“When punk was at its height,” said Marky Ramone, the drummer of the first-wave innovators, the Ramones, “it was the only place to go at that time, and it still is.” The entire band, as well as Blondie, the Heartbreakers, the Dead Boys and virtually every other group in the scene were frequent shoppers.

“Me and Dee Dee would go there and try out the display clothing,” Mr. Ramone said. “Joey had a problem finding pants to fit him and would always buy them there. He was 6-foot-5 ½ with a 36-inch waist.” That style of black jeans, the house brand, is still for sale there.

The store caters to disenfranchised rock fans as well as fashion insiders. “It smells of punk rock,” said Nicola Formichetti, now the artistic director of Diesel. “The store always has a solution. Every job, I start there. For my first ever Lady Gaga job, I went there and got her amazing stripper shoes and created an entire wardrobe for her dancers.”

Mr. Webb, 55, sat in the garish shoe department surrounded by thigh-highs and Dr. Martens. (The shop was the first in the United States to carry the brand.) He works seven days a week and never takes a vacation. “It’s my new drug of choice, but it’s healthy,” he said, “and it never betrays me.” His journey to the store was long and often arduous, and began when he was 14 years old.