Jackson Heights Life

Welcom Robl!  I remember a few of the places you mention in your post including the butcher shop on 74th Street.  I don't think it was an Ottomanelli's though.  That was over in Woodside.

The Essex House diner -- Wow!  You're good with names.  I remember my parents taking us there for breakfast on weekend mornings.

The toy store on Roosevelt was Toy City.  Someone mentioned it in one of the posts above.

Do you remember around what year Baskin Robbins opened on 37th Avenue?  It just occurred to me that it had been a staple in the neighborhood for a very long time until its recent closing.  Carvel was across the street.

Hiya yes I remember that Ottomanellis which was 61st and woodside ave. I confused the two. It might have been called Four Corners Butcher. I remember sawdust on the floor and my friend Vinny worked there for a while. Right next to Merit Farms if anyone remembers...

Toy City wa on 78 or 79th and Roosevelt. A gas station was across from it. I used to buy all of my roller hockey stuff there as well as toys. I remember they used to have a public water fountain in there that had the coldest water! Weird how memories trigger such things. However that's no the toy store I'm thinking of which was on 83rd and Roosevelt. Dark wood floors that creaked.

If memory serves the Baskin Robbins opened early 70's. I didn't know that it closed. I moved away late 90's and don't get back to that area much. Families gone from the area. Beautiful old family home knocked down and an ugly three story building put up.

I wonder if anyone remembers Bohack?? Wasn't it where Shop Wise was near ps 69? or was it 71st and Roosevelt pre A+P days (where my friends and I would buy 35 cent boxes of Kellogs Corn Flakes and Raisin Bran to get those 3d baseball cards!).

Hiya yes I remember that Ottomanellis which was 61st and woodside ave. I confused the two. It might have been called Four Corners Butcher. I remember sawdust on the floor and my friend Vinny worked there for a while. Right next to Merit Farms if anyone remembers...

I think it was actually was more in the middle of 74th, between 37th Road and 37th Avenue .. I used to love going in there and making tracks in the sawdust.  Right about across from where the Delhi Palace is.  I also remember two Key Foods .. one where the Indian grocery is now, one where Duane Reade moved to.  (Duane Reade used to be where Commerce Bank is, and before Daune Reade it was Rockbottom, and before that Courtesy ...

I think it was actually was more in the middle of 74th, between 37th Road and 37th Avenue .. I used to love going in there and making tracks in the sawdust.  Right about across from where the Delhi Palace is.  I also remember two Key Foods .. one where the Indian grocery is now, one where Duane Reade moved to.  (Duane Reade used to be where Commerce Bank is, and before Daune Reade it was Rockbottom, and before that Courtesy ...

Yes there was a butcher shop where you described (wasn't it next to Sam and Raj?)but there was also one right next to Merit Farms opposite from the Army Navy Store and on the other side of the street was a bar. I can't remember the name of it, it was right on the corner. I thought the Key Food on 74st is where the Jackson Diner moved to? It's been a while since I've been there.

Used to be The Hobby Hut on 83rd Street, off 37th Ave, sold model ships and trains.

Before the Jewish Center moved 77th Street (next to Shop-Wise) was a Sizzler and before that a KFC.

The Fruit market on 78th Street & 37th was owned by Sal and his checkout help Stella used to baby-sit me and my sister on weekends.

Murray's Jewish Deli was the first hot-dog I remember, made their own Katsup (which I didn't like) There was a Jewish butcher across the street (next to Big Deal , now the Trade-Fair)

Washington Discount on 37th just off 78th could fix any watch or get any type of battery you needed. Also sold discount shampoo/cosmetics before the CVS's and Walgreen's of this world.

Northern Lanes on 75th Street of Northern, (bowling lanes were bumpy) Now part of the car dealer.

There were industries on the west side of the Heights near the Connecting Railroad. Place that did plating, a surgical instrument maker and a printer. White Castle District Office still remains.

You could actually play with ALL your schoolmates in PS69's and IS 145's school yards

Cafe 77 was a real Chinese Laundry, took many of my Grandfathers shirts there (and each regular customer had a mark)

The Jackson Heights Library actually had BOOKS in it. Rows and rows of books. Didn't have to wait for inter-branch loans to come in.

Brown's Army and Navy Stores still survive!

Grandmother used to make the trek to Pick-n-Pack down on 37th and 85th(?) for discount meat and then complain about all the red food dye they used.

The Big Delicatessen on Roosevelt between 82nd and 83rd, (German Potato Salad).

The movie theater on Northern had big holes in the roof but would let you in to see the "R" rated movies.

