Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Memory Lane

For my Harlemites, let's go down memory lane:

Remember Teddy's Shanty's hot dogs on 8th Avenue at 125th St? Every time I went there, they would charge me a different price for the same order: 2 hot dogs and a grape drink. Or the original Wells, Chicken and Waffles. Sherman's BBQ (when the food was good), Mister B's, The Flash Inn, Thomford's ice cream parlor (125th St, corner of St. Nicholas Ave.) And the best Chinese restaurant in NY as far as I'm concerned, Len Fong, which was on Broadway at 145th St. Food was delicious and Cantonese and you could get a nice buzz off the drinks while waiting for your food. Just found out that M & G's diner, corner 125th and Morningside Avenue, has closed!!! Oh the shame of it all. They had one of the best music collections on their juke box. The soul food was great and they were open 24 hours a day and you got to know the waitresses who called you by name. You could eat breakfast at 5pm or 3am. Oh and don't forget Wilson's up on Amsterdam Avenue.

What about some of the bars in Harlem? The Top Club, The Baby Grand (which I think is now a Radio Shack), The Oasis up on Broadway. The Paradise, which was on the corner of 110th Street and 8th Avenue and was a "bucket of blood" where even the bartender would tell you not to turn your back on your drink!!! The other paradise was Small's Paradise, of course. Had lots of fun in there. I used to hang at a bar called The Four Pheasants (weird name for a Harlem bar.) It was a 3 for 1 and they did not water down the drinks. Happened to know the guys running the the place. Sometimes I would have 9 to 12 shots lined up in front of me. Woo Hoo!!! Occasionally stopped in The Flame, 141st Street and Lenox Avenue, which I considered a neighborhood bar. Mostly older folks from the 'Hood, kind of the quiet.

What about the dance halls? I can only remember The Savoy, 149th St in the Boogie Down Bronx and The Carlton Terrace on 96th Street and Broadway. Think I went to all of the dance halls at one time or another because my uncle gave a dance once or twice a year.

Remember when you didn't have to go downtown to the movies? I think there were at least 4 theaters on 125th Street including a Loew's and RKO on 7th Avenue between 125th and 126th Streets. There was another Loew's on 116th Street, along with another RKO, I think.

What about the bakery on 125th Street between St. Nicholas and 8th Avenues? Don't remember the name but they had huge apple turnovers that were full of apples (would you believe) and wonderful glazed donuts. Speaking of glazed donuts, no one, not ever Krispy Kreme could compare to Georgie's Bakery which was down the block from Con Ed. Little tiny place and the line was down the block at holiday time! Had a small menu of pound cake, chocolate cake, coconut pie, sweet potatoe pie, brownies and the best glazed donuts in the world. A tray of freshly baked glazed donuts would be sold out by the time you got to the counter - and - you were already in the store. Across the street was Wimp's which had delicious cakes.

Can't end without mentioning Majester's Fish and Chips. (the original store on Lenox and 129th Street.) There was always a line of people, no matter what time of year it was. I never went to that place and walked right up to the counter. Best fish and chips in town and they were open late for the bar crowd.

Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Hit me back with some of the places you remember.

24 comments:

MysticDiva1 said...

IF YOUR FROM HARLEM THEN WHAT HAPPEN TO SURPRISE ROTISSERY ON 136TH ST AND 7TH AVE. MOUNT ST. RENNY MOVIE THEATER ON 137TH AND 7TH AVE AND THE ROOSEVELT ON 145TH AND 7TH AVE. SNOOKIES SUGAR BOWL ON 137TH AND 7TH AVE. THE BIG APPLE BAR ON 135TH AND 7TH AND THE BAKERY THAT WAS ON 7TH AVE NEXT TO DAWN'S DANCE HALL AND CONNIE'S THAT WAS ON LENOX AVE?

MysticDiva1 said...

This comment is from a friend of mine who happens to be OLDER than me so he remembers things that I forgot!!! Anyway, these places did help my stroll down memory lane. Keep remembering.

Greg said...

My precious darling you have named them all! Congratulations. Although I never lived in Harlem I did go to Elemntary & High School there and continue to live in the same Washington Hts apt I was born in.

