This topic makes me a little sad. As a late teen, I was playing in a band and we would dream about visiting 48th St in NYC (from Massachusetts.) We finally decided and took redeye train for a one day pilgrimage to NYC. Walking around Broadway at 4 AM, hanging outside the Dakotas, hoping to see John Lennon, walking through Central Park, visiting 48th St and loving it, then going to observation deck of WTC, which just opened.
One of my favorite memories as a musician; all due to the music stores on 48th St. I visited them a few more times before mail-order and better local stores emerged.