Just Bulbs

Profile

During World War II, lightbulb peddler Abraham Brooks replaced missing lights in the Empire State Building one by one. After the war, he started a wholesale lightbulb business, and, in 1980, this novel retail outlet opened. Now run by Brooks’s grandson, David, Just Bulbs carries a dazzling selection of variations on Edison’s creation, from everyday Westinghouse soft whites to hard-to-find rangehood bulbs to illuminated tubing in different colors. Novelty lights are strung across the ceiling and a display of bulbs attached to switches enables customers to see what various bulbs look like lit up. There’s an extensive assortment of energy-efficient bulbs, including tinted and dimmer varieties, as well as full-spectrum natural lighting that helps ease the winter blues, Chromalux bulbs from Finland that reduce eyestrain (by filtering out yellows), and Bulbrite color-changing lights. Party options run from black lights to seasonal lights (Christmas, Halloween) to novelty strings sporting a wide range of designs such as palm trees, jalapeños, and boxer shorts. Just Bulbs has provided lighting for Broadway shows, MoMA installations, and the Gracie Mansion. — Julie Mehta