The New York Drama Critics' Circle is made up of 21 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines and wire services based in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization is best known for its annual awards for excellence in theater.
130-456: The organization was founded in 1935 at the Algonquin Hotel by a group that included Brooks Atkinson , Walter Winchell , and Robert Benchley . Adam Feldman of Time Out New York has been President of the organization since 2005; Joe Dziemianowicz is currently Vice President, and Zachary Stewart of TheaterMania serves as Treasurer. Although Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times
260-522: A James Thurber -themed suite to the Algonquin. In March 1997, the partnership of Atlanta-based Camberley Hotel Company and Dallas-based Olympus Real Estate bought the Algonquin. The two companies paid $ 30 million for the hotel, which had 165 units at the time. The bedrooms were small by modern standards, and the Algonquin also had extremely slow elevators, mouse infestations, constant hot-water interruptions, and bad food. Camberley planned to renovate
390-454: A data breach . After the disclosure, Attorney General of New York Barbara Underwood announced an investigation into the data breach. The cyberattack was found to be a part of a Chinese intelligence -gathering effort that also hacked health insurers and the security clearance files of millions more Americans. The hackers are suspected of working on behalf of the Ministry of State Security ,
520-759: A public company via an initial public offering . The company opened its first hotel, the Marriott Motor Hotel , in Arlington, Virginia , on January 16, 1957. It cost $ 9 per night, plus an extra $ 1 for every person that was in the car. Its second hotel, the Marriott Key Bridge Motor Hotel in Rosslyn, Arlington, Virginia , opened in 1959, and was Marriott International's longest continuously operating hotel until its closure in July 2021. Hot Shoppes, Inc.
650-491: A 49% interest in The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company . Marriott believed that it could increase sales and profit margins for The Ritz-Carlton, a troubled chain with many properties either losing money or barely breaking even. The cost to Marriott was estimated to have been about $ 200 million in cash and assumed debt. The next year, Marriott spent $ 331 million to acquire The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta, and buy
780-533: A buyer for the hotel in mid-2005. The hotel was sold again to HEI Hospitality in October 2005. Under HEI's ownership, the hotel began lending Amazon Kindles to guests, in keeping with the hotel's literary traditions. HEI spent $ 4.5 million on yet another renovation of the hotel, completed in 2008, and they hired Gary Budge as the general manager. In September 2010, the Algonquin Hotel became affiliated with
910-774: A cash prize of $ 2,500, and a cash award of $ 1,000 is given to the playwright who receives the award for Best American or Foreign Play. Algonquin Hotel The Algonquin Hotel is a hotel at 59 West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan , New York City , United States. The 181-room hotel, opened in 1902, was designed by architect Goldwin Starrett for the Puritan Realty Company. The hotel has hosted numerous literary and theatrical notables throughout its history, including members of
1040-489: A kitchen on the same level. The Pergola contained a mural with outdoor scenes on one wall, as well as wood-paneled columns, which supported a latticework arch with flowers and acorn-shaped light fixtures. Although the Pergola could only fit three rows of tables, mirrors on the remaining walls gave the impression that the restaurant was larger than it actually was. The cafe's ceiling and walls contained terracotta and woodwork, and
1170-478: A large source of income, despite charging at least $ 100 per person (more if one had dinner, except for matinees). Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune wrote in 1993 that the room's decorations, size, furnishings, and waiters' services evoked "an era when visitors sat back, sipped a drink, listened to music and savored life in an unhurried way". The Oak Room permanently closed as a cabaret nightclub in 2012, and
1300-520: A long-term licensing agreement with Sonder (company) , adding 10,500 rooms to their portfolio and allowing customers to earn or redeem Marriott Bonvoy points at Sonder properties starting in late 2024. From Marriott's founding in 1927 to 2012, the company's senior leadership was led by members of the Marriott family. In 2012, Arne Sorenson became the first non-Marriott family member to be appointed chief executive; this practice continued when Anthony Capuano
1430-411: A majority interest in two properties owned by William Johnson, a real estate developer who had purchased The Ritz-Carlton, Boston in 1983 and expanded his Ritz-Carlton holdings over the next twenty years. Ritz-Carlton expanded into the timeshare market. Ritz Carlton benefited from Marriott's reservation system and buying power. In 1998, Marriott acquired majority ownership of The Ritz-Carlton. In 1997,
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#17328588418581560-773: A name, and many suites are named after members of the Algonquin Round Table. For example, suite 506 is named for Robert Benchley , suite 610 for Harold Ross , suite 1106 for Dorothy Parker , and suite 1112 for Franklin Pierce "F.P.A." Adams . Suite 306, named for Edna Ferber , hosted annual meetings of the New York Drama Critics' Circle . Suite 1010 (now the Noël Coward Suite) was the owner's apartment for nearly one hundred years. The hotel's first owner-manager Frank Case lived there from 1902 until his death in 1946;
1690-455: A party for the Algonquin's 75th anniversary in 1977. By the late 1970s, the Algonquin employed close to 200 staff members, about one for each unit on average. The hotel remained popular, despite not offering any weekend discounts, as newer hotels did. The Algonquin also ran few formal advertisements, instead obtaining most of its business through word-of-mouth marketing . Nightly room rates were relatively cheap, ranging from $ 43 to $ 80, so
1820-481: A patio and a roof garden , which were constructed before air conditioning became popular. There was also a 4,000-U.S.-gallon (15,000 L) water tower above the roof. The modern-day hotel contains 181 guest rooms and suites, as well as five meeting/conference rooms. The annex became part of the hotel in 1904. The Pergola occupied the first floor, and the Rocky Mountain Club opened its clubhouse within
1950-567: A portion of the room was converted into a private breakfast room for Marriott Reward Elite customers. As of 2022 , the Oak Room is a 1,650-square-foot (153 m ) conference room with space for 105 guests in a theater-style arrangement. The Oak Room also contains a movable partition, which can split the space into two rooms, each with a capacity of 40. The room retains its original woodwork, and its ceiling contains curving metal light fixtures. The hotel's Blue Bar has operated since 1933, following
