In a Korean eatery in New York’s East Village, what’s old is new again, from the more than 30,000 vinyl albums on the walls to the View-Masters on the tables.
That’s right. If you were born after 1939, you likely had one as a kid, or knew somebody who did. The plastic stereoscopes feature thin cardboard disks, or “reels”, which have provided generations of children with 3-D views of anything from foreign lands to American landscapes and storybook illustrations.
MONO+MONO owner, M.J. Chung, has embraced the nostalgic toy to showcase his restaurant’s meal and cocktail menus, bucking the current digital trends of smartphone apps and tablets. He introduced the idea at the restaurant’s recent second anniversary party.
Starting December 1, patrons will be able to use one of the many vintage View-Masters Chung has collected from eBay to preview seven special menu items in 3-D.
The more digitally-connected crowd will find Mono+Mono isn’t fully retro – they have a Facebook and Twitter presence, as well as a sharp and sophisticated website with a wealth of menus and food porn.
We’re just curious when someone will take the next step and use the new My3DNow View-Master with smartphone integration.
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