The parents of Diane Arbus, David Nemerov and Gertrude Russek Nemerov, owned Russek's Department Store at this location. Specializing in fur and women's clothing, Russek's slogan was "An Institution of Paris Fashions."
Diane met Allan Arbus, who worked as a photographer in the marketing department of the store, when she was thirteen. In 1941, Diane and Allan Arbus were married (Diane was eighteen years old at the time).
The couple had two children together (Doon, 1945 and Amy, 1954). Diane and Allan Arbus separated in 1958, and they were divorced in 1969.
