NYC labels using the same address in the 60s?

[jimmyjrg]

I have a few Tony Lawrence records on different labels and they all had the same address of 17 W. 60th St. (Suite 503) N.Y. 10019. Any idea why? Did lots of NYC labels share the same mailing address back in the 50s and 60s?

The labels are Festival, Jude, and Lo Lo (distributed by Calla Records at this address), and then I've seen the same address for Beekman Records too. I don't know much about the NY scene so this made me curious.

[Robbk]

6 hours ago, jimmyjrg said:

I have a few Tony Lawrence records on different labels and they all had the same address of 17 W. 60th St. (Suite 503) N.Y. 10019. Any idea why? Did lots of NYC labels share the same mailing address back in the 50s and 60s?

The labels are Festival, Jude, and Lo Lo (distributed by Calla Records at this address), and then I've seen the same address for Beekman Records too. I don't know much about the NY scene so this made me curious.

Many, if not most of those Manhattan addresses were skyscrapers with large suites with hundreds of post boxes (like 1619 and 1650 Broadway).  Tiny, and other small, and even mid-sized record companies had post boxes in them, to have a prestigious Manhattan address.  Many of them did not have an office in those Downtown buildings, as they never could have afforded the rental costs. Even having the same suite number only meant that they were only one of several hundred post boxes in a suite filled with post boxes, that looked like the outer area post box room in a large local, or regional post office. Those 3 subsidiary labels probably just had a single room, each, inside Calla's suite of offices (which may not even been located in Lower Manhattan).  And they probably all used (borrowed) Calla's meeting room to hold their business meetings. 

[jimmyjrg]

Ah that makes sense. Thanks you!