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course they remember it..it was one of the first box stores in Elmont.
My kid was born in 75 so I figure I'm close to your parents age when I lived there.
I worked at GEM's as a kid as did my younger sister.
If I recall...I always thought GEM's pretty much had junk.
Be well
andy
Funny thing. I just got off the phone with my father and he said because he grew up in Hicksville he didn't have much recollection of the store except that he worked there, at the ice cream stand, but for only one day back in high school!!...apparently the guy didn't need him after that or he goofed off or something. Also, he remembered it as simply Great Eastern.
My parents actually moved to Elmont after they were married so I spent a lot of time where they grew up at my grandparents house in Hicksville and Bethpage...
One store I do remember from when I was a kid that isn't around anymore, I don't think, was the Times Square stores. I remember going there with my mom...I think the one I used to go to is now a K-Mart because I went there when I was up on the Island a few years back...I don't remember the street its on or what town its in though.
Sorry linda61...my father said he did not have any pics or any more info on the store for you. I will ask my aunt when I talk to her next. She still lives there.
Funny thing. I just got off the phone with my father and he said because he grew up in Hicksville he didn't have much recollection of the store except that he worked there, at the ice cream stand, but for only one day back in high school!!...apparently the guy didn't need him after that or he goofed off or something.
You read one of my other posts???
I had the same job in that store!! In the front lobby of the store...selling ice cream. Ask your dad if thats where he was. the very front of the store where you'd walk in from the parking lot.
I used to give ice cream away for free to friends...'tween me and your dad..thats probably why they went out of business...lol.
Thats when a smoke was a smoke..and groovin' was groovin'
You read one of my other posts???
I had the same job in that store!! In the front lobby of the store...selling ice cream. Ask your dad if thats where he was. the very front of the store where you'd walk in from the parking lot.
I used to give ice cream away for free to friends...'tween me and your dad..thats probably why they went out of business...lol.
Thats when a smoke was a smoke..and groovin' was groovin'
Of course I read your other posts...I read the whole thread! I read this forum a lot (usually at work ) to keep up on what's happening on Long Island. It is my favorite place on earth after all...I just can't afford to live there; plus my wife is here and isn't leaving; so....
Yea, my dad remembered the ice cream stand being in the front of the store...I know he used to work at Wetsons too for a long time in HS...I think off of Hempstead turnpike down near Levittown/Bethpage maybe?
I love talking to my dad about growing up on LI...his older brother (my uncle) was actually in a HS band for a short while with the one and only Billy Joel, and my dad remembers Billy being at his house to practice! ... the lyrics "Do you remember those days hanging out at the village green?" from the song Scenes from an Italian Restaurant apparently means something to people from that area!
Ok, I am probably dating myself, but I worked at Great Eastern from about 1972 to about 1978. All of the departments in the store were owned by other companies that basically leased the space. I worked in the pet shop from 73 to 78. In 1971, I worked in the Lighting Department until that company went out of business. This was a great place for kids to work at the time ($1.85 an hour), and I met some very good friends there. In fact, 30 years later, I still keep in touch with some of them.
We had some great times there, breaking into the Candy Department's stockroom, and eating cashews by the pound. One time we put about a dozen snakes and 5 or 6 mice through a hole in the pet department's back wall into the beauty parlor. There was major grief the next day when the manager of the beauty parlor opened up and found the place full of garter snakes and mice. Of course we denied everything! We were all betweem 16 and 21, and had a great time, and even made some pocket money. Other things that went on: drinking Boons Farm Strawberry Wine in the stock room, making out with the cashiers in the stock room, crashing flats of car batteries so that the acid leaked on the floor, letting birds go (on purpose) so they could fly to the curtain department, sit on the curtains and mess them up.
Some of the employees: Pete from Pets, Big Joe, and Hal in Housewares, Diane in the Pet Department (She was a very hot blond!), Marie in the Smoke Shop, Grace who was a cashier, Liz (skinny cute blonde in Stationary), Steve in Pets, Owen in Occasional Furniture, etc. In the 70's, this was where we shopped in Elmont, unless you could go to Green Acres or A&S in Hempstead. It was a great time that I'll always remember!
I was wondering if anyone might be able to direct me to a source for getting a picture/information on the Great Eastern Mills department store that was located in Elmont, NY, on Hempstead Tpke.
Just this evening, I was at the new Elmont Public Library going through their archives, but came up empty-handed.
Even though I grew up living in Queens on the Nassau-Queens border (still do), my family practically LIVED in that store in the 1960's. It would be a kick to see a photo of the old place.
Thanks so much for your help!
Sincerely,
Linda
Do you know when it closed and became TSS? I remember it best as TSS (Times Square Stores) but it was probably Great Eastern when I was a kid (born in '71) Wasn't there a Waldbaums next door? I lived so close to there lol we were there all the time too.
Gosh, what memories! I grew up in Floral Park...there was a "back-way" through some lots and woods and a sandy road all the way to Great Eastern. We would hike there to buy our Beach Boy albums, Beetles, 45's, etc. We LOVED it!!
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Great Eastern Mills
