It takes me back to the great 170th Street and the Grand Concourse in the 50s and 60s.

The supermarkets, meat markets were the best around. The shopping, restaurants, chinese restaurants. The Luxor Theatre -- did I spell it correctly?

The Grand Concourse with its beautiful trees. The concourse is a copy of the famous street in Paris, France, at the moment I can't think of the name. It will come to me!

The magificant pre-war buildings were something to see. The apartments with the drop living room were as beautiful, and the lobby of each building was a work of art. I think these buildings could match any of the expensive apartments that they are showing in New York City today.

I hear they are trying to rebuild the area again. Golly, who knows how many millions of dollars it will take to restore these beautiful buildings.

I recently visited the area. I had many friends that lived on the Grand Concourse. If they ever saw what these beautiful buildings look like now.

Can anyone out there share these memories?

Cynthia,

All my growing up years were spent within two blocks of the Grand Concourse. I was under the impression living on the Concourse was very expensive. My first memory is Gerard Ave and 167th street, in the shadow of the House That Ruth Built. We were about 1/2 block off the shopping area and the elevated train, this was in the late 40's early 50's. We then moved to Wythe Place, one block off the Concourse, right behind the Roosevelt Apartments. This is where I spent most of my growing up years. I took the bus on 173rd street to Sacred Heart School in Highbridge for 5 years then the bus on the Concourse to St Simon Stock till graduation. Even my first job, the accounting department of the New York Telephone Company was on the Concourse at 175th street. We moved to 182nd and Morris next and I met my future husband, we married in 1961 and our first home was on Morris and 182nd. We were there for 7 years and 3 of our 4 children were born at Lebanon Hospital. We then bought a home on Long Islands south shore where we have been for 38 years. I have great memories and very warm feelings for the Bronx and the Grand Concourse but I don't think I could ever live in an apartment or in a city. I'm too old and too use to the quiet and privacy of the burbs.

Helen, I enjoyed reading your message regarding the Grand Concourse and the famous 170th Street. I can't believe that you lived on Wythe Place. I lived at 1475 Wythe Place for over 10 years. Wow, that's great!

Tell me more if you anything else to share.

Cynthia

Loving the Bronx!

Cynthia did you live on 170th or the Concourse and what years?

Barry B. - I lived at 1475 Wythe Place, 1/2 block from the Grand Concourse. I lived at that address from the mid 50s to the mid 60s. As mentioned in my other post replies, I loved 170th Street, the excellent shopping it offered. The resturants, movies theatres and the great Grand Concourse had all the elements to live there. I frequent the Stadium Restaurant at 161st Street, not too far from Yankee Statium. I always went to the ballgames, loved the Yankees. So all the greats!

At that period of time, a lot of my friends lived in the area. Very interesting people lived in Bronx, around the late 40s, 50s, 60s. After that they moved to greener pastures, even abroad.

I often walked to Fordham Road. Another great section of the Bronx. Alexanders, Krums, Gormans. I loved to go to Jahn's Ice Cream Parlor. Such a 50s look! The ice cream, superb! The candy stores were great. The egg creams, the cherry cokes were the best!

Thank you for responding.

Cynthia

Loving the Bronx.

I still go to Yankee games. I fact I have tickets to Saturdays game.
I see we lived fairly close to each other in The bronx. I lived on 172nd and Morris ave across the street from Taft hihg school. Then moved to 165th and Sheridan. Graduated Taft in 59
Now just a few miles from you in North Bergen.

Hi Barry B:

We sure lived close in the 50s and 60s in the Bronx..

As I mentioned, I live in Fort Lee, NJ. How close is close in North Bergen are you?

Did you ever eat at the Stadium Resturant near 161st Street and the Grand Concourse? It was a about a 1/2 block down from the Concourse if I remember.

I was telling Mike McWatt that all the baseball players would frequent this great restaurant when they had free time and also celebrities.

It was open 24 hours and had the most fabulous food. Everything in "food" was available. The managers were just great. They were really on top of things. It was a pleasure to go there.

Well, happy trails,

Cynthia

The good old Bronx.

I used to walk from Mt. Eden and Macmbs Road to shop over on 170th Street. Woolworths was my favorite store when I was a kid. You ever notice that all Woolworths smelled the same? We used to eat in a chineese restaurant near the Concourse! Grocery Shop at Olynsky's (I think that is the way it was spelled). There was a great toy store across from Woolworths. The great candy store on the corner of Jerome and 170th! right next door was the pickle store! Wasn't Carvelle on 169th and Jerome? The A&P on Jerome! How about John's Bargain Store!! Ah, what memories! I love it, love it!! My kids just can't fathom that we would walk that far to go grocery shopping!! Here in Oklahoma, you drive a half block to go to a convenience store!

Depending on traffic on Kennedy B'lvd and Bergen B'lvd I can be in Fort Lee in less than 15 minutes. Even less if I take the turnpike to rt 46.
Bye the way I belong to the Elks Lodge at the boarder of Palisades Park and Fort Lee on 10th street up the hill from the new ball field.

