Tomorrow is the two-year anniversary of Prince's tragic death, and although Paisley Park in Minnesota serves as a mecca for die-hard fans, visitors to Harlem can find a few places to honor the Purple One right here.
The Apollo Theater
Prince played the Apollo for the first time in 1993 ("Yeah, we uptown tonight!" he told the crowd), returning for two more appearances in 2009 and 2010. A few months after he died, the theater inducted Prince into the Apollo Walk of Fame, joining the likes of Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Ella Fitzgerald. Fans need only walk in front of the famed Harlem music venue to find the musician's name etched in bronze.
The Schomburg Shop
This cool shop attached to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is devoted to an always-ahead-of-the-curve collection of black-related products. Last winter it carried The Found's Purple Rain tote bags and pouches, and you can still pick up the book "Prince: A Private View" from Afshin Shahidi (featuring a foreword by Beyoncé ), one of the only people allowed to photograph the artist. The Schomburg Shop doesn't have an online store, but be sure to check out its latest products on Instagram (they do offer shipping).
Chopped Parsley
This cozy Japanese restaurant in Hamilton Heights is the unexpected home to a little Prince shrine (the owner, Yumika Parsley, used to work in the music industry). Stop by when the spot reopens on May 10th, order some sake and a bite to eat–skip the usual and try the delicious grilled salmon skin and the Shi-Me Saba, the vinegared mackerel–and thrown one back for the big purple P in the sky.
