In a bizarre twist, Rex's Dino Store, a public art exhibit installed at a Brooklyn subway station, is bringing back memories of the once-thriving newsstands that line New York City's subways. The 7-foot-tall T-Rex, an integral part of the MTA's Vacant Unit Activation program, stands proudly as a nostalgic reminder of the city's past.
Located in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the Dino Store is a brainchild of artists Akiva Leffert and Sarah Cassidy. Initially inspired by a vacant newsstand, they iterated on the idea until it evolved into a bodega run by dinosaurs, for dinosaurs. The concept is rich in local references, making the exhibit an absolute treat for New Yorkers.
From Steg Yun to Shen Yun, and from Cellino & Barney to Dino Smith's promise of flying lessons, every element of the Dino Store seems meticulously crafted with humor and creativity. "New York is just like a rich text," Cassidy explains. "Everyone knows what a bodega is, but they've got their own ideas." Leffert agrees, pointing out the sabretooth cat on a shelf as an example.
The MTA's initiative to transform unused newsstands into art installations has given new life to these vacant units. Rex's Dino Store serves as a testament to the power of creative repurposing and community engagement. As the installation runs at least until April, visitors can experience this prehistoric New York City wonder for themselves at Grand Army Plaza subway station in Brooklyn or online at rexs.nyc.
As Leffert humorously remarks, "we've got that under control" – including the bodega cat. Rex's Dino Store is a nostalgic gem in the heart of Brooklyn, reminding us of the city's ever-changing history and its ability to reinvent itself.
Located in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the Dino Store is a brainchild of artists Akiva Leffert and Sarah Cassidy. Initially inspired by a vacant newsstand, they iterated on the idea until it evolved into a bodega run by dinosaurs, for dinosaurs. The concept is rich in local references, making the exhibit an absolute treat for New Yorkers.
From Steg Yun to Shen Yun, and from Cellino & Barney to Dino Smith's promise of flying lessons, every element of the Dino Store seems meticulously crafted with humor and creativity. "New York is just like a rich text," Cassidy explains. "Everyone knows what a bodega is, but they've got their own ideas." Leffert agrees, pointing out the sabretooth cat on a shelf as an example.
The MTA's initiative to transform unused newsstands into art installations has given new life to these vacant units. Rex's Dino Store serves as a testament to the power of creative repurposing and community engagement. As the installation runs at least until April, visitors can experience this prehistoric New York City wonder for themselves at Grand Army Plaza subway station in Brooklyn or online at rexs.nyc.
As Leffert humorously remarks, "we've got that under control" – including the bodega cat. Rex's Dino Store is a nostalgic gem in the heart of Brooklyn, reminding us of the city's ever-changing history and its ability to reinvent itself.
The 7ft T-Rex dinosaur is so iconic and it brings back memories of my childhood days browsing through those classic newsstands 
. And can we talk about how creative and funny the whole concept is? 
I mean, a bodega run by dinosaurs for dinosaurs? Genius! 
The MTA's initiative to repurpose those vacant units into art installations is pure genius too. It's like they're saying "new life, who dis?" 
Anyway, Rex's Dino Store is definitely going to be on my list of things to check out before it disappears in April 
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I'm loving this exhibit, it's like stepping into a different era of NYC 
the attention to detail is insane, from the Steg Yun to Shen Yun references, it feels like they really got the vibe of an old newsstand down 
. And can we talk about how cool it is that they repurposed vacant units as art installations? It's amazing what a little creativity can do for a community 
. The fact that Rex's Dino Store is now an online experience too means more people can enjoy it, which is awesome 
The fact that it's been so thoughtfully crafted with local references just adds to its charm. And I love how they're not just leaving these vacant units as is - instead, they're making them part of the community again 
. It's great to see people coming together to make something new and exciting out of old stuff 
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The idea of turning old newsstands into art exhibits is genius, you know? Like, who wouldn't want to see a T-Rex standing tall in a Brooklyn subway station 
The fact that you can experience this exhibit online too, makes it even more accessible! 
just think about it... the MTA's Vacant Unit Activation program is like a big ol' reset button for those vacant newsstands. now they're not just collecting dust but are being transformed into something new & awesome 
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I mean, can you believe this? A T-Rex standing in the subway station like it's just another thing 
! But for real though, I love how they took that old newsstand idea and ran with it into a whole dinosaur bodega scene... it's so creative 
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... it's like they took all these old newsstand ads and turned them into a full-on dinosaur run bodega ... "new york is just like a rich text" - i mean what even is that? 
but seriously, the level of detail in this exhibit is insane. from steve yun to shen yun (lol) every little thing is so cleverly done... i love how it's not just about dinosaurs tho, it's also about the community and how they're repurposing these old spaces... anyhoo, if u haven't seen rex's dino store yet u need to get on that ASAP 
. The fact that this art exhibit is giving new life to old newsstands just feels like a breath of fresh air 
. And can you believe it's dinosaurs running the bodega? 
those Steg Yun references are on point! I love how the creators incorporated all these NYC nods and local references, it's like stepping into a time capsule 
It's so cool that it's not just about art, but also community engagement! I can see why they chose a bodega run by dinosaurs - who wouldn't want to hang out with friendly T-Rexes at a NYC bodega 
. The fact that it's a tribute to the city's past but also really cool in its own way is just genius 