2080-557: A rumor that he was considering selling the hotel; he had said that he would relinquish the Algonquin "the day it needed self-service elevators". Aoki's purchase marked the first time that a company or a foreign entity had owned the hotel, and it was part of a trend of foreign investment in New York City buildings in the late 1980s. Ben Bodne continued to live at the Algonquin until he died in 1992, after which Mary Bodne remained there until her own death in 2000. Aoki promised to preserve
2210-518: A short term, paying a nightly rate that ranged between $ 2 for a single room and $ 10 for a three-bedroom suite. For an extra daily fee of $ 1, guests were allowed to hire their own servants. The Puritan Realty Company agreed in February 1903 to sell the Algonquin Hotel to two doctors, Andrew H. Smith and his son Davison W. Smith, for about $ 800,000; the Smiths took title that November. In partial exchange for
2340-422: A two-story stable at 65 West 44th Street in 1904 and built another floor above the stable the next year. By the late 1900s and early 1910s, the surrounding neighborhood was rapidly developing into an entertainment district. The New York Hippodrome opened directly across 44th Street in 1905, which Case described as "an important event for us". Manhattan's theater district also shifted to Times Square during
2470-433: A wide glass pane flanked by angled narrow sidelights . The angled windows were intended to increase each unit's exposure to natural light. There are panels, urns, and floral motifs in the angled sidelights; some of the panels have been replaced with air conditioning grilles. The band course above the tenth story protrudes from the facade; the underside of the band course contains dentils and scrolled console brackets . On
2600-535: A wooden storefront with metal decorations. There is a double door at the center of the storefront, with a canopy in front of the door. This entrance leads to the Blue Bar. The entrance is flanked by display windows, which in turn are topped by transom panels with metal grilles. On either side of the storefront are pilasters decorated with Native Americans' heads. The second story contains a projecting window with multiple panes, as well as angled sidelights. The third story
2730-400: Is also a seating area across from the reception desk, where guests can pet and play with the hotel's cat. The Rose Room, along with the smaller Oak Room, was part of the hotel's restaurant. The space contained red wallpaper, a red ceiling, and chandeliers with orange velvet tubes. The Rose Room was demolished when the lobby was expanded in 1998. The Round Table Restaurant was relocated into
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#17328588418582860-473: Is an American multinational company that operates, franchises, and licenses lodging brands that include hotel , residential, and timeshare properties. Marriott International owns over 36 hotel and timeshare brands with 9,000 locations and 1,597,380 rooms across its network (as of 2023). Marriott International is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland . The company is the successor to the hospitality division of
2990-471: Is divided into three sections, above which is a cornice supported by brackets and decorated with lions. When the hotel opened in 1902, its public rooms were originally furnished in English oak with marble floors. The hotel originally contained a large restaurant known as the Pergola at ground level, as well as a smaller cafe. The Pergola restaurant occupied the west and north sections of the ground floor, with
3120-469: Is mostly twelve stories high, except for the extreme western end, which is three stories high. The first two stories of the facade are made of rusticated limestone blocks, while the upper stories have a Renaissance Revival brick facade, with limestone, metal, and terracotta details inspired by the Beaux-Arts style. When the hotel opened, it contained a large restaurant and a smaller cafe, which later became
3250-533: Is on 59 West 44th Street, on the north sidewalk between Sixth Avenue and Fifth Avenue , in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City . The rectangular land lot covers 9,221 sq ft (856.7 m ), with a frontage of 91.83 ft (27.99 m) on 44th Street and a depth of 100.42 ft (31 m). On the same block, the Iroquois New York , the Sofitel New York Hotel ,
3380-521: The Algonquin Round Table club during the early 20th century. Its first owner-manager, Frank Case , established many of the hotel's traditions, including an official hotel cat as well as discounts for struggling authors. The hotel is a New York City designated landmark and a member of Historic Hotels of America , a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation . The hotel building
3510-789: The American Hotel and Lodging Association and Ryman Hospitality Properties responded by unsuccessfully petitioning the FCC to change the rules to allow them to continue jamming client-owned networks, a position which they were forced to abandon in early 2015 in response to backlash from clients, mainstream media, major technology companies, and mobile carriers. The incident drew unfavorable publicity to Marriott's practice of charging exorbitant fees for Wi-Fi . On April 1, 2015, Marriott acquired Canadian hotel chain Delta Hotels , which operated 38 hotels at that time. On November 16, 2015, Marriott announced
3640-561: The Bible . Marriott Corporation was founded by John Willard Marriott in 1927 when he and his wife, Alice Marriott, opened a root beer stand in Washington, D.C. After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New England, Marriott traveled to Washington, D.C. where he experienced the humid summer weather of the city. Marriott was convinced that what residents of
3770-584: The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen building, and the Hotel Mansfield to the southeast. The adjacent block of 44th Street is known as Club Row and contains several clubhouses . When the hotel was developed in 1902, the area was filled with clubhouses, including those of the Harvard Club, Yale Club , New York Yacht Club , New York City Bar Association , and Century Association . Prior to
3900-694: The Marriott Corporation , founded by J. Willard Marriott (1900–1985) and his wife Alice Marriott (1907–2000). Marriott International is the largest hotel company in the world by the number of available rooms. It has 36 brands with 8,785 properties containing 1,597,380 rooms in 141 countries and territories. Of these 8,785 properties 2,046 are managed but not owned by Marriott, 6,563 are owned and managed by independent hospitality companies under franchise agreements with Marriott, and 50 are both owned and managed by Marriott. The company also operates 20 hotel reservation centers. Marriott International, Inc.
4030-466: The Marriott International chain's Autograph Collection brand, but the hotel retained several of its traditions, including its name and its cat. HEI continued to own the hotel but paid a franchise fee to become part of Marriott's rewards program. The affiliation with Marriott came amid an increase in tourism in New York City . Marriott International Marriott International, Inc.