The Roman Cave was the place to go for Italian Food and treated little kids like kings!

The Old Barn on Roosevelt and 80th(/) served family sized meals. You could buy your furniture at Jackson Furniture across the street.

The Garden School had guard dogs in their yard. They were the type that would let you in, but then you could not leave. (Great "kid" fun petting the guard dog then having your buddy distract the dog so you could get your hand out of the fence holes) The car dealers had dogs too.

You can now add the Q19B to the list of things "gone" at least in name.

There was no 115 Pct. You had to deal with the 114 Pct. or 110 Pct. and wait FOREVER for a patrol car. Heaven help the person who had an auto accident on Northern. They might still be waiting 

Brown's Army and Navy Stores still survive!

Grandmother used to make the trek to Pick-n-Pack down on 37th and 85th(?) for discount meat and then complain about all the red food dye they used.

The Big Delicatessen on Roosevelt between 82nd and 83rd, (German Potato Salad).

The movie theater on Northern had big holes in the roof but would let you in to see the "R" rated movies.

[

I remember buying Bandanas in Brown's Army Navy for 99 cents.  I used to have long hair then.  Now I'm happy to still have some hair.

Pick-a-Pack was on 37th Avenue next to the Cavalier.  There is a different butcher there now.  I remember buying heroes there and eating them across the street at the Gemini Bar.

The deli on Roosevelt between 82nd and 83rd was the Continental Deli.  It was a German Deli that was very large and very clean and made great sandwiches  had great salads.  Next to it was a nice bakery - the name escapes me.

The Boulevard theater was seemed huge to me.  I remember the floors always seemed sticky from soda spills.

I grew up in Jackson Heights... went to ps 145 and Newtown HS...

There was a Wolkes ( don't remember the spelling) on 85th and 37th avenue right near a linoleum store that was owned by a guy who had the worst smelling cigar and stood outside his store constantly.

There was a restaurant called  Green Kitchen... they had green booths, i think.

There was also a Horn and Hardart store on 82nd between 37th and Roosevelt.

The big department stores were Fields and Clarks.

Rauchs was a high end childrens clothing store.

When I was growing up, there was no need to go into "the city" as we called it... we had everything we needed just a few steps away from where we lived.    It was a wonderful way to grow up.

I discovered this site in the way you find lots of things on the internet as you get pin balled around looking for things. I was actually looking up the history of the old Physicians Hospital where my brother was born and found this site and the discussion of the "old Jackson Heights". I put that in quotes because a lot of the references seem not so old to a semi old guy like me.
Anyway I loved living in Jackson Heights and intend to move back in the next two years after 35 years in London. So what do I remember about growing up in the 50's. Stickball in the streets(touch football too) and playing in the  PS69 schoolyard.Walking along 37th Ave was it the A&P between 73rd and 74th where they ground coffee up at the counter. Dr. Price the dentist on 73rd.opposite the Blue Haven nightclub(smoked windows made it always seem dangerous)The Hamburger Express where the hamburger came on electric trains.the tiny specialty candy store on 75th St and 37th that was run by Arthur Landau's parents.Wechsler's on 75th St and 37th where the door opened to the glorious smell of smoked fish, apricot leather, pickles and cheese. The classic "appetiser store" The old public library that predated the 81st St. library. It had the story lady every Sat. morning and was located where the supermarket is now between 76th and 77th. and it was where I learned about books. Funny that there is a little reminder of it with the second hand book man nearly on its old site.

Of course the Toddle House which was a little place on the corner of 77th  leading to Moe 'n' Archies candy store(now a Korean grocery) where stick ballers would get Mission  grape or cream soda or Italian ice. It had a long counter where if you were feeling flush you could get a malted made in chrome cylinder's plugged into a whizzer.The Post Office-thankfully the same as always with its NRA mural. Fields where I got my boy scout uniform. Smoked my first cigarette in the Colony balcony watching a Tyrone Power film about a ship wreck. That combination nearly put me off smoking but I persevered and was confirmed at Pulitzer Jr. High and even more at Bryant H.S. Moving along 82nd to the Jackson there was a little deli that sold 15 cent hot dogs before you saw the double bill. Of course my favorite was the Earle theatre with a classic art  deco aquarium interior.(gone gone gone) Saw Sat morning serials there and followed it as I got older when it played foreign films. It did become a grind house showing porn films after I left with a small link to its community past with a sign that said "discounts for senior citizens."

Anyway I could go on. I feel privileged to have lived in Jackson Heights in its glory days. A wonderful place that happily despite all the demographic changes retains something of the old spirit.