By the mid-1980s, St. Mark's Place had solidified its reputation as the heart of counterculture in New York City. Lined with record stores, tattoo parlors, and vintage clothing shops (here the famous "Trash & Vaudeville" Thrift store), the street was a haven for punks, artists, and musicians. The influence of the Beat Generation and the later punk movement was still evident in the area's gritty yet creative energy. Street performer and vendors sold everything from handmade jewelry to underground zines. The surrounding bars and clubs attracted an eclectic mix of  New Yorker's, from struggling artists to renowned musicians like David Bowie, Madonna, Prince and painters like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenny Scharf just to name a few.