New York Drama Critics' Circle - Misplaced Pages Continue
4160-818: The New York Yacht Club Building , and the Harvard Club of New York City building are to the east. Other nearby buildings include the Belasco Theatre to the west; Americas Tower to the northwest; 1166 Avenue of the Americas to the north; the New York City Bar Association Building and the Royalton Hotel to the south; and the Penn Club of New York building at 30 West 44th Street ,
4290-567: The World Uyghur Congress at one of its properties in Prague, citing reasons of "political neutrality". In August 2022, employees began moving into the company's new 21-story, 785,000-square-foot headquarters building on Wisconsin Avenue , ahead of an official opening on September 21. The new building was constructed over four years as part of a $ 600 million downtown Bethesda campus, together with
4420-515: The 2010s, the hotel's annex was the only former stable on the block. The Algonquin is also one of six hotels on 44th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, the largest concentration of hotels on a single block in New York City during the early 21st century. The Algonquin Hotel was designed in 1902 by architect Goldwin Starrett of the Thompson–Starrett Company . Albert Foster, who headed
4550-537: The 53 entities that contributed the maximum of $ 250,000 to the Second inauguration of George W. Bush . On July 19, 2006, Marriott implemented a smoking ban in all buildings it operated in the United States and Canada effective September 2006. In 2007, Marriott became the first hotel chain to serve food that is completely free of trans fats at all of its North American properties. Hotels franchised or operated by
4680-479: The Algonquin "often seems like a small, non-political United Nations " because guests came from around the world. Bodne conducted additional renovations through the 1950s and 1960s, ordering new furniture and draperies in the same style as the hotel's original furnishings. The hotel's rooms were redecorated in an 18th-century English style, with bedspreads and lamps from department stores. Bodne also installed refrigerators and TV sets concealed within walnut bureaus;
4810-463: The Algonquin name. The Fosters hired Frank Case as a clerk in late 1902, a few weeks before the hotel opened. According to one account, Case believed the "Puritan" name was too pompous and evocative of European influences. Case reportedly advocated for an American name, and he persuaded the Fosters to rename the hotel after discovering that Algonquian Native Americans had been the first residents of
4940-423: The Algonquin still employed elevator operators ; when the hotel's elevators were replaced in 1965, the new elevator cabs were deliberately designed without space for automatic buttons. In addition, it did not offer gaudy entertainment or host private parties; the only visible symbol of luxury was the dining room's crystal chandelier, which the hotel had bought in the 1930s for $ 25. The Algonquin's staff knew many of
5070-540: The Algonquin's centennial. As part of the renovation, Miller Global closed the Algonquin entirely in June 2004; this was the first time that the Algonquin had been fully closed in its history. During the closure, Miller Global installed high-speed internet connections and flat-screen TVs in all of the hotel's rooms. When the hotel reopened in August 2004, the owners offered discounts to guests who owned old hotel memorabilia, and
5200-550: The Avendra hotel chain violated West Virginia law by contracting with vendors and receiving "sponsorship fees" from them to provide services to Town Hotels, when according to the contract, Marriott was forbidden to profit from the contract except for management fees. In 2004, the company sold its right to the Ramada brand to Cendant , acquired in 1997. In 2005, Marriott International and Marriott Vacation Club International were two of
5330-405: The Blue Bar was renovated and expanded into part of the space formerly occupied by the Oak Room. The expanded Blue Bar contained blue lighting and blue-toned backlit bookshelves, with black-and-white floors that resembled those in the main reception area. The Blue Bar was relocated to the main lobby in 2022. The modern bar contains design elements similar to those added in the 2012 renovation, but
New York Drama Critics' Circle - Misplaced Pages Continue
5460-842: The Lim Company from renting the hotel to the National Health Fund for doctors' housing or contracting for advertising deals until the Lim Company would pay unwarranted bonuses to Marriott. Also in the same year, on May 1, Marriott announced that it completed the acquisition of Mexican hotelier Hoteles City Express. By this move, Marriott officially entered the affordable midscale-segment under City Express by Marriott brands. The company also launched another brand focusing on budget extended stays called StudioRes in August, and an extension to its Four Points by Sheraton brand called Four Points Express in September. In August 2024, Marriott announced
5590-480: The Oak Room cabaret. The annex contains the Blue Bar on its ground story, while the upper stories were formerly used as a clubhouse. Although the Algonquin was originally intended as an apartment hotel , it had few long-term tenants. Frank Case leased the hotel in 1907 and converted it into a traditional lodging establishment, attracting many theatrical and literary guests. Case bought the hotel in 1927 and continued to operate it until his death in 1946. Ben Bodne bought
5720-451: The Oak Room early in their careers. The singer Sylvia Syms collapsed and died on stage there during a performance in 1992. The Oak Room spanned 4,000 square feet (370 m ). New York Times critic Raymond Sokolov described the Oak Room as intimate and more masculine than the Rose Room. The space had theatrical equipment and lighting, as well as a grand piano. The Oak Room was not
5850-529: The Puritan Realty Company bought a 7,200-square-foot (670 m ) site at 59–63 West 44th Street from the Century Realty Company for $ 180,000. The Puritan Realty Company immediately announced plans to erect an apartment hotel on the site. The hotel would be similar in design to the then-newly completed Touraine, at 9–11 East 39th Street, and it would rent rooms and suites on year-long leases. The owners hired 28-year-old Goldwin Starrett to design
5980-426: The Puritan Realty Company, developed the hotel. The building is mostly twelve stories tall, except for the extreme western end, which was converted from a three-story stable. The 12-story section is shaped like an "H", with light courts facing west and east. In total, the hotel measures 136 feet (41 m) tall from ground level to the roofline. The hotel building has a symmetrical facade. The first two stories of
6110-489: The Rose Room to make way for an expansion of the lobby, and they added eight standard rooms and one suite. Natalie Ascencios was also commissioned to create a painting of several Round Table members, which was then hung in the lobby. By the beginning of the 21st century, the Algonquin was one of several boutique hotels on that block of 44th Street, along with the Iroquois, Mansfield, and Sofitel. Camberley and Olympus placed
6240-458: The Rose Room's former space. The Oak Room occupied the ground floor of the annex and was originally the Pergola's rear section. The Oak Room Supper Club opened within part of the Pergola in 1939, with European chanteuse Greta Keller as the room's first star. The club closed during World War II. The Oak Room reopened as a regular venue in either 1980 or 1981 under the management of cabaret operator Donald Smith. Its first regular and star
