SoHo, New York City Article

by Sharen Furlotte

The streets of SoHo include parts of Houston Street, Lafayette Street, Canal Street, and West Broadway. This neighborhood is within easy walking distance of Washington Square Park to the south. If you are planning to tour SoHo, you should plan to spend an entire day there as this neighborhood is packed with lots to do.


A Brief Look at the History of SoHo

In the early days of its existence, SoHo gradually developed into a manufacturing center. By the early 1900s, it became a hotspot for sweatshops that permeated the area. The conditions in these shops were deplorable, leading to the unpleasant nickname of ?Hell’s hundred acres.? Eventually, as new labor laws were passed into existence, the sweatshops were forced to close up and leave the neighborhood.

Shops in SoHo

A medley of cobblestone streets meanders through much of SoHo. Numerous boutiques line the streets offering an interesting medley of clothing from trendy to fashionable to punk and every style in between. The price range varies just as much as the style of the clothing so there is a shop for each type of budget from inexpensive ones to those with no price limit.

Lots of stores in SoHo feature antiques, artwork, jewelry, and collectibles. A nice assortment of stores exists that sell these items, so the opportunity exists to find that piece you need to complete your collection.

Dining in SoHo

Dining in SoHo is a tasteful activity. The cuisine ranges from Italian to Thai to American to everything in between. The smell of food wafts along the sidewalks, tempting sightseers to enter one restaurant or another for a tasty meal. Some of these eateries also feature a fine line of wines, beers, and alcoholic beverages to go along with the meal. The atmosphere at these locations ranges from casual to upscale. Internet access is features in many of these dining establishments as well.

Nightlife in SoHo

Nighttime hours in SoHo are exciting as the neighborhood is full of an assortment of bars with an exciting array of beer and alcoholic beverages. Depending on where you stop, nightly entertainment is often featured at one place or another.

Visiting SoHo

The weekends bring people in by the droves, so for those visitors who want to take their time meandering through SoHo should visit during the week. Another important fact to take note of is that SoHo tends to begin its day later than most neighborhoods. Many of the stores, shops, cafes, etc do not open until 11:00 am in the morning. However, these establishments tend to stay open late into the night.

Intro: SoHo, or the area south of Houston, is a popular spot for tourists of all ages. These cobblestone streets offer a wide variety of shops and cafes, so an entire day is needed to meander through this neighborhood.