Jersey "Institutions" of Yesteryear...Ahhhh

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by JennyOnTheMove

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

Rocco's and Dido's restaurants in Bayonne -- Rocco's had the best pizza, their New York shrimp, ravioli, and mussels in sweet sauce were to die for (and Seafood ala Rocco -- magnificent!) and my husband adored the hot seafood antipasto at Dido's (where my parents held my christening party 54 years ago).

Burke's Restaurant, also in Bayonne. Fridays brought the world's best macaroni and cheese -- fish cakes at lunch, too. When I worked at 26th Street Shop Rite in the 70s, this was our favorite lunch or dinner spot when we worked a full day on Saturday.

Sit-down Chinese restaurants -- first the Yankee Clipper, later on, Lum Chin Inn. The little takeout places just don't make food that tastes the way it used to.

Paradise East, Mr S's, Huck Finn's, Great Eastern and Two Guys on Rt440 in Jersey City.

Michal's restaurant in Asbury Park, the Homestead in Ocean Grove.

The Jersey Central Railroad -- we used to go to the 8th Street Station in Bayonne and watch the trains go by (it's being recreated as a Light Rail station now, and should be open for business in September of 2010.). We used to take the trains to Asbury Park when I was a kid, or take them to the ferries in Jersey City to go to NYC.

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by tahiti

OMG! Was there one in NJ? My mom and I used to go to the one at the Staten Island Mall all the time! I used to love to walk through the "candy store" portion of the restaurant.

Wow - I haven't thought of Farrell's in forever.

I loved the one in the Staten Island mall -- those sundaes!

And yes, there was one in Paramus Park Mall.

[KathyA11]

[quote=tahiti;3847310]wallabees, earth shoes...maybe it's a bayonne thing, lol
/quote]

Maybe -- I wore them in high school, and when I first met my husband, they were his favorite shoes.

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

OK - I remembered some more.

This was when I was VERY young, but does anyone remember UNCLE MILTIES in Bayone? I have to see if I can find anything on it on line, I remember my parents taking me there and I thought it was the coolest thing on earth.

Absolutely! My father worked there for 8 years (primarily running the golf course), and I worked there (when it was called Bergen Point Amusement Park) for 2 (first working in the hot dog stand by the spook house, then running rides, managing the pony ride, which lasted about a month until the park's manager had a fight with the owner of the ponies, and finally, running the golf course myself, at age 17). I have a lot of great memories of that place, since I practically grew up there.

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

I think Bowcraft is still around; how about the Scotchwood Diner?

They're both still there.

Anyone remember Robert Hall stores for boy's & men's suits?

Women's clothes, too (at least the one in JC had them).

[devilsfan]

anyone remember restaurant on route 10 in denville that never reopened .on west bound side after traffic light. made a uturn there. steel structure still stands

[ReluctantGardenStater]

Roy Rogers.

Used to be fairly prevalent around my area in the 90's. Now it's almost impossible to find one, which is bizarre, as I just checked some online resources and they are still in NJ.

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by ReluctantGardenStater

Roy Rogers.

Used to be fairly prevalent around my area in the 90's. Now it's almost impossible to find one, which is bizarre, as I just checked some online resources and they are still in NJ.

The best fried chicken ever!

There's one at the rest stop on the southbound eastern spur of the Turnpike just south of Exit 16E, and another at the rest stop for the northbound lanes just north of Exit 11.

Most of the stores in northern NJ became Hardee's stores.

[Blondie621]

Originally Posted by Kin Atoms

I believe the Bergen Mall was the first to become an indoor mall. I used to like walking across the bridge to E. J. Korvettes.

Van Saun Park was another favorite, with it's kiddie zoo. I used to work at the zoo many days ago, and I watched the train go round and round.

The only hotdogs in the world came from Callahans.

Palisade's Amusement Park was a thrill. They had an overhead tram, typical amusement park games (3 ball throw for a quarter), a swim pool with waves, a roller coaster, and some animals as well.

Paramus Pool was the best thing in the world, second only to Darlington County Park. I enjoyed fishing, which is why Darlington was rated number one for me.

A drive in the family car to cruise along the Palisades, finally entering a boat basin and a walk along the shoreline along Alpine or Fort Lee. Seeing a chipmunk and driving slowly up to it, so as not to disturb it was very cool. There wasn't grafitti at the time, and some of the older abandoned buildings still stood. In any of the last three places (Paramus Pool, Darlington, or Alpine Boat Basin), going to the concession stand was the best part of the day.

There was a Dunk and Dip located in Fort Lee where I hung out with a Buddy named Tony. We would enjoy a donut and a religious philosophical discussion there quite often.

Stokes State Forest became my favorite in later life, as I worked there in 1976 in the YCC. We helped with timber stand improvement, latrines, a bridge in Tillman's Ravine, and a 40 foot look out tower on the mountain next to the monument.

For me, those were the institutions I recall best.

Funny, all the things you mention I did with my family when I was little!
I grew up in Washington Twp. and my Dad had two businesses in Fort Lee so we were taken to Hirams alot and also Palisades Amusement Park!
My Dad loved to take us for Sunday drives and we usually ended up along the Hudson River at the boat basin.
I also remember going to the Drive In movies in Paramus on Rt. 4 with our pj's on and bed pillows!