6370-633: The Sheraton Towers, as the ITT Sheraton Luxury Collection . In February 1994, ITT Sheraton Hotels and Resorts acquired a controlling interest in CIGA (Compagnia Italiana Grandi Alberghi, or Italian Grand Hotels Company), an Italian international hotel chain that owned several luxury properties in Europe. The majority of the CIGA hotels were folded into The Luxury Collection. CIGA's original logo,
6500-470: The TVs and refrigerators could be removed as needed. The hotel received modern wiring, plumbing, and heating systems; the new heating system reduced the hotel's heating costs by 25 percent. Around 1963, stage designer Oliver Smith redecorated the hotel's Rose Room with white, gilded, and rose draperies, designing the room in a manner similar to a stage set. Most guests were unaware of the renovation work, as it
6630-646: The U.S. Tax Code. Effective March 31, 2012, Bill Marriott assumed the role of executive chairman of the company and relinquished the role of chief executive officer to Arne Sorenson . In December 2012, Guinness World Records recognized the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai , a five star hotel , as the tallest hotel in the world. In 2013, the owners of the Madison 92nd Street Associates LLC, who contracted with Marriott to manage their hotel, sued Marriott for $ 400 million, alleging that Marriott had conspired with
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#17328588418586760-701: The United States (after the Pulitzer Prize ). The main award is for Best Play. If the winner of that award is American, the Circle then votes on whether to give an award for Best Foreign Play as well; if the Best Play winner is of foreign origin, the Circle may give out an award for Best American Play. The awards are later presented in a small ceremony. Since 1945, the Circle has also given out awards for Best Musical. Special Citations may also be awarded for actors, companies, or work of special merit. The award for Best Play includes
6890-456: The acquisition of Starwood for $ 13 billion. A higher offer for Starwood at $ 14 billion from a consortium led by China's Anbang Insurance Group was announced March 3, 2016. After Marriott raised its bid to $ 13.6 billion on March 21, Starwood terminated the Anbang agreement and proceeded with the merger with Marriott. Following receipt of regulatory approvals, Marriott closed
7020-570: The adjacent Marriott Bethesda Downtown hotel. In 2023, a criminal investigation was opened against Marriott in Poland , claiming that it acted fraudulently and unethically against the Lim company, the owner of a Warsaw hotel. During the COVID-19 period, Marriott would not keep up the hotel's maintenance and shifted the costs of maintaining the empty hotel to the Lim Company. At the same time Marriott prevented
7150-538: The annex's second and third stories in 1913. The clubhouse had its own entrance on 44th Street, which ascended directly to the second story. The second floor contained a lounge, a reading room, and a cafe that connected with the hotel, while the third floor included the club's parlor , pool , and billiards rooms. The Rocky Mountain Club house was used by the Beethoven Association from 1922 to 1934. The third floor
7280-440: The area. Another possible derivation is that Ann Foster named the hotel the Algonquin to complement the nearby Iroquois, which was also named after a Native American tribe. The historian John Tauranac , which attributed the "Algonquin" name to Case, claimed that the Algonquin had been named before the Iroquois was. Either way, the Algonquin had been planned with a gentlemen's billiards room, but, under Case's supervision, that room
7410-582: The attacks. Anthony Melchiorri was hired as the hotel's new general manager. Miller Global spent $ 3 million on renovating the hotel. When the hotel had been sold, the previous owner had relocated the first painting to the Martha Washington Inn in Virginia, so Miller Global hired Ascencios to create another painting of the Round Table's members. This painting was installed in the Oak Room in advance of
7540-551: The brand. Amongst its several most notable hotels are Hotel Alfonso XIII , Gritti Palace Hotel , IVY Hotel + Residences , Hotel Imperial , ITC Grand Chola , Marqués de Riscal Hotel , The Nines , Palace Hotel, San Francisco , The Park Tower Knightsbridge Hotel , Phoenician Resort , Hotel President Wilson , The St. Anthony Hotel , and Royal Hawaiian Hotel . The Royal Penthouse Suite at Hotel President Wilson in Geneva , part of The Luxury Collection, billed at US$ 65,000 per night,
7670-445: The breach. Australia's Information Commissioner served Marriott an 'enforceable undertaking' to improve their security. In 2019 and 2021, Marriott faced an investigation and a class action lawsuit in the US for its practice of charging resort fees that were not included in the room price, with the services included in these "resort fees" unclear. This method is prohibited in many parts of
7800-463: The city needed was a place to get a cool drink, and so after returning to Utah and graduating from The University of Utah, Marriott purchased the rights to franchise an A&W root beer stand in Columbia Heights. The first summer saw brisk business, but as cold weather approached they realized the seasonal nature of their business and received permission from A&W to start selling food. He named
7930-450: The city's other hotels. Even so, Ward Morehouse III wrote in 1981 that the Algonquin "just never seems to worry about the so-called 'bottom line', or profit picture, despite the fact it is one of the most reasonably priced first-class hotels in the city." Bodne sold the hotel to Caesar Park Hotels, a subsidiary of Japanese company Aoki Corporation , for $ 29 million in June 1987. The sale came four months after Bodne had publicly denied
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#17328588418588060-533: The company acquired the Renaissance Hotels and Ramada brands from Chow Tai Fook Group and its associate company, New World Development . Marriott International also signed an agreement to manage hotels owned by New World Development. The same year the company also got into the home cleaning business by starting a new venture dubbed HomeSolutions. In 2001, the Marriott World Trade Center
8190-521: The company submitted plans to the New York City Department of Buildings for an unnamed 12-story hotel, to be built on the north side of 44th Street east of Sixth Avenue. The Thompson–Starrett Company completed the hotel within a seven-month period, between April and November 1902. Originally, the hotel was to have been known as the Puritan; there are conflicting explanations for how it received
8320-496: The company were affected by the 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing , the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing in 2008, and the 2009 Jakarta bombings . On November 11, 2010, Marriott announced plans to add over 600 hotel properties by 2015, primarily in emerging markets : India, where it planned to have 100 hotel properties, China, and Southeast Asia. On January 21, 2011, Marriott said that adult movies would not be included in
