Jersey "Institutions" of Yesteryear...Ahhhh (Fort Lee, Montvale: shopping mall, farms)

[desertsun41]

I have 2 new ones for ya all.

Grillo's Italian Ice in Plainfield. I forget the street but it was just about a block or 2 off 22. The side road that Sears is on. I think I had one every single day for years and years and years. On chocolate day I bought several pints to bring home. I knew Mr Grillo very very well. If people knew how filthy he was and the conditions in which he made that ice no one would ever buy it. But buy they did. He had a list of all the many famous people who flew across the country and even across oceans to try that awesome authentic Italian Ice. He was on that corner in that old wooden shack for 80 something years when you include his father. Ol Grillo died in the early 90s and worked that old wooden shack till the day he died.

Anyone remember Witties or Witty's which was probably in Rahway but right on the border of Rahway and Colonia so it could be Colonia. It was on St George Av right next to the train overpass where the old Bradlee's was. On any given night, especially on weekends in the 70s it was filled with Colonia High School kids. They had those gigantic big fat hot dogs with wads and blobs of condiments for it. How could this place have gone under since it was a gold mine?

[Giantone]

This is an old one,anyone remember a place (restaurant) called the "Little House "in the Glenwwood section of Millburn it use to be across the street from the old Saks 5th ave store?

[njmomto2]

Originally Posted by JennyOnTheMove

Well, since Tahiti started her Jersey'isms thread, I have been stuck in a time warp, visiting places I haven't been to in years, and finding that some are GONE-

When I was a kid, growing up in Fort Lee, we had Hiram's AND Callahan's, right across the street from each other. I had a family of 7, and we all liked different things, and we'd argue over which 'burger and dog joint we'd go to! When we ordered from Callahan's it was the ONLY time my mother let me drink Yoo Hoo- FROM A BOTTLE no less....Nobody worried that I'd kill myself on the bottle- we didn't have "juice boxes" back then...

The Carvel in Fort Lee was also another favorite place of mine, and I'd always ask the 'dipper' if they had any broken flying saucer cookies, and she would give me a handful of broken cookies....SCORE!

And Michele's Bakery in Fort Lee. Remember when you were a kid, and every time you went into the Bakery with your mom they'd give you one of those little cookies, the ones with the sprinkles on them......

And finally, my favorite Jersey Institution was "Jahn's Ice Cream Parlor" on Route 4. Every dance recital, or Choir recital, or 6th grade graduation...we went to Jahn's and we'd order "The Kitchen Sink" which was like 15 scoops of ice cream and EVERY topping they had!

What are your favorite Jersey Institutions of Yesteryear? What place do you drive by and smile to yourself????

OMG, we loved the "kitchen sink" too! Those were the days! I miss Jahns!

[mczabe]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

I have 2 new ones for ya all.

Grillo's Italian Ice in Plainfield. I forget the street but it was just about a block or 2 off 22. The side road that Sears is on. I think I had one every single day for years and years and years. On chocolate day I bought several pints to bring home. I knew Mr Grillo very very well. If people knew how filthy he was and the conditions in which he made that ice no one would ever buy it. But buy they did. He had a list of all the many famous people who flew across the country and even across oceans to try that awesome authentic Italian Ice. He was on that corner in that old wooden shack for 80 something years when you include his father. Ol Grillo died in the early 90s and worked that old wooden shack till the day he died.

Terrill Rd. and 2nd Ave. - right across from Jade Isle. I probably saw you there. Boy, that was a sad day when that place closed.

And I'll add Larison's Turkey Farm in Chester. People used to wait for hours out on the lawn to get their turkey dinner!

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by mczabe

Terrill Rd. and 2nd Ave. - right across from Jade Isle. I probably saw you there. Boy, that was a sad day when that place closed.

And I'll add Larison's Turkey Farm in Chester. People used to wait for hours out on the lawn to get their turkey dinner!

Yup Terrill Rd. Thats it. After living in Bound Brook for many years I moved up 206 and passed the Turkey Farm every day. There was a 3 year waiting list for dinner there on Thanksgiving day. I ate there when I was very very young but barely remember it.

Remember the old Italian Cafe just up from the Turkey Farm about a half mile up 206 on the same side? It has been closed for 20 or more years but the building still stands there.

[COG-528]

Originally Posted by Busch Boy

Do any of you guys remember the Pergament stores? My folks used to go to the one in Lodi (by the K-Mart).

Back in the early '80s I worked for Hoboken Paint, the wholly owned subsidiary of Pergament who manufacturer of ALL the paint sold in Pergament Stores under the Pergament label.

Pergament used to have 7 different price points for the paint they sold. You know: $3/gal, $4/gal, $5/gal, etc.,

But we only made 3 different grades of paint. I wonder how many other retails do the same thing, selling the same paint with different labels and charging more.

[COG-528]

Originally Posted by Stripes17

Unfortunately, I learned today that Wall Stadium (Wall Twp Speedway) is now a Jersey institution of yesteryear as management closed the racetrack down. I guess the decision was made back in March, but i just heard about it today.

Darned shame! That place holds many a Saturday night memory for this old race fan.

And while I'm at it, I also have fond memories of Wednesday night racing at the old New Egypt Speedway. Can't forget the Race of Champions at Trenton Fairgrounds Speedway. Also dirt trackin' at Flemington.

Sorry to see the short tracks dying out.

I remember going out to Pine Brook Speedway, a 1/8 mile paved oval, along side of Rt-46 in the 1980s. They sold the land sometime in the 1990s but it has never been developed.

[COG-528]

The last of the single screen movie theaters has closed in Bergen County. I grew up going to the single screen theaters that were in southeast Bergen County. Now the smallest of all those theaters, The Rialto in Ridgefield Park, has finally closed its doors.

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[AJGIANTS]

Originally Posted by COG-528

I remember going out to Pine Brook Speedway, a 1/8 mile paved oval, along side of Rt-46 in the 1980s. They sold the land sometime in the 1990s but it has never been developed.

Yes it has- its a home depot now.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by COG-528

I remember going out to Pine Brook Speedway, a 1/8 mile paved oval, along side of Rt-46 in the 1980s. They sold the land sometime in the 1990s but it has never been developed.

Yeah, I went there in the 70s. What a great memory of my youth. AJ is right about the Home Depot, another instance of NJ attempting to conform into Vanillamerica.