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Angarola:
I used to walk from Mt. Eden and Macmbs Road to shop over on 170th Street. Woolworths was my favorite store when I was a kid. You ever notice that all Woolworths smelled the same? We used to eat in a chineese restaurant near the Concourse! Grocery Shop at Olynsky's (I think that is the way it was spelled). There was a great toy store across from Woolworths. The great candy store on the corner of Jerome and 170th! right next door was the pickle store! Wasn't Carvelle on 169th and Jerome? The A&P on Jerome! How about John's Bargain Store!! Ah, what memories! I love it, love it!! My kids just can't fathom that we would walk that far to go grocery shopping!! Here in Oklahoma, you drive a half block to go to a convenience store!

Hey Bob, Woolworth's was one of my favorites also. Lived on 173rd down the hill from Lebannon Hospital until 1965.

addisonst, I can't believe you not only know Wythe Place but lived there!! The street was only 2 blocks long. I don't remember when we moved there but I graduated from 8th grade at Sacred Heart in 1955 and from high school St Simon Stock in 1959. The bus I remember taking to school I got on 170th street. It was the local shopping area. When you lived there do you remember the supers name? That was my fathers job and we had the basement apartment as part of his salary. His first name was Jimmy. There were 3 kids in the family, 2 girls and a boy. When I was 12 I started babysitting for .50 an hour. One child I sat for was Mark Markowitz(not sure of spelling) another family was the Prager(also spelling could be off). We had a lovely apartment with an entrance on the side street. I just remembered a lovely family that lived on the 2nd floor, Jim and Flo Moss, they had a grown son Marvin and I went to their summer home in Amityville to care for his toddler son. Do you know any of these people? What floor did you live on? I loved that neighborhood.

WOW , my mind is a buzz of memories because of the current postings about 170th street. I remember Woolworth's, I use to shop for gifts for Mothers Day and Fathers Day there. Mom always got pink colored perfume and dad got hankerchiefs. I remember the pickle store with all its' smells and Johns' Bargin Store, when I was in my teens I would buy things to decorate my room. I remember the bakery and the drug store at the end of Wythe Place. I think there was a ladies store at the end of the block just before Jerome, I think it was Albrects(not sure of spelling) Boy I wish I could go back in time with this one I remember it so fondly.

Helen, from Cynthia -addisonst.

You are right. At the end of Wythe Place was the bakery and the drugstore. My late husband's friend owned the drugstore.

I remember John's Bargain Store, Woolworths. There was an excellent hardware store on 170th Street. The man that owned it had a very hateful wife. She was very nasty to her husband and abused him all the time.

One day I came in the store, she was abusing her husband verbally with disgust. There were other customers in the store, and they were shaking their heads with disgust. I couldn't stand it anymore, and told the wife off. She was beside herself when that happened. The husband was a small gentle man and he told me to just ignore her. How he ever got involve with her is a total mystery.

When I came into the store to buy, I ignored her and did business only with her husband. It was unfortunate, but the wife was handicap and sat in a wheelchair.

The meat markets and bakeries were excellent. The chinese restaurant on 170th street was always busy. I just love it there!

I don't seem to remember the people you mentioned. I lived at 1475 Wythe Place.

Please mention other interesting things if you can remember. I think I'll remember more if you get me started.

Thanks again, Helen

Cynthia

Just love the good old Bronx.

Cynthia, I just remembered the very strange house on 172nd street, it kind of looked like a castle built of stones or rocks and you never saw anyone come or go from it. Do you remember the Roosevelt apartments? My sister and I use to hang out with a group of kids on the cross street down from Wythe Place. I can't remember the street name. I think I mentioned my dad was the super of 1475 Wythe Place from 1949 to 1960. Do you remember what floor you lived on? How old are you, I am 65, Maybe we were from different eras?

Then you must remember Barnita's Italian Restaurant (Barbara&Anita Bernstein)before the Cross Bronx expressway was built on 170th one block up 170. Both went to Taft HS.

Kenneth, I lived on the other side of the Grand Concourse, opposite side that Taft HS was on and I very rarely went over there. I really remember chinese restaurant, just off the Concourse on 170th street. I'm a little fuzzy about an Italian place.

BARNITA'S WAS ON MT. EDEN WEST OF JEROME AVE, GREAT FOOD

Hi Helen:

Thank you for responding.

As I mentioned, I lived at 1475 Wythe Place for 10 years. I am a few years older than you, but not much.

The apartment I lived in was a 2 1/2 room apartment. At the moment, I cannot remember the apartment number. When entering the lobby, you would take a left up the staircase. The apartment was straight ahead.

I had forgotten your father's name, the superintendent of the buildling. I remember your father coming to repair problems with the faucets in the bathroom or kitchen.

If this is same superintendent, I was always in your apartment. I became friendly with your Dad, and especially your Mom. Your Mom was very tall, and had a great personality, she was very social. I just love her.

I remember your grandmother living with you. She was very delicate, and was lying down in her bedroom all the time. You have several brothers, am I correct? Does this sound familiar to you? Please let me know.

I would appreciate your thoughts. You

Cynthia

The Bronx forever!

I stand corrected MT.Eden is right.