Macy's Herald Square in New York City features some of the last surviving wooden escalators in the world, which were installed in the 1920s and still actively transport thousands of terrified shoppers every day.

A closer look

Macy's Herald Square in New York City features some of the last surviving wooden escalators in the world, which were installed in the 1920s and still actively transport thousands of terrified shoppers every day. Made from solid oak and ash, these grooved mechanical stairs look like they belong in a Dickensian sweatshop rather than a modern retail environment. The city periodically threatens to shut them down for being massive, rotating fire hazards, but historic preservationists insist that risking a fiery wooden death is a crucial part of the authentic consumer experience. Watching modern influencers try to balance their designer shopping bags while standing on a creaking contraption that predates the Great Depression is truly a spectacular sight