Street Vendor Hasn't Left Parking Space For 11 Years

"You can't come in from the front!"

A streetside used book seller with a beat-up '94 Civic has proudly kept the same Upper West Side parking space for, oh, about 11 years, and he's not moving anytime soon. Good thinking, guy! People in this city kill for a spot.

Charles Mysak found the spot on the corner of Columbus Ave and 68th St in 2001, and he goes to great lengths to maintain it. Every morning at 6:30 a.m., Mysak's wife drives him from their home in New Jersey to the space so they can temporarily move the car for street cleaning, then re-parks it in the same spot so Mysak can sell his books for the day. He spends about $36 in quarters every day feeding the meter, which is technically a violation of section 4-08(h) of the traffic rules.

Mysak, a former lawyer who started selling books after getting disbarred for stealing from his clients, told Jalopnik he thinks "Parking enforcement is a conspiracy against the laity, going back to, you know, medieval times...As far as I'm concerned, most parking enforcement actions are predatory in nature: they're anti-business, anti-commerce, and by definition, anti-New York." He's been ticketed several times and towed "once or twice," but says it's worth it because the business around his space is good.

And who knows, maybe one day he'll even take on Bloomberg! "If I had the opportunity, maybe I'll run for mayor or something and liberate the people of New York from the parking enforcement burden," Mysak said.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jamie Feldmar in News on August 19, 2011 12:26 PM

Comments [rss]

Nat Wreck Tech

but this article just blew up his spot. literally.

splicernyc

This sort of person is what makes New York what it is -- eccentric and eclectic. Good luck to him.

rdl114

In New York, you can call or visit the City Clerk and find out. Maybe you can go online. You can probably also call your city councilor's office.

To keep up on the law, you have to pay attention, not just be a grouser after the people you elect put in place laws you believe are questionable in value.

rdl114

Mysak says: parking rules are "anti-business, anti-commerce, and by definition, anti-New York."

Yo, palsy. Your wife DRIVING you into Manhattan every day is anti-New York (and anti-environment).

Cracks me up... he doesn't live here, he doesn't want to abide by laws we voted on here, and no doubt pays no taxes here. As he was a parasite upon his clients from whom he stole, he's a parasite here.

Why don't you take your heap of junk back to Jersey and leave the streets of the city to its real citizens.

Pashri Diaz

So everyone that commutes to NYC should just leave? That would destroy the economy.

notracistnotintocorporatemedia

When was the vote on the laws, I missed that one....

Joel_Cairo

Just another scumbag disbarred lawyer. Typical. Fuck him.

Bronxalien2013

Twice.

yincrash

This guy is definitely an UWS institution. He is fine exactly where he is.

Harper324

uh, what is the point of having a car and spending $13,140 a year parking it if you never actually go anywhere in the car?

gaelic47

You don't have to feed the meters on Sundays, so 6 days a week times 52 weeks a year times 36 bucks a day equals $11,232. Then you get all these holidays you don't have to feed the meter, so dudes probably paying somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 grand.

Harper324

Fair enough. But, still...

Knightmare6

Probably cheaper than renting an actual storefront (plus utilities and all)

Jason White

I pass him every day. He smokes these wonderful giant cigars. I love cigars. One day I stopped and asked him if he had a copy of Mann's Magic Mountain. He cocked his head to the sky and said yeah... probably do. The article didn't mention that his little car IS PACKED WITH BOOKS there is barely enough room for a body in the driver's seat. It's his warehouse or backroom, the stacks of his library. He went in to the back passenger side and started burrowing in there while I waited and perused his amazing collection on the table. After he was unsuccessful and switched to the driver side for his book tunneling I explained that I was short on time and that I would pass by the next day. He said he'd have it for me and he sure did. A copy from 1924 replete with a letter from the author in the back. Excellent condition. Ten lousy bucks he wanted for it. I read the shit outta that book. Absolutely killed it. Beat it up too I am sad to say but boy did it deliver a lovely experience. From the first to the last. I hope that guy stays there for years and years.