Does anyone know Brooklyn (DeKalb Avenue) 1940's? (Yorktown, York: for sale, appliances)

[Scorpio60]

Hi all,

I'm trying to put together a scrapbook for my 95 year old Mom and all I know is she grew up on DeKalb Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. She always talks about certain stores (I don't know the spelling):

They are Boknick's or Borknick's (sold pickles, food, had a pinball machine), Ebbie's (sp?) sold dolls, and Oscars.

I would appreciate if anyone could tell me where I should look as I would like to print out pictures of these stores.

Thanks in advance!

[SeventhFloor]

If you can get an address, go to nyc.gov/buildings and put in the address for the block and lot number

Then go to nyc.gov/records and use the block & lot number to see the tax photo of the front of the property from the 1940s.

[Scorpio60]

Thanks for your reply. My Mom has alzheimer's/dementia so her memory is not good. I'll see if she remembers an address.

Thanks again!

[Mr.Retired]

Response: Opinion

Use to shop on Knickerbocker Avenue in the 60's.
Many Europeans lived in the neighborhood.
A Knickerbocker park nearby. Old men smoking cigars and
playing pinochle while others playing Bocce.
Every Saturday either walk or short bus ride down DeKalb.
Few had cars back then. The butcher stores and fresh
produce were amazing. Shopping for clothes and appliances
was much fun. Always coming home with bags of Grocery.
A great day.

Drove by recently. Many Modern businesses.
From a two way to one way street. Traffic stand still.
Graffiti and litter everywhere you turn made it feel third
world country. Not the place I once remembered...

[Scorpio60]

Thanks for your memories and yes, I'm sure it changed dramatically for the worse.

My Mom talks about trolley cars, people that walked by with carts of various foods for sale, playing marbles in front of her home, and so much more. It sounded like a different world back then, perhaps even a better world.

[YorktownGal]

My 90 year old mother-in-law lived on East 7th Street by Avenue U. She said it was like the country with a horse stable on the corner. It was a different world and a better one.

I remember DeKalb by Pratt Institute in the 1960's. There were elevated trains which were loud and blocked the sun.

You can find so much on Youtube like this film on street cars


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-6y...nel=BobDiamond


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwEx...=IT%27SHISTORY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcXY...=PeriscopeFilm

I love the elevated trains


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jypn...nel=ScottTyson


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCKT...nel=ScottTyson


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbOL...nel=ScottTyson


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_ec...imeProductions

[Scorpio60]

Originally Posted by YorktownGal

My 90 year old mother-in-law lived on East 7th Street by Avenue U. She said it was like the country with a horse stable on the corner. It was a different world and a better one.

I remember DeKalb by Pratt Institute in the 1960's. There were elevated trains which were loud and blocked the sun.

You can find so much on Youtube like this film on street cars


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-6y...nel=BobDiamond


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwEx...=IT%27SHISTORY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcXY...=PeriscopeFilm

I love the elevated trains


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jypn...nel=ScottTyson


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCKT...nel=ScottTyson


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbOL...nel=ScottTyson


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_ec...imeProductions

Thanks so much! I didn't think to look on youtube. I will play these video's (as well as the ones I find) for my Mom as she would enjoy them very much.