A vacant newspaper kiosk at Manhattan’s West Fourth Street subway station has reopened as something far stranger than a retail stall. Riders now find free zines, subway station guides, a “train aura” photo booth and a tiny supply of lucky rat foot keychains instead of newspapers or snacks.
As reported by Gothamist, the project comes from 37-year-old artist and comedian Al Mullen, who called the installation “just a pure weird moment.” The kiosk currently features six station guides, including contributions from Jia Tolentino and former “Saturday Night Live” writer Jack Handey, while Mullen hopes to eventually cover all 472 subway stations.
A Vacant Subway Stall Becomes A Weekend Art Stop
The West Fourth Street takeover is part of the MTA’s vacant-unit program, which launched in late 2023 to give unused subway retail spaces a second life. The agency says many of the units are too small, oddly shaped or poorly located for conventional businesses, making them better suited for art installations and cultural programming.
Mullen’s project grows out of Public Transport Magazine, a free guerrilla subway publication that he leaves around the transit system. The magazine’s own official site identifies him as its editor-in-chief and notes that he prints, folds, staples and distributes the issues himself.
Free Zines, Comedy And Live Music Are Planned
The kiosk will be open from 1 p.m. to at least 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays for the next year, according to Gothamist. Mullen plans to rotate in puppet shows, stand-up comedy and live music, with the broader goal of interrupting the usual commute with something strange, funny and intentionally frivolous.
There is no admission charge, and Mullen says entertaining a rider for six minutes would count as a success. The MTA says other vacant spaces are still available for creative reuse, including units at 23rd Street, Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike, Sterling Street and the 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal, according to its program listing.
