Sesame Street (fictional location)

Sesame Streetis a fictional street located inManhattan,aboroughinNew York City.The street serves as the location for the Americanchildren's television seriesofthe same name,which is centered on 123 Sesame Street, a fictionalbrownstonebuilding.

Signpost of Sesame Street

In honor ofSesame Street's50th anniversaryon May 1, 2019, the intersection between Broadway and West 63rd Street was officially renamed Sesame Street, and an actual sign was placed permanently at the intersection. Characters from the show joined the mayor ofNew York City,Bill de Blasio,for the unveiling. The location of the permanent sign and designated intersection were chosen because they are near theSesame Workshop.

Fictional location

The fictional Sesame Street represents an unspecified neighborhood inNew York City.Art directorVictor DiNapolihas said it is supposed to be located on theUpper West Side.Sesame Street'sco-creator,Joan Ganz Cooney,said in 1994 that she originally wanted to call the show123 Avenue Bafter theAlphabet Cityarea of theLower East SideandEast Village.

The opposite side of Sesame Street is not part of the set, although the other side is occasionally shown from another location. The opposite side has been seen in the twoSesame Streetmovies.

The featured building and bridge in the background are composites and are to represent a broader variety of American cities.The bridge represents threebridges of New York City.

Notable fiction locations

123 Sesame Street

Sesame Streetprimarily revolves around abrownstone-typerow housecalled123 Sesame Street.The house is a three-story building with adaylight basement,totaling three known apartments.

• First floor:The Robinson family.Elmo'sfamily moved to this floor in Season 46.
• Second floor:The Rodriguez family.Originally Maria lived there alone until she married Luis and had Gabi.Buffywould live with her when she came to stay.
• Bert and Ernielive in the basement.

The building is meant to appear typical ofNew Yorkneighborhood brownstones, being described as a "survivor ofgentrification"by DiNapoli.

Oscar's trash can

Oscar the Grouch'strash canis his home, and sits in front of a fence made of salvaged doors. Gordon states that the trash can has three and a half bedrooms. Oscar's girlfriend Grundgetta is the most frequent visitor to his trash can.

In the episodeSesame Street Visits the Firehouse,Gordon mentions that Oscar's trash can has "Two elephants, a puppy, a rhino, a goat, and a worm." The interior of Oscar's trash can was first explored in the 1999 filmThe Adventures of Elmo in GrouchlandwhenElmoimpatiently enters the trash can in search of his blanket. In Season 46, as part of a set redesign, the trash can is moved to a dumpster unit of the front of 123 Sesame Street. It is now part of a recycling center with acompostbin and Oscar can appear at different locations throughout the street.

Big Bird's nest

Big bird on Sesame Street

Big Birdlives in hisnest.One of the windows of Gordon and Susan's apartment overlooks the nest. Big Bird's Nest was redesigned following ahurricanethat hit Sesame Street. Big Bird's best friendMr. Snuffleupagusis the most frequent visitor to his nest. In Season 46 the nest was moved to a tree.

The Arbor

The Arbor is aforecourtthat serves as the entrance to acarriage house;it is also aplayground,and separates 123 from atenement.In the first season, the Arbor was a tiny location between the two buildings. In the late 1990s, the characters decided that the neighborhood needed moregreen spaceand built acommunity gardenin a vacant lot behind the Arbor.The garden behind the Arbor is where Stinky the Stinkweed resides.

At one time, the carriage house that serves as its backdrop housed a garage. Susan kept herVolkswagenthere and Hiroshi used the space as his art studio. At other points, Oscar the Grouch (who has also been shown as the owner of the garage) has kept his Sloppy Jalopy there. The Sloppy Jalopy is the name of the car Oscar uses for his taxi service, which was first introduced on the show in episode 1252. For a while, it was also the location of Gina's veterinary practice, and later Charlie's Auto Repair garage. During the Season 46 set redesign, it was converted to acommunity centerwith the community garden being extended behind 123, connecting onto Big Bird's nest area while becomingAbby Cadabby'shome.

Hooper's Store

Hooper's Storeserves as alunch counterandgeneral store.Above the store were the apartments of Bob, David, and most recently, Charlie.

Hooper's Store was opened byMr. Harold Hooperin 1951. David worked at the store from 1971 to 1983, becoming the proprietor of Hooper's Store following the death of Mr. Hooper (due to the death of actorWill Lee).

In 1989, David moved away to live with his grandmother and left the store in the hands of a retiredfirefighternamed Mr. Handford. The store's current proprietor is Alan who bought the store from Mr. Handford in 1998.

Owners

• Mr. Hooper (1951–1982)
• David (1982–1989)
• Mr. Handford (1989–1998)
• Alan (1998–present)

Employees

• Tom -(1970–1972)
• David - (1972–1982)
• Piri - (1984–1986)
• Gina - (1987–1995)
• Carlo - (1995–1998)
• Gabi - (2004)
• Miles - (2006)
• Chris - (2007–present)

The Sesame Street Library

TheSesame StreetLibraryis a common point of interest on Sesame Street. ALending Librarywas located next to Hooper's Store in the spot that has since housed the Fix-It Shop, the Mail-It Shop, the Laundromat, and a pet shop. Maria worked there while Grover would occasionally help out. All the residents of Sesame Street would come to borrow books.Lindaworked as a librarian for several years in a different library that has, at different times, been located across the street from 123 as well as in another part of New York City. The library was later seen located next to the Subway Station where the bike shop is now (in a 2007 episode), and as a pop-up library in The Arbor featured in an episode that aired in 2019.

