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I remeber a vinnies clam bar in Smithtown, I wonder if they were related? I vaguely remember an Otis Pike it was a supermarket in Elwood. I think! what about Beachtreee Cafe in Smithtown it was originally Arbys, worked for Arby's in college, anyone remember Wilfred Beauty Academy?
I found this thread at work when I was supposed to be working but oh well. All you people contributing and it looks like not a one from the Five Towns area? Even though I am only 34 I think I can rack up a few places. First I want to acknowledge jgennaro(snagged the gold ring at the Nunley's carousel only once, and went to godforsaken Camp Debaun more summers then I care to count). Momix5 and amsm196, we had a Beefsteak Charlies at the end of what is now the Bay Harbor Mall, and there was another freestanding one on Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream right in front of the Green Acres Mall. And nymom, I have had the privelege of seeing King's X, Blue Oyster Cult, Jorma Kaukonen(ex-Jefferson Airplane), and the best one of all, the allmighty Suffocation at Sparks in Deer Park. Feel free to Google Suffocation to learn why. I also saw my first demolition derby at Freeport Raceway just before it was closed.
Now here we go, the old stores of the Five Towns...TSS right on Rockaway Turnpike (now Costco's), its outdoor nursery sold Xmas trees in the winter; Bagel Nosh(now the In and Out), Food Town, Genovese Drugs, Sam Pan Chinese restaurant, Mauro's Pizza, Genovese Drugs, and a Fotomat booth all right at the corner of Burnside Ave and Rockaway Tpke; Pancake Cottage(gone), Arthur Treacher's(gone a looong time ago), Falcaro's Bowling(closed), Nathan's(before it was Roy Rogers and now Wendy's), Waldbaum's(just closed) and Korvettes at the now Bay Harbor Mall(there was a place right outside the store where you could buy Xmas trees, and Best Buy was once a Service Merchandise); just across the street was the RKO movie theater(anyone remember the "No, talking/smoking, PLEEEEEASE" announcements before the movie started?) that is now a Duane Reade; Merit Lincoln/mercury is now an antiques store. Moving up the road a bit we have the Five Towns Plaza. It is now a motley assortment of stores(K Mart, Dress Barn, etc), but back in the day, hahaha. Pergament(now Conway). Mays(which became the Fleaport flea market which itself closed later). OTB(which became Nathan's, now it's something else). Pathmark(which is now an Applebee's, of all things). But the stores that were in the little interior mall that has since been demolished...such as classics like the 4 Joker's video arcade...Jahn's Ice cream(they had the best shakes)...there was a duplex movie theater in there...also a Halloween supplies store...and a Radio Shack...but the best one of all was(drum roll please) Mr. Music, the baddest music shop around(until I found Slipped Disc in the 1990's)- the walls were covered with wicked blacklight posters, it smelled like incense, and it seemed like every time I went in there they were rocking "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge. The stores my parents would drag me to...Alexanders, Gimbels, A&S in Green Acres Mall(now I wouldn't go there even if I was wearing a Kevlar vest). Where we would go to eat...Vinnie's Clam Bar in Oceanside, Borelli's in East Meadow, returning empty milk bottles to the Dairy Barn in Hewlett, getting groceries at Gristedes before it was turned into the kosher Supersol. Also there were many mentions made of nightspots...anyone remember "Montanas" or "The Attic", both on Broadway in Hewlett? It's too bad the Busy Bee and Gold Coast flea markets are gone...both had these places where you could get a wide variety of rock band t-shirts. Sorry this is so long. My father passed away last month and my mom and I have been trading stories and it made me think of all the stores that have come and gone since I was a boy. We still have paint cans in the basement with Korvettes stickers on them, I think by now they are probably not the same colors we originally purchased.
Thanks for allowing me to share the memories. Five Towns represent
AWESOME POST Rizzo!!!! I remember the "No Talking PLEEZE" announcements. Growing up in Oceanside, I remember a lot. We used to go to the East Bay Diner on Long Beach Road every Thursday, and I took my first date to the Oceanside Movie Theatre, where some nice man told the lady selling tickets that me and my girlfriend were with him so we could get into the R Movie. After the movie we went to the "new" Rainbow Diner also on Long Beach Road. How about Towers Funeral Home? Definitely Nunleys for Mini Golf and SkeeBall, and the Duck Pond in Baldwin!!!
Where in Washington? Nah thats before my time. No punn intended but the only thing I know from Rockaway is the song by the I think the Ramones (Rockaway Beach) and the old saying,,,it smells like low tide at Rockaway.
I think the Beach Boys were the original group to sing that the song and the Ramones covered it.
Growing up in The Rockaways and living there for most of my 40 years, I can say that I've seen the good and the bad. Here are a few examples of the good.
Living on 58th and Almeda.
Walking to and from the beach barefoot. (3 blocks)
Waldbaums on 51st. st. next to Penninsula Hosp. (my place of birth)
Bayswater Park was great in the summer. The sprinkler park was awesome.
Shopping at L.H. Martin on 86th st. with my Mom.
St. Gertrude's on Sunday's.
Playing baseball behind P.S. 105
...and of course Playland and Pinky's Fascination.
Hey Rizzo27, my sincere condolences on the passing of your Dad.
Before Pergament it was Playworld. If you celebrated Christmas, that's where "Santa" lived.
Epstein's was on the corner by Sam Pan.
A&P was up the road before it was AutoBarn.
Outside of TSS was Top Banana if my memory hasn't failed me.
Lion's Den was across the street.
Quick story: My brother got a job at Beefsteak Charlie's washing dishes one day. We loaded up the station wagon to pick him up on his first day. My Dad parked on the side where the garbage was kept. My Mom saw a million rats by the garbage and that was my brother's first and last day there. Women!
A little LI trivia here. Where is the last spot on the Island to host the Demolition Derby?(I believe they still do) 1 hint, they used to have a figure 8 track!!
Riverhead still has demolition derby and a figure 8 track. Used to go to Islip Speedway evey saturday with my dad to watch the races. Charlie Jarzombeck was my favorite of the modified drivers. RIP Charlie!
Riverhead still has demolition derby and a figure 8 track. Used to go to Islip Speedway evey saturday with my dad to watch the races. Charlie Jarzombeck was my favorite of the modified drivers. RIP Charlie!
*DING*DING*DING* Buy that man a beer! I lived in Bayshore as a kid and heard the Islip speedway everytime there was a race.
A little LI trivia here. Where is the last spot on the Island to host the Demolition Derby?(I believe they still do) 1 hint, they used to have a figure 8 track!!
My guess would be Riverhead (just because I can't think of any other race track on the Island, LOL)
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Remembering the Rockaways.
