[Lincolnian]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

Was the toy chain store named "kaybee toys" perhaps? I remember one on the berlin trpke and one in west farms mall. They went out of business a few years ago.

Speaking of the Berlin Trpke for a brief time there was an excellent sub shop called "jersey mikes" in the plaza with WOW fitness. It closed a couple years ago for some reason. Too bad because they had some of the best "cold cut" subs i've ever eaten. They put subway + blimpie to shame.

I think there is a jersey mikes in Branford still, but I'm not sure.

Nope. It was long before Kaybee. I think it began with a T. I'm doing some research.

[Slipperman]

Originally Posted by persnicketygal

There are at least 2 A&Ws in Northern Virginia, but I'm sure they're just a shadow of what the original used to be. My older sisters remember the drive-in A&Ws, with the car hops who'd put the tray on the door edge; I was too young at the time, so I don't have any memories of this. One thing they keep telling me: The Papa Burgers, Mama Burgers, Baby Burgers.
I picked up one of the mugs not too long ago (for the A&W vanilla cream soda!)

there used to be one on Colman St in New London that we used to go to as kids. remember really liking the root beer mainly because it came in mugs. there also used to be a Kelly's hamburgers right there as well. i think one of them is now McDonald's and the other is now Burger King. forget which was which.

[persnicketygal]

Could it have been a branch of Toy Chest, one of the stores that was at West Hartford Center back in the '70s, '80s?

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

Was the toy chain store named "kaybee toys" perhaps? I remember one on the berlin trpke and one in west farms mall. They went out of business a few years ago.

A lot of Kaybee stores went out of business, but they seemed to have changed their name to KB Toys. There is still a KB Toy store in Trumbull.

I remember a large, independant toy store that was in Norwalk for years, but I just can't remember the name of it. Editing to say I just remembered a toy store, "Kiddytown", was that a chain? I think that was the name of the Norwalk toy store I am thinking of. As for A & W, there used to be one in the Stamford mall, too.

[MisterStereoman]

Stores I remember from my stone-age era youth in Connecticut include J.M.Fields in Branford, where my mother would shop until she'd almost get locked in. And we'd eat at Yum-Yums, a burger joint along Rte. 1 in the same shopping center. Another was Topps on the Post Rd in Orange (or W Haven?). Topps may have been short-lived, as was a burger joint down the road called Wetson's.
As a young tot, I remember going to Shartenberg's in downtown New Haven. They had this big pit where the kids would "fish" for prizes out of it. I got a tracer machine: one pen attached to another would duplicate whatever you wrote on a second page.
I remember Malley's and Macy's opening. When Malley's was new, you'd park your car in the dirt lot across the street (where Knights of Columbus is now) and walk thru a pedestrian tunnel right into the store (next to the bird cage, I recall)
And who can remember a dept store in E Haven called "Star's". It was short-lived, but big news in East Haven in the early 70s, which til then had only Bradlees.

[JayCT]

There was a Topps in Fairfield for years. Family worked there until the whole store chain went out of business. Then Bradlees came in. Now it is the Super Stop & Shop. There was a Yum Yums on Main Street in Bridgeport. I think their big thing was hot dogs cooked in beer. Jay

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by JayCT

There was a Yum Yums on Main Street in Bridgeport. I think their big thing was hot dogs cooked in beer. Jay

You're thinking of Lums. There was one on upper Main.

[JayCT]

You are right about the hot dogs they were at Lums but I think there was a Yum Yums on Main Street as well. It was a chain and I remember seeing them also in New York. Jay

[Slipperman]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

You're thinking of Lums. There was one on upper Main.

yet another one i forgot about. they were on Colman St in New London as well at one time. i think it became an Arthur Treachers then Goldies then Gridlock Grille. not sure of the timeline.

[Julie Ruin]

Oh, man, how crazy! I grew up in West Hartford and remember most of those. Bradless, Caldor, Service Merchandise, G. Fox, Sage Allen, Finast, Builders Square, and Lechmere. What a trip!

ETA--I remember the A&W at Westfarms mall, too. And the Toy Chest in WH Center. Wow, this is some serious nostalgia.