UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) — One little Manhattan stoop will make you feel like you’ve traveled to a winter wonderland, offering the perfect backdrop for photos this holiday season.
Homeowners Kristi Hemric and David Guttag have transformed their stoop at 241 East 78th St. into the latest must-see spot on the Upper East Side.
The location, now known as Stoop & the City, combines the spirit of the season with the unique personalities of Hemric and Guttag’s family. It brings to life eye-popping displays featuring dozens of golden bells, life-sized nutcrackers with Home Depot supplies, and entire gingerbread villages.
(Credit: Stoop & the City)
Their limited-time displays change by the week and offer something new to see every time you visit.
“Honestly, this is just something that I love, like I genuinely love doing it,” said Hemric in an interview with PIX11 News.
“The fact that other people find it fun is just like the cherry on top, because I think we would do it anyway, so it’s really nice.”
Since 2022, Hemric’s stoop displays have turned the family’s brownstone home into an Instagram-worthy photo-op location in New York City. Over the years, it’s become a spot for wedding proposals, school trips, and even collaborations with names like Sephora and the Salvation Army.
(Credit: Stoop & the City)
“People come from all over the world, which is insane to me. We’ll get letters in our letterbox, being like, ‘I came from Argentina.’ Somebody left us last week chocolates from France as a thank you,” Hemric recalled.
Particularly memorable for the mother of four was seeing the local school kids have story time on her stoop and hosting visitors from a nearby hospital.
“They’ll always message, it’s like, the one thing they look forward to,” she said.
While the stoop has become known for its revolving holiday decorations, Hermic and her family keep the displays running throughout the year – especially during non-holiday months. Guttag noted that it’s something that keeps them cheerful through the winter after the holidays have ended.
“I always look forward to the March stoop because that always feels like spring is still a couple weeks away, but we kind of try and front-run it, and it really kind of gets us in the right mood,” Guttag told PIX11 News.
Stoop & the City bloomed from Hemric’s desire to beautify the family’s front door after it was covered by scaffolding. It started with a Wisteria branch and has grown bigger ever since. Now, Hemric says they’re getting ready for something new to ring in the new year.
“I’m really excited. My husband’s not as excited, but I’ve been planning this since, like, summer. I want to do a New Year’s stoop,” Hemric revealed.
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“I do not know how that is going to actually come to fruition. It will come because I’m stockpiling disco balls, but I’m having to figure it out. But I’m excited about that.”
Those wanting to see the beauty of Stoop & the City for themselves can stop by at 241 East 78th St.
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
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