Thanks Robert R! You are right of course, it was the Arion. One memory I have of the Oasis though is – my parents went out to see a movie and left my older brother in charge of watching me (I was 6, he was 10). We were only supposed to be watching TV then sleeping, but of course we played and I fell and cut my chin open. I needed stitches, so my older cousin called the Oasis and had them page my parents (I guess you could do that in those days – 1969). I never forget that my Dad was wearing a suit when he got to the hospital and my mom was dressed up. Another thing I guess they did in those days, at least my parents did (imagine putting on a suit and dress nowadays to go see a movie!) 9-)
Thanks for the correction! It did become a skating rink though, didn’t it??
Hi All: Reading your messages has brought back so many memories! Here’s a few of mine along with thoughts: re: the theater and Ridgewood in general:
– my brother PJ and I grew up on Stockholm St., in the same “railroad” apartment as our mom (my mom moved there with her mom & sisters -we moved in 1978) 30 years in one apartment – wow!
– We went to St. Aloysius – don’t see any posts from anyone from St. A’s but there were many kids that went to the Ridgewood that attended St. A’s. How about Miraculous Medal (“Mirac”) alumni? Or is that school too far? (can’t remember)
– Ridgewood Movie Theater memory – MY 1ST DATE! With Pauline Gambino (I was 11, she was 10) we saw a Saturday matinee of AIRPORT 1975 (1974)with Charleton Heston – I don’t remember much about the movie because I was with 2 of the prettiest girls in our neighborhood, Pauline and her sister Patricia (I was dating Pauline but I had a secret crush on Patricia!). I remember my Dad gave me the most money I ever was given, to that time – $5, which I was supposed to use for busfare to and from the movie(the “38” to Myrtle Ave. – ran down Seneca Ave.), 2 movie tickets (sorry Patricia – you’re on your own), snacks, then pizza afterwards (pizzeria on Seneca). Needless to say, I came up short on the denaro (good thing Mr. Gambino gave his daughters plenty of $$).
– My brother, his friend Bernard and I were mugged right in front of the Ridgewood – they stole our snacks that we were sneaking into the theater, but we drew the line when they wanted our movie ticket money – lol – too funny!
– Anyone remember the Ridgewood gang names in the 70’s – like – The Bleeker Boys from of course Bleeker St. or the Kirshbaums, the Latin Tops, The Italian Sons, The Rebels, etc. I remember seeing the movie “The Warriors” (remember “Warriorsssss, Warriorssssssssss) and thinking to myself "what in the world” – those gangs looked like they belonged on a movie set in Hollywood – definitely not NY gangs! Saw that movie at the Elmwood and the police made us all get off the bus home (the Triboro 38 – ran down Woodhaven to Metropolitan (“Metro”) because we were wearing bomber jackets (don’t ask me)
– Gottlieb’s – ya baby! Remember the man that worked there with the funny ear?? “I’m not looking at that really weird ear!” j/k. Tuna fish sandwiches, chocolate milk and open-faced turkey!
– Anyone remember, Linderman’s pharmacy on Seneca, Murkens? Ice Cream on Myrtle, Woolworth’s on Myrtle (“the 5 and dime”), the bakery on Seneca (we used to call it “Moenies”), I think it was supposed to be Mommy’s or something like that near Lindermanns drug store?
– We used to go to the Madison (always seemed a bit cleaner), the Ridgewood, and does anyone remember the Oasis theater? They used to have Rocky Horror there every weekend at midnight? That theater was rundown but had cheap movie tickets. The only problem was unglueing your sneakers from the floor after the movie!
-Saw a post with “Ace/King/Queen/(Jack/10)” – how about Skelzie or Skully (according to what neighborhood you were from – Stockholm St. was “Skelzie”), Ringalario or Ringaleevio – (same thing – we were Ringalario), Hide the Belt, Johnny on the Pony, Tag, Off the Wall, Stoop Ball, Street Tops, Box Ball, pitching pennies, flipping baseball cards, and some of the best “double-dutchers” for the girls
– My brother and I went to St. Francis Prep Class of ‘77 (freshman year was at the old Prep and '81 for me. Seems like a few other Prep alumni here!
– I read in one of the messages that someone had Hodgkins Disease from Ridgewood, so did I. It seems like alot of people have had cancer from Ridgewood-maybe too many (I could name a dozen from my block alone). Maybe the textile mills had something to do with it (I lived next to one).
– My brother and I sold pretzels from the Starr St. pretzel factory -me in front of Wycoff Heights Hospital and my brother walked a 6-mile route and ended up in front of McCrorys on Myrtle Ave. (I was 9 and my brother was 13). Bought 100 pretzels for 3cents and sold them for 10cents (2 for a quarter) – made @$7.00 per day minus the 5-6 I ate! Ridgewood had the BEST pretzels!! Anyone remember the “Pretzel Man” – an old Italian man who stood on the corner of Stockholm St. across from St. A’s – with his white cart.
We live in sunny Las Vegas now – but will never forget Ridgewood!
