My friend Fred recently visited our old neighborhood, Chauncey street and Rockaway avenue, about a block away from the Colonial Theater. Here is a link to some of the amazing photos he took. enjoy.
It was at the Colonial Theater that I first saw Tennessee William’s “Streetcar Named Desire.” I remembered how shocked I was by Marlon Brando’s performance and how he redefined acting forever.
Does anyone remember, well before air conditioning in the home, standing on a hot and muggy night in front of the Colonial to cool down? There was a big banner “Cooled by Refrigeration.”
I remember that candy store when I was going to Our Lady of Lourdes. in 1948 when I was in the 8th grade we would buy cigarettes from that store. The candy store owner used to break open the pack and sell the cigs loose. 2 cigarettes would cost five cents. We would rush off to Highland park and find a secluded spot to puff away and rebel against society. Boy, we had a lot to learn.
Dish Night at the Colonial. Boy, does that conjure up some neat memories. Inevitably, during the movie someone would break a dish which would be followed by a round of applause from the other patrons. During dish night at least four dishes would meet their fate on the Colonial floor. Those that made it through the entire dishcollection without a breakage were very rare.
They had a birthday cake I would look forward to when I was a kid. They used to hide little metalic cars, boats, planes etc. inside the birthday cake as a surprise. I wonder how many kids lost a tooth or worse, swallowed one of the tiny toys. Since my family was Italian American, most of our pastry needs were supplied by Ariolla’s Pastry on Fulton and Rockaway avenues. They made the greatest cannolis ever.
I want to guess that the stickball player with the low IQ on Chauncey Street was none other that Artie Kopp. He was also a hustler that would bet on the games.Sometimes as much as fifty cents a man. Also, does anyone remember the two great bakeries on Broadway, Gills and Schmearman’s (forgive the spelling). Schmearmans was noted for their fabulous cream crumb cake. I also worked for Frank Cannino (The Veteran Italian Grocery Store) located on Chauncey and Rockaway aves. He too was a wizard at adding up tabs on the grocery bag without any errors.
Yes, if memory serves me – it was Cooper Street. Another trivia fact about Evergreen Cemetery is that Bill – bojangles – Robinson is buried there with a small monument
You mentioned Beanbelly and I remember how scared we were to venture anywheres near that area. It prompted me to write a short story about it. While the story is part fictitious and partly true it was a lot of fun doing it. Anyway, here is the link to it:
I wonder if anyone remembers the stickball bat place on Stone Avenue just off Broadway. Actually, it was a broom factory. However, they would sell us the stick portion, which came in two tones, for twenty cents. Not too far from that was a pickle factory where I used to pay five cents for a giant sour pickle picked fresh from a barrel, which I’d munch on my way to Our Lady of Lourdes,
Roy,
The only cop I remember from the 81st. Precinct was an older guy, close to retirement, that could hardly walk. I remember the kids would tease him and rile him up. Flat Al – the name we coined for him – would have a lot of trouble trying to chase us as he cursed and wheezed trying to come after us heckling brats. By the way, Roy. Your last name is not LaPerra by chance? I remember someone that had that last name. Also, on Cooper street was a friend of mine named, Jerry Salata. Does that ring any bells?
Does anyone remember the name of the club on Bushwick Avenue that had the animated piano player above the entrance awning way? Also there was an infamous hotel called the Hotel Bushwick which was alleged to be a house of ill repute. It was a small building off of Broadway. Anyone have any stories of information on that. This would have been back in the early Fifties.
I remember that on the corners of Rockaway Ave and Broadway was the Starbright Diner and next to it was the first Chinese restaurant I’d ever seen. This would be around 1948 or so. The Chinese restaurant, who'se name I cannot recall, was a one story walkup. The first super market opened across from the Starbright diner. It was called Einhorn’s and was the prototype of super markets to come. Under the Broadway el was a newspaper stand that was operated by a husband and wife, both of whom were deaf and dumb. Across Broadway was a cigar store, I think it was called Philadelphia Phillie. Next to the Colonial theater was a candy store. On summer evenings crowds would mill about waiting for the newspaper delivery of the first editions of the Daily News and Daily Mirror.
I have one particular memory of the Colonial Theater. During the Early Fifties I had a newspaper route for the Long Island Press. My route, which was maintained on foot, was Chauncey, Bainbridge and Marion streets between Broadway and Ralph Avenues. Even at a very early age I was a very responsible person. One day I came down with a bad case of the flu and was worried about the delivery of the press to my customers. My dad volunteered to pick up the papers and deliver them for me providing I supply him with a list of my customers. I did, and assumed that they all received their papers on time. Wrong! When I finally went back to delivering the papers I was greeted with a slew of complaints of not receiving the newspaper on the day I was sick. I could not understand what happened. Well, on the backside of the Colonial Theater was a two story fire escape with a stairway leading up from the street. It was a rather windy day. I’d noticed some newspaper flying down from the top of the stairs. They were copies of the Long Island Press! When I climbed the stairs, much to my dismay, were about a hundred copied of the Press dumped on the second level of the fire escape. Needless to say, my dad didn’t make the delivery and life continued on without any great loss to anyone.
As a regular contributor and visitor to this site I fully agree with the comments posted by John
My friend Fred recently visited our old neighborhood, Chauncey street and Rockaway avenue, about a block away from the Colonial Theater. Here is a link to some of the amazing photos he took. enjoy.