8450-432: The country's Communist-controlled civilian spy agency. Initially, Marriott said that 500 million customers' personal information had been exposed. In January 2019, the company updated the number of guests affected to "less than 383 million" customers, and claimed many of the customer's payment cards had expired. The UK Information Commissioner's Office fined Marriott £18 million for breaches to GDPR law that contributed to
8580-419: The development of the Algonquin Hotel, the neighborhood contained a slaughterhouse, stables for stagecoach horses, and a train yard for the elevated Sixth Avenue Line . One of the stables became the Algonquin's three-story annex in 1904. There had been many stagecoach stables on 43rd and 44th Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, but only a few of these buildings remained at the end of the 20th century. By
8710-462: The early 1920s, the Algonquin had become popular as a short-term residence for "Hollywood stars and Broadway producers". The Algonquin's success prompted Case to consider opening a similar hotel in Hollywood in the early 1920s. Case bought the property in 1927, paying Andrew Smith's family $ 1 million. By then, the hotel contained 250 rooms. The hotel's Blue Bar opened in 1933, sixteen years after
8840-449: The electrical systems were replaced as well. The owners installed a plaque in the lobby, describing the hotel's history; the plaque had to be remade because it contained so many spelling and grammatical errors. The renovation took five years to complete, as the contractors only renovated three floors at a time; it ultimately cost $ 20 million. The Algonquin was one of several hotels around Times Square that were developed or renovated in
8970-408: The eleventh and twelfth stories, there are panels with roundels between each of the three middle windows; a similar panel is placed above the twelfth-story windows. At the twelfth story, the four outermost windows are flat rather than angled, as on the second story. The western annex was originally a two-story stable but was expanded to a three-story brick structure in 1905. The first story contains
9100-427: The end of Prohibition in the United States . Originally, the Blue Bar was placed in a niche behind the reception counter. The niche was closed and converted to storage space by the 1980s. The Blue Bar relocated to the annex in 1997, with its own entrance from the street. The New York Times wrote in 2000: "The Blue Bar is frequented by widows and well-traveled gentlemen with a predilection for theater." In 2012,
9230-679: The entertainment offered at new hotels, which would use an Internet-based video on demand system. In 2011, Mitt Romney received $ 260,390 in director's fees from Marriott International, despite the fact that he had already stepped down from the board of directors to run for President of the United States . His released 2010 tax returns showed earnings in 2010 of $ 113,881 in director's fees from Marriott. In February 2012, Bloomberg News reported on Romney's years overseeing tax matters for Marriott, which had included several "scams" (quoting John McCain ) and legal actions brought against Marriott, which Marriott lost in court, over its manipulations of
9360-479: The facade are made of rusticated limestone blocks. The upper stories are largely clad with brick and are designed in the Renaissance Revival style, with limestone, metal, and terracotta details in a Beaux-Arts -inspired style. There are band courses on the facade above the second and tenth stories. The twelfth story was originally crowned by a cornice, which has since been removed. The first story of
9490-469: The first decade of the 20th century; several Broadway theaters , including the Belasco, Broadhurst , Forty-fourth Street , and Winthrop Ames (now Hayes ), were developed on 44th Street in the 1900s and 1910s. Case took over the hotel's lease in 1907 and decided to operate the Algonquin as a short-term hotel. He lived there with his wife Caroline and their children Margaret and Carroll. Shortly after Carroll
9620-543: The following brands internationally. The Luxury Collection is a brand of Marriott International for luxury properties. It is notable as the first "soft brand" hotel chain. Most hotels of the brand are located in converted historic buildings, including palaces or older hotels. The brand also enlists notable designers to craft luxury travel accessories that are available exclusively on the brand's website. The Luxury Collection brand began on January 13, 1992, when ITT Sheraton designated 28 of its most expensive hotels and 33 of
9750-620: The four horses of St. Mark, was kept for The Luxury Collection brand logo until 2010; each Luxury Collection hotel now uses its own logo. In 2011, it embarked on an advertising campaign. In 2012, the brand announced a major expansion in Asia, particularly in China. Also in 2014, the brand signed Danish supermodel Helena Christensen as spokesperson. In 2015, the company launched a $ 700 million program to renovate properties. As of December 31, 2020, there were 118 hotels comprising 23,243 rooms operating under
9880-403: The guests by name, and its valet was friends with many of the hotel's theatrical guests. Following an extensive marketing campaign in Europe in the mid-1960s, the Algonquin became popular among European travelers. To cater to these new guests, Smith designed a new marquee above the entrance, which was installed in 1965. The New Yorker magazine, which had been established at the hotel, hosted
10010-569: The hotel for sale in January 2001, receiving bids from about 20 potential buyers. The hotel saw decreases in visitation following the September 11 attacks in 2001. Bernard Goldberg , who had been in contract to buy the hotel at the time, canceled his plans following the attacks. Miller Global Properties acquired the Algonquin from Camberley in June 2002 for an estimated $ 35 million. The Algonquin's visitor numbers largely recovered within two years of
10140-614: The hotel from Case's estate and operated it for another four decades. The Algonquin then passed to the Aoki Corporation in 1987, the Camberley Hotel Company in 1997, Miller Global Properties in 2002, and HEI Hospitality in 2005, undergoing a renovation every time it was sold. The Algonquin became part of the Marriott International chain's Autograph Collection brand in 2010, and it was sold to MassMutual subsidiary Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors in 2011. The Algonquin Hotel
10270-457: The hotel had many repeat guests. Staff recorded each guest's needs and preferences on index cards. Many of the hotel's staff were employed there for several years, long enough to memorize guests' preferences. The "Algonquinites list" comprised nearly 5,000 names. The hotel's Oak Room reopened as a cabaret venue at the end of 1980. The units were refurbished again in the mid-1980s. The Algonquin's room rates continued to be cheaper than those at
10400-538: The hotel until his death in June 1946. Chemical Bank , the trustee of Case's estate, placed the Algonquin for sale that August. At the time, the hotel had 192 units (143 of which were suites), as well as a bar and three restaurants. In September 1946, Chemical Bank sold the hotel for $ 1 million to Ben Bodne of Charleston, South Carolina , who acquired the title to the property the next month. Bodne and his wife Mary had stayed there during their honeymoon in 1924, and Ben had promised Mary that he would one day buy
