Good question, Bobby. Neon is very expensive. We had a neon sign in front of our family restaurant. It was so amazing to look down from our apartment on our name in lights. What a great time.
I lived on Madison one half block west on the south side of the street. I’d open the window to check the marquee to see what movies were playing. You can’t beat that memory.
If any of you are on FB, there are photos and memories of the Marbro and other B&K theaters posted on the Austin neighborhood group and the St. Mel’s group.
All true, it was very sad to see the neighborhood decline. My mother would not let us see West Side Story when it opened at the Marbro – she was right. There were fights in the theater and damage done. One of my friends had some of her hair cut off as she watched the movie.
I also knew kids whose families slept in shifts in the apartment – 12 or more people living there. We could never go inside and the kids had to stay outside all day long so they wouldn’t wake the people who were sleeping during the day and working the night shifts in factories nearby.
By the way, I was a chocolate lover – it was my sister who went for the Green River shakes. The shake was made like a vanilla shake but the soda fountain jerk added the lime flavored syrup that went into Green River soda when it was dispensed from the fountain. The Green River shake was a lovely green like something from the Emerald City of Oz.
Yes, I saw them and my sisters and I bumped into them in the lobby. I am writing a short story about the theaters and include this appearance. Spanky from our gang also appeared. It was a thrill for all of us, but, I remember as a small child I was surprised that they were all older than they appeared on TV.
Really weird, Bobby. Maybe it was cheap to operate. I don’t remember any ushers. I am working on a short story that features the kid mayhem at the Alex and when it is finished I will be happy to share with you.
Oh and I think the Peter Pan was actually closer to Cicero near the Knights of Columbus where I took swimming lessons. A&P and Market Basket were in the 4200 Block of Madison and National Tea was in the 4300.
Absolutely Bobby. It was a shame that the neighborhood deteriorated. I know my parents invested in Purcell Hall and other church ventures to try and keep people from leaving. But the unscrupulous real estate agents known as blockbusters spread fear and distrust and people and businesses fled in droves. I think we were some of the last to move, largely because the family business was dissolved and the business sold. They tried to get my Dad to buy it back, but he never really worked in the business and was not interested in starting. His aunt and uncle moved on to manage Ray Foley’s.
I am still surprised the neighborhood was never rebuilt and I dream of the day when I hear that urban renewal reaches the West Side.
We were magical people and we still are because we remember the days of glory.
A crazy place when I was a kid. My Mom would not let us go there. She said they let the kids run wild and the place had rats. She relented when they had the Mummy appear in person. It was mayhem and the kids tried to tear the bandages off the poor guy who was dressed up as a Mummy. They always had the best horror movies. But I saw Rodan and the Vincent Price movies at the Marbro.
Do you remember that Goldblatt’s sold pets like small monkeys. I will never forget when my brother and sister climbed out of the stroller when my Mom was talking to a friend and let the monkeys and birds and anything else in a cage loose. My Mother beat it out of the store fast.
Since we lived on the third story we used to climb over the railing onto the rooftop of the restaurant and run along the roofs on Madison Street. The merchants, like the folks in Red Goose shoes, would come out and yell, “Hey you kids, get off the roof.” We had the best time growing up there. We were so sad to leave it but the family business was sold and my Dad was transferred to another firehouse from the one at Fulton and Kilpatrick. He worked on his days off at Bantam Books and when Bantam moved from the Chicago River to Des Plaines, we moved to the northwest side to be closer to my Dad’s work and to my then new high school, Mother Guerin. Both my Mom’s and Dad’s relatives all lived on the West Side. My parents went to St. Mel’s. They started dating in High School and were married at St. Mel’s Church. We have a long family history there. Too bad my parents were never into taking pictures. My Mom would take some pictures and throw them into a box. I wish we had some photos of the old neighborhood now.
Does anyone remember Mayblossom McDonald’s Dance Studio. I took ballet lessons there when I was a tiny tot.
