Jersey back in the day... (Newark, Irvington: violent crime, homes, public schools)

[RUNYYfan]

Originally Posted by steve_d_bear

... 3 Sisters.

That's right. It was 3 Sisters, not Two Sisters.

A couple of other restaurants from North Jersey my Mom reminded me of: The William Pitt in Chatham, The Chanticler in either Summit or Mendham, and Schraft's.

I thought I'd throw in a few radio stations too.

93.1, WPAT, "easy listening radio" A bit of history

105.1, WRFM "beautiful music" A brief historical note

Jeez, I'm getting old!

[izannimda]

I remember going to Action Park in Vernon, NJ back in the day. This place was also known as "Traction Park" due to numerous injuries and several deaths that happened there.

[Mattie]

Summer days were spent listening to Dan Ingram and Cousin Brucie on WABC radio. I remember waiting to hear "Roll your bod" by Dan Ingram while laying on the beach so we would know when to flip!

And, an absolute favorite memory of mine, was popping tar bubbles on the streets with my toes. My mother used to hate it, but was powerless to stop us. Why did they have to change the asphalt recipe and ruin all the fun?

[steve_d_bear]

Originally Posted by Mattie

Summer days were spent listening to Dan Ingram and Cousin Brucie on WABC radio. I remember waiting to hear "Roll your bod" by Dan Ingram while laying on the beach so we would know when to flip!

And, an absolute favorite memory of mine, was popping tar bubbles on the streets with my toes. My mother used to hate it, but was powerless to stop us. Why did they have to change the asphalt recipe and ruin all the fun?

Also, Herb Oscar Anderson, Ron Lundy, Harry Harrison, and Bob Lewis. I remember the intro to the Bob Lewis overnight show was Bobaloo's Wedding Day, where they reworked the lyrics to be the big Boba Lewis show.

[Mattie]

Originally Posted by Blondie621

Wow! Valley Fair! My parents would take us there when we were little. It was on Kinderkamack Rd. in Hillsdale. We got our first puppy Pebbles from there. They had pups in the outdoor garden section all the time.
Remember Grand Way? That was on Rt. 17 and also the Paramus Ice Skating Rink? Korvettes became Caldors and now it Kohls. (Rr. 4 Paramus)
I remember a club I think on 17 called The Golden Plow? That was way back when.

I remember Valley Fair! That big staircase, toys up to the left, school supplies up to the right. I went to Catholic school in Westwood, and that was the only store that stocked the black shorts that we had to wear for gym.

My mother used to do her grocery shopping there, and at Shop Rite on Westwood Ave. We used to go to a little butcher shop in Fairlawn, that had sawdust on the floor. The smell in there made me sick, but I loved playing in the sawdust.

[monack]

Cousin Brucie was WCBS Radio.

There is still a Foodtown in Manalapan.

I am still sad about The Rt. 18 Market closing. And for what? More housing?

[steve_d_bear]

Originally Posted by monack

Cousin Brucie was WCBS Radio.

There is still a Foodtown in Manalapan.

I am still sad about The Rt. 18 Market closing. And for what? More housing?

No way. We're talking WABC AM radio 770 on your AM dial. Back in the 60's before there was such a thing as oldies AM radio ruled. WCBS FM started the oldies format in the 70's and brought over some of the original WABC 'good guys' such as Cousin Brucie and Dandy Dan.

[TylerJAX]

I'm not a big fan of the "back in the days" type threads. Back in day, the other kids threw stones at me, called me a dothead, and would do crap like pee on our porch. I repaid them by stuffing dead squirrels in their mailboxes and destroying their snowmen at night

[Blondie621]

Originally Posted by Nancy-NJ-NY-ME?

I'm with you, Blondie! Grand Way and Korvettes, along with Alexanders, were my Mom's regular shopping places. Funny, she worked at Wallach's at the Garden State Plaza, but the stores there were out of our budget.

I don't yet recall the club you mentioned, but I do remember the Chimes restaurant across from Grand Way. The building is still there; it's been Metropolitan Plants (I think I've got the name right) for years.

Remember when the Plaza was an open mall? Me and my sister used to do the Window and Interior displays for Pants Place and Canadians. We also did the ones in PP too! (Paramus Park) We traveled to all the malls and did those two chain store decors for a few years. Remember Wolfies? My Mom would take us their to eat after shopping. They also had a guy with a stand selling hot pretzels in the winter outdoors there.

[Blondie621]

Originally Posted by steve_d_bear

No way. We're talking WABC AM radio 770 on your AM dial. Back in the 60's before there was such a thing as oldies AM radio ruled. WCBS FM started the oldies format in the 70's and brought over some of the original WABC 'good guys' such as Cousin Brucie and Dandy Dan.

How about Allison Steel, the nightbird on WNEW FM. I forget the guys name who was before her.