Thanks Robert R! You are right of course, it was the Arion. One memory I have of the Oasis though is – my parents went out to see a movie and left my older brother in charge of watching me (I was 6, he was 10). We were only supposed to be watching TV then sleeping, but of course we played and I fell and cut my chin open. I needed stitches, so my older cousin called the Oasis and had them page my parents (I guess you could do that in those days – 1969). I never forget that my Dad was wearing a suit when he got to the hospital and my mom was dressed up. Another thing I guess they did in those days, at least my parents did (imagine putting on a suit and dress nowadays to go see a movie!) 9-)
Thanks for the correction! It did become a skating rink though, didn’t it??
Hi All: Reading your messages has brought back so many memories! Here’s a few of mine along with thoughts: re: the theater and Ridgewood in general:
– my brother PJ and I grew up on Stockholm St., in the same “railroad” apartment as our mom (my mom moved there with her mom & sisters -we moved in 1978) 30 years in one apartment – wow!
– We went to St. Aloysius – don’t see any posts from anyone from St. A’s but there were many kids that went to the Ridgewood that attended St. A’s. How about Miraculous Medal (“Mirac”) alumni? Or is that school too far? (can’t remember)
– Ridgewood Movie Theater memory – MY 1ST DATE! With Pauline Gambino (I was 11, she was 10) we saw a Saturday matinee of AIRPORT 1975 (1974)with Charleton Heston – I don’t remember much about the movie because I was with 2 of the prettiest girls in our neighborhood, Pauline and her sister Patricia (I was dating Pauline but I had a secret crush on Patricia!). I remember my Dad gave me the most money I ever was given, to that time – $5, which I was supposed to use for busfare to and from the movie(the “38” to Myrtle Ave. – ran down Seneca Ave.), 2 movie tickets (sorry Patricia – you’re on your own), snacks, then pizza afterwards (pizzeria on Seneca). Needless to say, I came up short on the denaro (good thing Mr. Gambino gave his daughters plenty of $$).
– My brother, his friend Bernard and I were mugged right in front of the Ridgewood – they stole our snacks that we were sneaking into the theater, but we drew the line when they wanted our movie ticket money – lol – too funny!
– Anyone remember the Ridgewood gang names in the 70’s – like – The Bleeker Boys from of course Bleeker St. or the Kirshbaums, the Latin Tops, The Italian Sons, The Rebels, etc. I remember seeing the movie “The Warriors” (remember “Warriorsssss, Warriorssssssssss) and thinking to myself "what in the world” – those gangs looked like they belonged on a movie set in Hollywood – definitely not NY gangs! Saw that movie at the Elmwood and the police made us all get off the bus home (the Triboro 38 – ran down Woodhaven to Metropolitan (“Metro”) because we were wearing bomber jackets (don’t ask me)
– Gottlieb’s – ya baby! Remember the man that worked there with the funny ear?? “I’m not looking at that really weird ear!” j/k. Tuna fish sandwiches, chocolate milk and open-faced turkey!
– Anyone remember, Linderman’s pharmacy on Seneca, Murkens? Ice Cream on Myrtle, Woolworth’s on Myrtle (“the 5 and dime”), the bakery on Seneca (we used to call it “Moenies”), I think it was supposed to be Mommy’s or something like that near Lindermanns drug store?
– We used to go to the Madison (always seemed a bit cleaner), the Ridgewood, and does anyone remember the Oasis theater? They used to have Rocky Horror there every weekend at midnight? That theater was rundown but had cheap movie tickets. The only problem was unglueing your sneakers from the floor after the movie!
-Saw a post with “Ace/King/Queen/(Jack/10)” – how about Skelzie or Skully (according to what neighborhood you were from – Stockholm St. was “Skelzie”), Ringalario or Ringaleevio – (same thing – we were Ringalario), Hide the Belt, Johnny on the Pony, Tag, Off the Wall, Stoop Ball, Street Tops, Box Ball, pitching pennies, flipping baseball cards, and some of the best “double-dutchers” for the girls
– My brother and I went to St. Francis Prep Class of ‘77 (freshman year was at the old Prep and '81 for me. Seems like a few other Prep alumni here!
– I read in one of the messages that someone had Hodgkins Disease from Ridgewood, so did I. It seems like alot of people have had cancer from Ridgewood-maybe too many (I could name a dozen from my block alone). Maybe the textile mills had something to do with it (I lived next to one).
– My brother and I sold pretzels from the Starr St. pretzel factory -me in front of Wycoff Heights Hospital and my brother walked a 6-mile route and ended up in front of McCrorys on Myrtle Ave. (I was 9 and my brother was 13). Bought 100 pretzels for 3cents and sold them for 10cents (2 for a quarter) – made @$7.00 per day minus the 5-6 I ate! Ridgewood had the BEST pretzels!! Anyone remember the “Pretzel Man” – an old Italian man who stood on the corner of Stockholm St. across from St. A’s – with his white cart.
We live in sunny Las Vegas now – but will never forget Ridgewood!
Cheers!