Sadly the restaurant burned down after we moved from the neighborhood I think in the late 60s. It was a nightclub and an African American radio station broadcasted out of the restaurant before it was demolished. My Dad was a Chicago fireman and he heard about the fire and went to see if he could buy any of the salvage, like the beautiful stained glass his grandfather imported from Europe or the glass doors with S on them but all he found was a vacant lot. It was a beautiful place. My Dad’s grandfather came from Prague when he was 2. He was a grocer first and then started serving lunches that proved so popular they opened the restaurant. The family ran it until the 1960’s. I used to look out the window of our apartment to see the Solick’s neon sign and the Marbro marquee. What beautiful sights. We saw the 3 Stooges and Spanky at the Marbro. And remember when they had Hercules appear for the opening of Hercules Unchained? Kids today do not know what they are missing.
Bobby and Scrabble, my sisters and I remember it all. The dimestores were Neisner’s and Kresge’s. The Cisco Kid and Pancho appeared at Goldblatt’s. Oscar and the wienermobile parked on Madison Street, too. Did you skate at Clark’s park? Don’t forget Off the Street Club, roller skating and great Halloween parties. There was a soda fountain on every block. Fannie May and Dutch Mill candy, the Martinique, Green River shakes. Limeade at Woolworth’s counter. I miss it all.
I did note that some of the information on the pdf map listed above is not exactly correct. ConEd was on the corner of the 4200 Block of Madison Street, A&P across the street. Solick’s was at 4205-4207 Madison Street. My Dad lived in the same apartments above the restaurant. His Grandfather started the restaurant. Remember Ebert’s Studio, Personnel Liquors, Gibbons O'Keefe funeral parlor, Elite’s, Schlosser’s? What a great neighborhood it was.
Loved all the theaters on the West Side. Am looking for any photos of the neighborhood from Garfield Park to Austin.
I am writing a series of short stories about growing up in the neighborhood and am trying to find photos of Solick’s, my family’s restaurant at 4207 Madison Street. I lived in the apartments above the restaurant.
My parents and grandparents were West Siders. They attended St. Mel’s and Providence. I went to St. Mel’s Grammar School. It was a magical place to grow up and we miss it everyday.
Did you try searching on Austin neighborhood and sending a request to join the group?
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/51222342741/ St. Mel’s
https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002065858388 Austin Neighborhood.
Good question, Bobby. Neon is very expensive. We had a neon sign in front of our family restaurant. It was so amazing to look down from our apartment on our name in lights. What a great time.
I lived on Madison one half block west on the south side of the street. I’d open the window to check the marquee to see what movies were playing. You can’t beat that memory.
If any of you are on FB, there are photos and memories of the Marbro and other B&K theaters posted on the Austin neighborhood group and the St. Mel’s group.
Thanks for this reference. I will check it out.
All true, it was very sad to see the neighborhood decline. My mother would not let us see West Side Story when it opened at the Marbro – she was right. There were fights in the theater and damage done. One of my friends had some of her hair cut off as she watched the movie.
I also knew kids whose families slept in shifts in the apartment – 12 or more people living there. We could never go inside and the kids had to stay outside all day long so they wouldn’t wake the people who were sleeping during the day and working the night shifts in factories nearby.
By the way, I was a chocolate lover – it was my sister who went for the Green River shakes. The shake was made like a vanilla shake but the soda fountain jerk added the lime flavored syrup that went into Green River soda when it was dispensed from the fountain. The Green River shake was a lovely green like something from the Emerald City of Oz.
Yes, I saw them and my sisters and I bumped into them in the lobby. I am writing a short story about the theaters and include this appearance. Spanky from our gang also appeared. It was a thrill for all of us, but, I remember as a small child I was surprised that they were all older than they appeared on TV.
I don’t think it will happen in my lifetime. But I can see it in my dreams.
Really weird, Bobby. Maybe it was cheap to operate. I don’t remember any ushers. I am working on a short story that features the kid mayhem at the Alex and when it is finished I will be happy to share with you.
Me too, Bobby. It is great sharing these memories. We were such lucky kids.
Oh and I think the Peter Pan was actually closer to Cicero near the Knights of Columbus where I took swimming lessons. A&P and Market Basket were in the 4200 Block of Madison and National Tea was in the 4300.
Absolutely Bobby. It was a shame that the neighborhood deteriorated. I know my parents invested in Purcell Hall and other church ventures to try and keep people from leaving. But the unscrupulous real estate agents known as blockbusters spread fear and distrust and people and businesses fled in droves. I think we were some of the last to move, largely because the family business was dissolved and the business sold. They tried to get my Dad to buy it back, but he never really worked in the business and was not interested in starting. His aunt and uncle moved on to manage Ray Foley’s.