10530-458: The hotel's 12-story section is five bays wide and contains a limestone water table . The entrance is recessed within the center bay, and a marquee projects above the sidewalk in front of the main entrance. This marquee contains details such as old English lettering, wrought-iron scrolls, and a scalloped awning. There are two segmental arches on either side of the main entrance, all of which have canopies above them. There are glazed wooden doors in
10660-514: The hotel's bar in 1917, saying he did not want to fund his children's college tuition with "saloon money". Within two years of its closure, a soft-drink bar had been added. Following World War I, the hotel became a meeting place of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of actors, critics, wits, and writers, between 1919 and 1929. In addition, the Beethoven Association moved into the hotel's annex in 1922, staying there for twelve years. By
10790-498: The hotel's ownership was split equally between his daughter Juliet E. Smith and his wife Jane Wells. The annex caught fire the same November, destroying Frederic Thompson 's residence on the top story. The Rocky Mountain Club leased the Algonquin's three-story annex in May 1913, and Frederick J. Sterner remodeled the annex into a clubhouse, which opened that December. Case had a negative perception of speakeasy operators, and he closed
10920-530: The hotel's popularity among theatrical and literary figures. For instance, Case paid playwright Eugene Walter 's railroad fare when the latter was a guest at the hotel, and Case allowed guests to defer payment of their bills. The Toronto Star wrote: "Through the years, the hotel has played an important role in keeping various (literally) starving artists and actors alive until their next job, their future book or Broadway hit." The hotel's restaurant caught fire in February 1909. After Andrew Smith died in 1910,
11050-439: The hotel's traditions, including maintaining the Oak Room and Rose Room as dining spaces. The hotel's elevators were in dire need of upgrades; decades earlier, writer James Thurber had joked that the hotel's literary guests "became writers while waiting for the elevators". In 1989, Aoki began renovating the hotel to designs by architect John Ciardullo and designer Laura Gottwald. Tishman Realty & Construction carried out
11180-520: The hotel, his first project in Manhattan. Starrett's firm, the Thompson–Starrett Company, was to build the hotel for $ 500,000 or $ 600,000. The Puritan Realty Company acquired a $ 250,000 loan from the Century Realty Company at the end of 1901. Albert T. Foster and Ann Stetson Foster obtained a majority ownership stake in the Puritan Realty Company in February 1902. At the end of the month,
11310-438: The hotel, raise nightly room rates from $ 180 to $ 200, and resell the Algonquin in five to seven years. The new owners were initially unaware of the hotel's historical significance, as Camberley president Ian Lloyd-Jones said: "We thought we were looking at a normal piece of real estate with a great location that had been underperforming in the hands of absentee owners for the last 10 years." The New York Observer wrote that, at
11440-410: The hotel, the Smiths sold a building at the corner of Madison Avenue and 42nd Street. Albert Foster continued to hold a lease on the Algonquin Hotel, paying $ 45,000 a year in rent. When the Algonquin opened, it was near six clubhouses, as well as the upscale Delmonico's and Sherry's restaurants. By early 1903, the Algonquin and other buildings on the block suffered from water shortages because of
11570-498: The hotel. The modern-day lobby includes modern furniture designed in an early 20th-century style, as well as original furniture from the same time period. The walls and columns are stained to resemble chocolate-ebony wood. The space also contains black-and-white tiled floors, which were installed in 1998 in a vintage style; the floors are covered by imported British rugs. The lobby contains an oil painting of several Algonquin Round Table regulars, designed by Natalie Ascencios on
11700-474: The hotel. The hotel's plumbing had not been updated in two decades, and the basement had sustained water damage following the demolition of the Hippodrome several years prior. Bodne owned the hotel for the next four decades, occupying the suite in which Case and his family had once lived. Ben and Mary Bodne had two daughters, both of whom were married; their respective husbands both eventually became managers of
11830-425: The hotel. Ben and Mary's sons-in-law Sidney Colby and Andrew Anspach initially were hired as the hotel's vice presidents. Colby became the hotel's manager in 1951, and Anspach had taken over as managing director by the 1970s. Bodne announced plans in 1947 to renovate the hotel for $ 100,000. John Martin, the hotel's general manager of nine years, helped Bodne with the improvements, which included refurbishing all
11960-409: The large number of businesses in the area. Meanwhile, the Fosters had become estranged. Ann Foster sued Albert in June 1904 to acquire the Algonquin's lease, claiming she was the true leaseholder and that she had spent $ 50,000 to furnish the hotel. A New York state judge subsequently appointed Albert as the hotel's receiver . Ultimately, Case took over the day-to-day operations, Albert was assigned
12090-537: The late 1980s and 1990s. Arthur Kaptainis of the Montreal Gazette wrote that the project had "cleared the funny smells without stripping the lobby of its cushiony Edwardian elegance". The hotel was no longer known for its cheap room rates; the Gazette noted that the neighboring Hotel Iroquois charged much less. Even so, the Algonquin remained popular among those visiting nearby Broadway theaters. In 1995, Aoki added
12220-449: The lease and all objects in the hotel, and Ann acquired the building itself (notwithstanding the fact that it had already been sold to the Smiths). The Algonquin did not attract many long-term tenants in its early years. According to Case, the hotel catered to "many well-known families from Newport, Bar Harbor and Narragansett", who stayed there twice a year for short periods. The hotel bought
12350-497: The lights were suspended from plaster holders on the ceiling. There are multi-room suites and single rooms on the third through eleventh floors. The core of the H-shaped hotel contains two elevators. Above the second floor, the elevators open into a public hallway that connected all of the rooms on that floor. The core also contains a dumbwaiter leading from the hotel's kitchen; a set of stairs; and service rooms. The roof contained
12480-403: The merger with Starwood on September 23, 2016, creating the world's largest hotel company with over 5700 properties, 1.1 million rooms, and a portfolio of 30 brands. The Starwood acquisition gave Marriott a larger non-US presence; approximately 75% of Starwood's revenues were from non-US markets. On November 30, 2018, Marriott disclosed that the former Starwood brands had been subject to
12610-516: The money to CTF Hotel. CTF Hotel also accused Marriott of accepting bribes from suppliers. In 2003, the company completed the corporate spin-off of its senior living properties (now part of Sunrise Senior Living ) and Marriott Distribution Services. In the same year, the owners of the Marriott-operated, Town Hotels, sued Marriott for breach of contract , breach of fiduciary duty, negligence , and fraud . They claimed that Marriott along with