View link
It was at the Colonial Theater that I first saw Tennessee William’s “Streetcar Named Desire.” I remembered how shocked I was by Marlon Brando’s performance and how he redefined acting forever.
Probably 1950 or 51
Does anyone remember, well before air conditioning in the home, standing on a hot and muggy night in front of the Colonial to cool down? There was a big banner “Cooled by Refrigeration.”
I remember that candy store when I was going to Our Lady of Lourdes. in 1948 when I was in the 8th grade we would buy cigarettes from that store. The candy store owner used to break open the pack and sell the cigs loose. 2 cigarettes would cost five cents. We would rush off to Highland park and find a secluded spot to puff away and rebel against society. Boy, we had a lot to learn.
No, I mainly got into the Colonial by cashing in deposit bottles.
Dish Night at the Colonial. Boy, does that conjure up some neat memories. Inevitably, during the movie someone would break a dish which would be followed by a round of applause from the other patrons. During dish night at least four dishes would meet their fate on the Colonial floor. Those that made it through the entire dishcollection without a breakage were very rare.
They had a birthday cake I would look forward to when I was a kid. They used to hide little metalic cars, boats, planes etc. inside the birthday cake as a surprise. I wonder how many kids lost a tooth or worse, swallowed one of the tiny toys. Since my family was Italian American, most of our pastry needs were supplied by Ariolla’s Pastry on Fulton and Rockaway avenues. They made the greatest cannolis ever.
No a clue
Cooper and Moffat
Schmearmans was on Broadway between Rockaway-Cooper and Chauncey streets
Hey Bill,
I want to guess that the stickball player with the low IQ on Chauncey Street was none other that Artie Kopp. He was also a hustler that would bet on the games.Sometimes as much as fifty cents a man. Also, does anyone remember the two great bakeries on Broadway, Gills and Schmearman’s (forgive the spelling). Schmearmans was noted for their fabulous cream crumb cake. I also worked for Frank Cannino (The Veteran Italian Grocery Store) located on Chauncey and Rockaway aves. He too was a wizard at adding up tabs on the grocery bag without any errors.
Fantastic memories
Yes, if memory serves me – it was Cooper Street. Another trivia fact about Evergreen Cemetery is that Bill – bojangles – Robinson is buried there with a small monument
Hey Roy,
You mentioned Beanbelly and I remember how scared we were to venture anywheres near that area. It prompted me to write a short story about it. While the story is part fictitious and partly true it was a lot of fun doing it. Anyway, here is the link to it:
View link
I wonder if anyone remembers the stickball bat place on Stone Avenue just off Broadway. Actually, it was a broom factory. However, they would sell us the stick portion, which came in two tones, for twenty cents. Not too far from that was a pickle factory where I used to pay five cents for a giant sour pickle picked fresh from a barrel, which I’d munch on my way to Our Lady of Lourdes,
Roy,
The only cop I remember from the 81st. Precinct was an older guy, close to retirement, that could hardly walk. I remember the kids would tease him and rile him up. Flat Al – the name we coined for him – would have a lot of trouble trying to chase us as he cursed and wheezed trying to come after us heckling brats. By the way, Roy. Your last name is not LaPerra by chance? I remember someone that had that last name. Also, on Cooper street was a friend of mine named, Jerry Salata. Does that ring any bells?
Does anyone remember the name of the club on Bushwick Avenue that had the animated piano player above the entrance awning way? Also there was an infamous hotel called the Hotel Bushwick which was alleged to be a house of ill repute. It was a small building off of Broadway. Anyone have any stories of information on that. This would have been back in the early Fifties.
I remember that on the corners of Rockaway Ave and Broadway was the Starbright Diner and next to it was the first Chinese restaurant I’d ever seen. This would be around 1948 or so. The Chinese restaurant, who'se name I cannot recall, was a one story walkup. The first super market opened across from the Starbright diner. It was called Einhorn’s and was the prototype of super markets to come. Under the Broadway el was a newspaper stand that was operated by a husband and wife, both of whom were deaf and dumb. Across Broadway was a cigar store, I think it was called Philadelphia Phillie. Next to the Colonial theater was a candy store. On summer evenings crowds would mill about waiting for the newspaper delivery of the first editions of the Daily News and Daily Mirror.
I have one particular memory of the Colonial Theater. During the Early Fifties I had a newspaper route for the Long Island Press. My route, which was maintained on foot, was Chauncey, Bainbridge and Marion streets between Broadway and Ralph Avenues. Even at a very early age I was a very responsible person. One day I came down with a bad case of the flu and was worried about the delivery of the press to my customers. My dad volunteered to pick up the papers and deliver them for me providing I supply him with a list of my customers. I did, and assumed that they all received their papers on time. Wrong! When I finally went back to delivering the papers I was greeted with a slew of complaints of not receiving the newspaper on the day I was sick. I could not understand what happened. Well, on the backside of the Colonial Theater was a two story fire escape with a stairway leading up from the street. It was a rather windy day. I’d noticed some newspaper flying down from the top of the stairs. They were copies of the Long Island Press! When I climbed the stairs, much to my dismay, were about a hundred copied of the Press dumped on the second level of the fire escape. Needless to say, my dad didn’t make the delivery and life continued on without any great loss to anyone.