whether it matters.