In a city of 8 million characters, one New Yorker has made it his mission to document as many as possible.
Nicolas Heller, better known as ‘New York Nico,’ has captured the heart and soul of the Big Apple through his lens, one character at a time.
Now, he’s turning his viral social media success into a different kind of story.
Heller made a guidebook to the city that he calls home.
In the book, Heller captures what locals have always known: it’s not just the skyline that makes New York special, it’s the stories behind every storefront and the characters on every corner.
If you know New York, you likely know New York Nico.
For the past decade he’s roamed the city in search of its quirks and characters, reminding his millions of followers what makes New York — New York.
“Most of these businesses have been around forever, but it really is about the people who make these businesses,” Heller said.
Born and bred in the Big Apple, Heller saw the city through a unique lens early on.
“I know when you were a little kid, your parents said that you were dubbed the mayor of 16th Street,” Joelle Garguilo said.