The Fix-It Shop

TheFix-It Shopopened in Season 3 as theL & R Fix-It Shoprun by Luis and Rafael. Rafael departed at the end of the season and Luis ran the business by himself until he hired Maria in 1976. Maria was later promoted to full-time partner in 1981 and in 1988 the two got married. The street's residents would bring their broken items to be fixed; toasters were the shop's specialty.

Mail-It Shop

In 2002, Maria and Luis converted the Fix-It Shop into theMail-It Shopwhich they ran with their daughter Gabi. Residents of Sesame Street would use the Mail-It Shop to send and receive letters and packages. Grover occasionally did delivery work for the Mail-It Shop. It was converted back into the Fix-It Shop in 2006.

Laundromat

TheLaundromatis the current business operating next to Hooper's Store after the Fix-It Shop was removed in 2008. The Laundromat was originally run by Leela and has since been seen in the care of Nina and Grover among others.

Previously, inThe Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland,a Laundromat was seen across from 123 Sesame Street.

Subway Station

Sesame Street has its ownSubway Station,which is a replica of the72nd Street Subwayentrance. It was originally seen on the "Around the Corner" part of Sesame Street until it was transferred to the main Sesame Street set, next to the Fix-It Shop, when Around the Corner was removed.

Bicycle Shop

In Season 45, aBicycle Shopappeared in the vacant storefront near the Subway Station that was briefly used for a flower shop. It was opened by Luis who sold bicycles, repaired them, and sold other bike-related items. It was opened as a result of the closure of the Fix-It Shop, while Maria became the superintendent of 123. It is now run by Nina who started working there part-time in Season 46 and took over management the following season. As part of the rare views of the other side of Sesame Street, the Bicycle Shop is next to a CGI depiction of Manhattan where it shows a playground and theTriborough Bridgeamong the cityscape.

Newsstand

In Season 46, a newsstand was added in between the Subway Station and what is currently the Laundromat. It is run by theTwo-Headed Monster.There previously was a newsstand Around the Corner that was run by Oscar. It was located in between the Subway Station and the park. Grouch sold newspapers, regular newspapers, out-of-date newspapers, and magazines with dirt or fish inside them. Hooper's Store has also functioned as a Newsstand.

Other locations in the neighborhood

Other locations on Sesame Street include the following:

• Mr. MacIntosh'sFruitCart- Mr. MacIntosh, played by Sesame Street's floor manager. He had a fruit cart and roamed the street selling a wide variety of fruits from around Season 3 to the late 1980s.
• Willy'sHot DogStand- A rolling hot dog stand that Willy operated from the early 1970s to the late 1980s.

Around the Corner

Around the Cornerwas an expansion of the set seen from season 25 to season 29.

Sonia Manzanosaid that "By expanding the street and going around the corner, we will have other places to hang out beyond the stoop of 123 Sesame Street, and we will be able to explore family issues which we think are so important to kids today."

The Around the Corner parts were dropped by season 29, though they did appear inThe Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland.Caroll SpinneyandMartin P. Robinsonfurther commented that viewers had a hard time keeping up with all the new characters.

Among the known locations of Around the Corner include:

• 10 Sesame Street- A two-story brick building that adjoins the Subway Station.
  • Finders Keepers- Asecond-hand storeoperated by Ruthie on the first floor of the building. It contains items that were previously owned by fairy tales and nursery rhyme characters. Despite her shop being removed from the show, Ruthie continued to appear, often in inserts, up until Season 32.
  • Celina's Dance Studio- Adance studioowned by Celina that is on the second floor of 10 Sesame Street. The second floor also featured office space, but this was the only known business shown to be located there. Elements of the building still feature on the set today.
• 456 Sesame Street- A brownstone house, which was first referenced inThe Sesame Street Treasury.It was the home of Betty Lou (as revealed in Volume 5) andHerry Monster(as revealed in Volume 9). It has also been the address of many characters includingCount von Count's castle,Mr. Snuffleupagus's cave, and the building that currently houses Hooper's Store and the Laundromat. It was home to Angela, Jamal, and their baby daughter Kayla. Angela ran aDaycareCenter in her apartment. After she left, Gina moved in and ran adaycareon the first floor.
• Birdland- Ajazz clubowned byHoots the Owlwho often introduced its acts. It was located below The Furry Arms Hotel with the entrance located in the alleyway between the hotel and 10 Sesame Street. Before 1993, only the exterior of the club could be seen on the show. Birdland is based on areal jazz club by the same name.It was inspired by famed musicianCharlie Parker,whose nickname was "Bird" and who served as the headliner for the club.
• Furry ArmsHotel- A Muppet Hotel owned by Sherry Netherland with both her employees Humphrey and Ingrid (who work as thehotel managers), Benny Rabbit (who works as abellhop), Otis the Elephant (an earlier version of Horatio the Elephant who works as anelevator operator), Ernestine theTelephone Operator,and Dinger (who works as the call bell). It is located next to 456 Sesame Street. The Furry Arms Hotel was one of the few exterior street sets specifically built to puppet scale rather than to accommodate both puppets and human cast members (although human guests occasionally appeared inside). As a result, in Episode 3139 when Gordon and Susan chose to spend the night at the Furry Arms Hotel while their apartment was getting painted, they had to bend over when they went through the revolving door and also had trouble getting their suitcase through that same door. The Furry Arms Hotel also houses an indoorswimming pooland alounge.It continued to be seen in inserts up to around Season 31.
• ThePark- The Park contains a playground and some trees (one of them is the home of the Squirrels). In the videoThe Best of Elmo,the Park was shown to be located across from the Furry Arms Hotel. A park that may or may not be the same as the one located across the street was seen in later episodes.

External links

• Sesame Street (location)onMuppet Wiki