IDC

The International Design Center of New York opened October 10th, 1985 in what was originally the Loose-Wiles Biscuit Company Building, constructed in 1908 at 47th Avenue and 30th Street -– known as the “thousand window bakery.” The original products were crackers marketed under the Sunshine Biscuits trademark distributed in tins depicting characters that are highly prized as collectibles today. Sunshine is now a division of Keebler and produces the popular Cheez-IT brand. Formerly, a huge Loose-Wiles Sunshine Biscuits neon sign occupied the roofline on the south and east sides, easily visible from trains emerging from East River tunnels into Sunnyside Yards.

Packard Autos, Swingline Staples, Eveready Batteries and American Chicle, producers of Chiclets gum, were also located here on the edge of Sunnyside, manufacturing everyday products and employing thousands of New Yorkers. These manufacturers have mostly vanished from the area.

Today, the IDC NY building is home to furniture showrooms and offices of interior designers and decorators.


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  1. That building is occupied and, I believe, owned outright by LaGuardia College. Furniture and designers were in the building next door (the “Chicle” building sign is still visible)for a brief time in the 90’s but have been gone for quite a while.