Myrt's
Outside view of Myrt's c. 1940s, courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives 
View outside of where Myrt's once operated today, September 2024, courtesy of Google Maps Known Name(s)
Myrt's
Address
105-09 Northern Blvd Corona, NY 11368
Establishment Type(s)
Beauty Parlor
Description
Just west of the Encore Restaurant site on the stretch of Northern Boulevard between 105th and 106th Street resides the building from which Myrt’s beauty parlor once operated. The building that housed Myrt’s still stands today. It is now a Mexican grocery and organic foods store. It is a three-story walkup, with apartments on the upper floors, made of buff-colored Flemish bond brick, with a flat roof. Above the entrance, there are two rows of three replacement windows each topped with a window lintel featuring three big stone blocks, one in the middle and two on the ends, the middle one being a keystone. Towards the top of the building there is a decorative cornice above the top row of three windows. There are two entrances below, one for the apartments above and one for the store. The store’s display windows advertise food items with images of what is sold inside. There is also a green and white awning above the store entrance with the name and telephone number of the current establishment. Below the decorated storefront windows are three tiled panels: green, white, and red in color to pay homage to the Mexican flag’s colors.
Detailed History
From the mid-1940s through the 1960s, Corona became home to many prominent African-American musicians, including Harry Belafonte, as well as civil rights leaders and athletes. During this period, the neighborhood underwent significant demographic changes. By the time Myrt’s beauty parlor appeared in the Green Book in 1954 and 1955, Corona’s ethnic makeup was shifting, with a growing Dominican population joining the historically Italian-American and African-American communities. At the same time, the area became increasingly commercialized. Northern Boulevard, where Myrt’s was located, thrived as a lively hub of local life, lined with hair salons, restaurants, bars, and other small businesses. This part of Corona, Queens, buzzed with cultural activity, neighborhood commerce, and marked a broader movement of communities expanding beyond Manhattan into Long Island.
Additional sources about Myrt’s historical context as a former beauty parlor are difficult to find, as is information about any specific individual tied to the business. However, a historical photo in the NYC Municipal Archives depicts the building in the 1940s. The photos show that the surrounding area was becoming more commercialized, even before World War II. There are cars parked along the side of the street, there is an insurance company next door, and an additional beauty salon is to the left. There is even a billboard advertisement on top of the row of buildings. These features add to our understanding of the Corona area during a period with more migration out of the city to more suburban settings.