12740-522: The newspaper adopted a revised ethics policy that forbade its journalists from membership in an awards-voting body, and its critics withdrew from the NYDCC. As of 2021, the Times ' s policy against membership remains in effect. The New York Drama Critics' Circle meets twice a year. At the end of each theater season, it votes on the annual New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards, the second oldest playwriting award in
12870-476: The original bar had closed. The Algonquin retained its popularity in the literary and theatrical industries; Case wrote in 1938 that it was not uncommon to see "five or six or seven well-known writers" at the Algonquin simultaneously. After the New York Drama Critics' Circle was founded at the Algonquin in 1935, it started hosting annual dinners at the hotel, wherein the group voted on the best play of
13000-409: The pandemic, global occupancy fell as low as 31%. President and CEO Arne Sorenson died on February 15, 2021, from pancreatic cancer . On February 23, 2021, Anthony Capuano was appointed to fill Sorensen's vacancy as CEO and Director, having previously served as Marriott's group president of global development, design and operations. In November 2021, the company was criticized for refusing to host
13130-524: The parent company of the Six Flags Corporation (both are now owned by Six Flags). Marriott International, Inc. was formed in 1993 when Marriott Corporation split into two companies: Marriott International, Inc., which franchises and manages properties, and Host Marriott Corporation (now Host Hotels & Resorts ), which owns properties. In 1995, Marriott was the first hotel company to offer online reservations. In April 1995, Marriott acquired
13260-574: The parlors and bedrooms in each suite; the master bedrooms were illuminated by the bay windows on the facade. Unusually for hotels of the time, each bedroom had its own bathroom, with a shower, hot and cold water, and electric lights. Except for bookshelves and fireplace mantels , the units were otherwise unfurnished. By the 2000s, the rooms had black-and-white wallpaper with framed cartoons from The New Yorker magazine. The hallways also contain cartoons taken from The New Yorker . The modern-day hotel contains 156 rooms and 25 suites. Each suite has
13390-564: The project. The hotel's 170 rooms were redecorated in a Victorian style, with wooden trim and sliding doors in each room, as well as wallpaper, tapestries, and fabrics with early-20th-century designs. Some of the rooms on the second floor were removed to make way for an expansion of the hotel's meeting rooms. One of the suites was renamed the Round Table Suite and filled with Algonquin Round Table memorabilia. The old operator-controlled elevators were supplanted by self-service elevators, and
13520-456: The rear of the bar can be cordoned off for private parties. The rooms and suites were originally arranged in square groups, each with its own hallway connecting to the elevators and stairs at the core. The largest suites available in the hotel contained a private hallway, a sitting room, a library or dining room, three bedrooms, and three bathrooms. Each unit originally contained mahogany woodwork and waxed-oak floors. Sliding doors separated
13650-454: The restaurant Hot Shoppes and watched as it grew in popularity. Always looking for new ways to improve his company, he bought the vacant lot next to one of his Hot Shoppes, removed the curb, and began offering the first drive-in service on the East Coast. This move popularized the restaurants, and by 1932, the Marriott's owned 7 Hot Shoppes in the D.C. area. In 1953, Hot Shoppes, Inc. became
13780-414: The restaurant à la carte . They could also pay $ 7 a week (equivalent to $ 247 in 2023) to hire their own servants, or $ 12 a week (equivalent to $ 423 in 2023) to have food delivered to their rooms. Annual rent ranged from $ 420 (equivalent to $ 14,800 in 2023) for a single room to $ 2,520 (equivalent to $ 88,700 in 2023) for a three-bedroom suite. Guests could also use the rooms and suites for
13910-446: The restaurant offered discounted lunches to authors. Melchiorri developed a $ 10,000 martini to mark the completion of the renovation. Bodne's grandson David Colby pushed for Miller Global executives to revive the hotel's literary traditions, saying: "The Algonquin has greater potential than 100 percent occupancy." The hotel also started lending iPods with audiobooks to its guests. Miller Global hired Cushman and Wakefield to find
14040-415: The rooms and adding a refrigeration plant. The renovations also included new air-conditioners and televisions in each room. Bodne replaced 300 chairs, beds, and tables with new furnishings in the same style, and he also repainted the walls to their original colors. Under Bodne's ownership, the Algonquin became the first hotel in New York City to replace its hotel keys with electronic key cards. The hotel
14170-407: The site of a former bar. Next to the painting is an imitation round table, for which guests can make reservations. There is a blue-and-red marble desk with a shelter for the hotel's cat (see Algonquin Hotel § Cats ) and, near the eastern window, a shelf with a small staircase for the cat. Above the reception desk is an artwork composed of salvaged guest books, which was added in 2022. There
14300-409: The street. The four outer bays have rectangular windows, separated by large brackets that support the band course above the second floor, and topped by keystones flanked by festoons. The third through eleventh stories are seven bays wide and are made of brick with limestone quoins . The four outermost bays on each story contain projecting bay windows with angular window frames, each consisting of
14430-431: The subsequent owners, Ben and Mary Bodne, lived there from 1947 until their respective deaths in 1992 and 2000. The largest suite in the hotel is suite 209 on the annex's second floor, which is named after John Barrymore and covers nearly 700 square feet (65 m ). The Algonquin was the third hotel to be built on the surrounding city block, after the Iroquois and Royalton, which had opened in 1900. In November 1901,
14560-434: The time of Camberley and Olympus's acquisition, "the publishing scene [had] long since dispersed". Camberley officials announced plans to spend $ 4 million on a "discreet" renovation of the entrance and lobby. Some hotel regulars wrote letters to Lloyd-Jones, daring him "to change a thing". Camberley hired Alexandra Champalimaud to design the renovation, which ultimately cost $ 5.5 million. The hotel's owners demolished
14690-418: The westernmost bay, as well as metal service doors in the easternmost bay. The second-westernmost and second-easternmost bays contain tripartite windows. The second story is seven bays wide. The three center bays on the second floor have two-over-two sash windows, separated by motifs of tassels and shells. There is a small balustrade in front of the three center bays, with a flagpole extending diagonally above
14820-805: The workers' committee. They claimed that Marriott allowed the workers to unionize at the Madison-owned hotel in exchange for not unionizing at Marriott's flagship hotels. On October 3, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) fined Marriott $ 600,000 for unlawful use of a "containment" feature of a Wi-Fi monitoring system to deliberately interfere with client-owned networks in the convention space of its Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville . The scheme disrupted operation of clients' mobile phone hotspots via Wi-Fi deauthentication attacks . Marriott International, Inc.,
