Jackson Heights Life

I grew up in Jackson Heights, am in my early 50's.  Up through the mid 1970's:  I remember across from PS 69, hamburger express, the Jewish Deli, toy store, Shopwise.  Then Baskin and Robbins.    Then a few blocks away:  Jahn's ice cream parlor, Fields Dept. store  (where I worked over Xmas time when I was 16 and 17) I remember the record store by the upstairs train on 82nd street.  The daughter of Barr's gifts was in class with me. I remember Eldon's clothing store, named after the owner's kids that I also knew.  Clarks clothings store. There were alot of shoe stores, chock full of nuts cafe on the corner by train.  Woolworths. Genevese drug store. 3 movie theaters :  Polk, Earle? and the one on northern blvd and 83rd, where 145 had graduation ceremony each June.  There were great pizza places all over the place.  A few good chinese restaurants/take out.

The Jewish Center was very active  a few blocks away from where I lived, (on 84th and 35th ave. )  I also attended IS 145 as well as the Garden School accross the street.  Both sets of my grandparents lived in the neighborhood:  Donnelly Gardens in the 70's and on 74th and 35th ave.  I remember hanging out all the time as a kid at the playground on 78th between 34th and northern blvd.  Memories also of a few summers spent at the Jackson Heights Country Club, which had a nice pool and playing paddle ball....The neighborhood has seen so many changes over the past 30 years!

It was located in 37th Avenue between 76 and 77 Streets.  It was where the Baskin Robbins was located.

Ok...here goes.

Toy City - prior to Roosevelt and 78th was on the 76th side of Shop Wise. Closed and Shop Wise expanded to the 76th corner.
Baskin Robbins opened around 1971 or 1972 (opened by Morty Hova) after Hamburger Express burned down.
Wexler's across the street from 1953 to 1983, sawdust on the floor. Part of the triangle (Murray's, Wexler's and the Kosher meat market across the street.
Bohack was where Trade Fair is now after MANY years of Big Deal
Nobody mentioned Dairy Queen across from the PO by Barrs.
Murray;s Deli? remember the beer advertisement rubber mats at the cash register with all the little bumps on them?
Ferns horse? oh yeah....with the saddle.
Liffey Bar written up in the St Paddy's Day New York Magazine in 1979 as best Gunniess in NY!..closed mid 80's....Tommy Berry and Joe Taylor bartenders.
Arby's?...you mean Jack in the Box way before that.
Hi Fi cleaners on 76 and Northern
Next to Hamburger Express..small radio store..could check TV tubes there
Victor Moore arcade at Roosevelt...the stamp store, (Long before the video arcade) the barber shop upstairs near the bar with all the blue signs.
Royal Pharmacy big wooden phone booths
Alex's Pizza
Rahja?...Louie and Willie (Willie was the grumpy guy with glasses) they burned down in the late 70s and rebuilt
"Suicide Coke" at the candy store on 80th and Northern
Remember when you could walk through and explore all the garden backyards?
Nescott Drugs on Northern
Old small White Castle on 69 and Roosevelt..one of the original
Oh...about "Brandons" ..."he" was not her son...not by a long shot!
Molly's candy store (still there under all the changes) 75th and 37th
Carvel used to have school trips in from PS 69
record store on 82?...you mean the "The Record Room" White sign with blue letters
Larry Downes music store 79th 37th late 70s
HL Green in the 31st Ave shopping center...had a lunch counter with Taihitian Treat on tap
All the cub/boy scouts bought uniforms downstairs in Fields
Coffee shop on 75th and 37 th..now Ricky's cafe
Jackson Hts County Club on 23rd by the airport
Nobody mention Newmann Jewler's?   STILL THERE with all the same figurines in the window from 40 years ago. Same original painted glass sign. One of the last.
Norman and his father "Mr. Gibner" from Shop Wise...Doris the long time head cashier. Had delivery guys in the 70's straight out of the movie Car Wash!
King Edwards Deli across from PS 69
There was a small supermarket there by King Edwards, had the old wooden racks pulled by hand instead of motorized belts at the 2 or 3 registers.
Sam and Raj was the **first** on 74th around 1976.
Olivos Opticians has been on 37th at 75th since the mid 70s and is retiring soon

I'm sure to think of others

Yes, Royal on 76th

Wow "1963" Sam + Raj now that brings back memories as does Dairy Queen which was actually a Dairy Queen Brazier (one that serves hamburgers etc.). And Jack in the Box with that creepy drive thru clown head. I used to ride my 3 speed there with my friends and we'd use the drive thru with our bikes. It was the first place I ever had a taco at and loved those Jumbo Jacks.

Victor Moore Arcade that was a block away from where I lived. There used to be a cookie place in there too I remember them having the best butterscotch cookies in the world. Wasn't the stamp store across from the video game arcade? Man I wish I could see pictures of that arcade area and the rest of Jackson Heights 60's, 70's and early 80's. Amazing how little of it exists online. Looking at my own family photos you basically see inside of the house and the backyard or pictures of other peoples apartments. I wish I would have snapped all of the places mentioned with my 110 and disc cameras!

Those wishing to discuss their Jackson Heights school memories can now do so by posting on the new Old School Memories thread.  Reminisce about your old schools and teachers at PS 69, IS 145 and more!

Here's the new thread:

Old School Memories

Chuckster
JHL Moderator

I too remember eating at the lunch counter at Woolworth's. I loved their greasy fries served by ladies wearing typical 1950s waitress uniforms.

I also loved Ancil House (sp?) but swear it was called something after that and still sold the same kindof off beat items. I loved that place as a kid.

I also remember a photo development place near Roosevelt on 82 that sold Hello Kitty items in the back. It was a treat to be taken there to buy a pen or some Twin Star notebook.

I also remember where the parking garage is now, a bakery and a Hallmark ... then a fire destroyed those stores.

Before the Burger King and before the Roy Rogers, I'm pretty sure there was a men's clothing store there.

What are Woolworth's, Roy Rogers, and Twin Star?