I am still surprised the neighborhood was never rebuilt and I dream of the day when I hear that urban renewal reaches the West Side.
We were magical people and we still are because we remember the days of glory.
I think they showed the Mexican vampire flicks even in the early 60s.
I saw The Jolson Story, Jolson Sings Again, Singing in the Rain, and Wizard of Oz at the Byrd. They showed a lot of films that were in rerelease.
A crazy place when I was a kid. My Mom would not let us go there. She said they let the kids run wild and the place had rats. She relented when they had the Mummy appear in person. It was mayhem and the kids tried to tear the bandages off the poor guy who was dressed up as a Mummy. They always had the best horror movies. But I saw Rodan and the Vincent Price movies at the Marbro.
Do you remember that Goldblatt’s sold pets like small monkeys. I will never forget when my brother and sister climbed out of the stroller when my Mom was talking to a friend and let the monkeys and birds and anything else in a cage loose. My Mother beat it out of the store fast.
Since we lived on the third story we used to climb over the railing onto the rooftop of the restaurant and run along the roofs on Madison Street. The merchants, like the folks in Red Goose shoes, would come out and yell, “Hey you kids, get off the roof.” We had the best time growing up there. We were so sad to leave it but the family business was sold and my Dad was transferred to another firehouse from the one at Fulton and Kilpatrick. He worked on his days off at Bantam Books and when Bantam moved from the Chicago River to Des Plaines, we moved to the northwest side to be closer to my Dad’s work and to my then new high school, Mother Guerin. Both my Mom’s and Dad’s relatives all lived on the West Side. My parents went to St. Mel’s. They started dating in High School and were married at St. Mel’s Church. We have a long family history there. Too bad my parents were never into taking pictures. My Mom would take some pictures and throw them into a box. I wish we had some photos of the old neighborhood now.
Does anyone remember Mayblossom McDonald’s Dance Studio. I took ballet lessons there when I was a tiny tot.
I am so happy to read these memories of the West Side and look forward to reading many more.
Sadly the restaurant burned down after we moved from the neighborhood I think in the late 60s. It was a nightclub and an African American radio station broadcasted out of the restaurant before it was demolished. My Dad was a Chicago fireman and he heard about the fire and went to see if he could buy any of the salvage, like the beautiful stained glass his grandfather imported from Europe or the glass doors with S on them but all he found was a vacant lot. It was a beautiful place. My Dad’s grandfather came from Prague when he was 2. He was a grocer first and then started serving lunches that proved so popular they opened the restaurant. The family ran it until the 1960’s. I used to look out the window of our apartment to see the Solick’s neon sign and the Marbro marquee. What beautiful sights. We saw the 3 Stooges and Spanky at the Marbro. And remember when they had Hercules appear for the opening of Hercules Unchained? Kids today do not know what they are missing.
Bobby and Scrabble, my sisters and I remember it all. The dimestores were Neisner’s and Kresge’s. The Cisco Kid and Pancho appeared at Goldblatt’s. Oscar and the wienermobile parked on Madison Street, too. Did you skate at Clark’s park? Don’t forget Off the Street Club, roller skating and great Halloween parties. There was a soda fountain on every block. Fannie May and Dutch Mill candy, the Martinique, Green River shakes. Limeade at Woolworth’s counter. I miss it all.
I did note that some of the information on the pdf map listed above is not exactly correct. ConEd was on the corner of the 4200 Block of Madison Street, A&P across the street. Solick’s was at 4205-4207 Madison Street. My Dad lived in the same apartments above the restaurant. His Grandfather started the restaurant. Remember Ebert’s Studio, Personnel Liquors, Gibbons O'Keefe funeral parlor, Elite’s, Schlosser’s? What a great neighborhood it was.
Loved all the theaters on the West Side. Am looking for any photos of the neighborhood from Garfield Park to Austin.
I am writing a series of short stories about growing up in the neighborhood and am trying to find photos of Solick’s, my family’s restaurant at 4207 Madison Street. I lived in the apartments above the restaurant.
My parents and grandparents were West Siders. They attended St. Mel’s and Providence. I went to St. Mel’s Grammar School. It was a magical place to grow up and we miss it everyday.
Reading these posts brings back fond memories.
Anita Solick Oswald