14950-655: The world and is known as " drip pricing ". In December 2019, the company acquired Elegant Hotels, operator of 7 hotels in Barbados . In February 2020, the company discovered a data breach that included the theft of contact information for 5.2 million customers. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic , the company instituted additional cleanliness standards, including requiring the use of electrostatic sprayers with disinfectant , adding disinfecting wipes in all hotel rooms, and removing or re-arranging furniture in public areas to allow more space for social distancing . During
15080-581: The year. The hotel's staff joined a labor union affiliated with the American Federation of Labor in 1939, and they went on strike . Case negotiated a contract with the labor union that April, and the Algonquin's staff have remained unionized since then. In addition, the Algonquin Supper Club, the hotel's first-ever nightclub, opened in November 1939. Case remained the owner and manager of
15210-635: Was among the first in New York City to give walkie-talkies to its staff and install smoke detectors in its rooms. After Bodne's purchase, the hotel continued to host literary and theatrical meetings, including those of the Drama Critics' Circle; the Outer Circle , composed of theatrical critics who did not live in the New York metropolitan area; and the PEN Club, composed of fiction writers. Colby said in 1952 that
15340-569: Was born in 1908, Caroline died, and the hotel's staff helped Frank raise his children at the hotel. The Algonquin soon became a "theatrical and literary mecca", according to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), and it was also the first major hotel in New York City to accept unaccompanied female guests. Under Case's management, the Algonquin gained a reputation for hospitality toward struggling authors, actors, and producers, which contributed to
15470-406: Was closed during World War I, and the bar and newsstand were both removed in the 1990s. The lobby also contains wood paneling and a grandfather clock, which were both part of the original design. There was a glazed partition between the waiting area and reception desk. To the east of the lounge was a men's smoking room and club. These features were removed during several subsequent renovations of
15600-440: Was converted to a kitchen. The hotel opened on November 22, 1902, and was originally intended as a long-term hotel. At the time of the hotel's opening, 75 percent of the units were occupied. The Algonquin had amenities that were considered modern for its time, such as trained servants, in-suite telephones, heating, and plumbing. Guests could use the phones in their rooms to contact the hotel's concierge or to order food from
15730-487: Was destroyed during the September 11 attacks . In 2002, CTF Hotel Holdings Inc. , a company that owns a hotel in Hong Kong managed by Marriott, sued Marriott alleging that Marriott engaged in extortion and bribery. According to the allegations, Marriott contracted to receive audio-visual services from Molloy. Marriott paid an inflated amount to Molloy and pocketed the 1.7 million dollars above its fee. Marriott had to return
15860-495: Was formed in 1993 when Marriott Corporation split into two companies: Marriott International, Inc., which franchises and manages properties, and Host Marriott Corporation (now Host Hotels & Resorts ), which owns properties. Since the founders were missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , copies of the Book of Mormon are provided in hotel rooms in addition to
15990-468: Was formed in the February 2019 merger of its three former rewards programs: Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest. Starwood Preferred Guest (also known as SPG) was founded in 1999 as the first in the industry to enforce a policy of no blackout dates, no capacity controls, and online redemption. In 2012, Starwood Preferred Guest began offering lifetime status and a dedicated Starwood ambassador for loyal members. Ritz-Carlton Rewards
16120-501: Was founded in 2010. Members were able to receive air miles instead of reward points and able to earn ten points (or two miles) for every dollar spent on any Ritz-Carlton room rates. Despite the restriction of membership to only one of the two programs, members of Ritz-Carlton Rewards were able to earn points in other Marriott hotels, while Marriott Rewards members were able to earn points at a Ritz-Carlton. As of 2024, Marriott International operates hotels, resorts and other properties under
16250-467: Was largely conducted at night. By the early 1960s, major literary and theatrical figures were beginning to favor more upscale hostelries, and "the poorer actor could not afford Algonquin prices". Even so, the bar and restaurants were often full. The Algonquin still had a relatively small capacity compared to newer hotels, and it had only two elevators, one of which was used for freight during off-peak periods. Unlike other hotels with automatic elevators,
16380-435: Was named his successor in 2021. The current practice is members of the Marriott family are named chairman while other company executives are named as chief executive. Marriott International reported Total CO2e emissions (Direct + Indirect) for the twelve months ending 31 December 2020 at 5,166 Kt (-1,643 /-24.1% y-o-y) and aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott's current loyalty program and
16510-701: Was renamed the Marriott Corporation in 1967. In 1972, the Marriott lodging division acquired the Greek-based Sun Line cruise line, which it owned until 1987. In 1976, the company opened two theme parks, each named Marriott's Great America, in California and Illinois . Marriott sold the parks in 1984, with the California park bought by the City of Santa Clara and the Illinois park bought by Bally Manufacturing , then
16640-470: Was singer-pianist Steve Ross . Other performers who have appeared at the Oak Room include Julie Wilson , Mary Cleere Haran , Karen Akers , KT Sullivan , Barbara Carroll , Sandy Stewart and Bill Charlap , Diana Krall , Jessica Molaskey , Jamie Cullum , and John Pizzarelli . Andrea Marcovicci performed there for over 25 years, sometimes with her mother Helen Stuart Marcovicci . Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Feinstein also performed at
16770-417: Was the first President of the NYDCC, Times critics are no longer permitted to be members of the group. In 1989, the newspaper's executive editor decreed that their critics could no longer participate in any awards voting. Times critics remained in the organization as non-voting members until 1997, when the newspaper reversed its policy and allowed its critics to resume voting for the awards. However, in 2003,
16900-509: Was then used as a ballroom for much of the 20th century, while the second floor became storage space. In 2012, the annex's second floor was renovated, becoming the John Barrymore Suite. The annex's first floor has contained the Blue Bar since 1997. Originally, the front (south) portion of the ground floor contained a lounge with palms and flowers. When the hotel opened, the lobby included a barbershop, bar, and newsstand. The barbershop
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