Nobody in my age range remembers Teddy's Shanty and I can recall my mom cussing out the counter person for charging different prices on different occaisions.

I'm actually planning a book about Harlem restaurants from the Renaissance to the present day, perhaps you'll let me pick ur brain for info. Also, did you forget Wilson's on 159th & Amsterdam?

Sylvia's and Sherman's are still hanging in there but I think Sherman's will be the next to go. His daughter is getting tired of it all.

MysticDiva1 said...

Hi Greg,
Yes I do remember Wilson's. Used to live down the block on 159th and Ft. Washington (where the block curves). I agree about Shermans and it's a shame but the food there stopped being good years ago. There was a spare rib "joint" on the corner of 122nd and 8th way back in the day. Just the neighborhood spot, sort of like most fish and chips spots. Don't remember the name but the food was awesome.

So many places are now becoming memories with the change in the complexion of Harlem. M&G's Diner, Morningside Ave and 125th, folded last year I believe. This one will be sorely missed since it was open 24 hours a day except when staff went on vacation.

I'm so sorry that I don't have pictures of these places but I never thought they would cease to exist. Hope you have pictures or can get some.

Best wishes on your book. I would be happy to assist in any way that I can. Also planning a vacation book about NY with the emphasis on the 'Hood in all 5 boroughs. Let's do these books so other generations will know the rich history that we have known.

christian said...

Len Fong was my great-grandfather's restaurant!

Anonymous said...

How about the Rockland Palace, Herbert's Jewelers, Mayfair Ballroom,Thomford's,the old A&P on 7th Avenue between 140th and 141st street(the smell of coffee beans dominated everything) ? remember those places?

Anonymous said...

Len Fongs was my family's every Friday dinner spot. When I got older a window seat at Wilsons was always great.

I remember when PS 186 was open. Mishkins was our drug store and I loved a small bakery with great donuts between 144th and 145th and
Amsteram. For a bit I lived in 478 W. 145th but them we moved to the triple nickel.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Wendy said...

I definitely Teddy's Shanty and Thomford's Restaurant. I remember my English teacher took a group of students to Thomford's as a treat. I had a frappe (like a sundae) for the first time! At Easter the ice cream parlor had the most wonderful Easter baskets in the windows - so fancy!

Anonymous said...

I REMEMBER THE CLUB BY THE NAMED THE BEL BOOK AND CANDLE, ALSO GUS'S ON 139TH.

Anonymous said...

Thank You your post made me smile. My father and I worked at Majesters for years. I was a teenager and loved the people and how a few of the guys would ask to sweep the front of the store. They wanted a piece of fish or chicken. Many days I carried bags of potatoes and had them sliced. Those truly were great times.

Anonymous said...

Thank You your post made me smile. My father and I worked at Majesters for years. I was a teenager and loved the people and how a few of the guys would ask to sweep the front of the store. They wanted a piece of fish or chicken. Many days I carried bags of potatoes and had them sliced. Those truly were great times. Now that I'm older it was an experience of a lifetime. Harlem in the 80's was the place to be!

Anonymous said...

I lived on 116th St. Between Lenox & 7 th Ave. PS 184 was between Lenox Ave & Fifth Ave. A cross the street from main enterance, was a little shop that made cigars by hand. I would press my nose to the glass at lunch time to watch. Down the block towards 5 th Ave was a printing shop. A huge steam operated printing machine was hard at work. On Lenox Ave, between 116th St & 117th St. Was the 5 & 10 cent store. In there was a world of goodies. The candy stand had the fried potatoe stiks. A dime would get you a giant scoop. The food counter is where my mom would take me and buy me a turkey club sandwich complete with a chocolate malt. Mmmmmm! I was in heaven . On the corner of 117 th St. Was Sherman's, loved there rib's with that water down spaghetti sauce plus bread. Loved it. Now for the person who posted about teddy Shanty's. The ( 2 ) locations where, Lenox Ave. 116th St. And 125 th St. ( Lenox ) Ave. Not 8th Ave. Cushman,s bakery was on Lenox Ave. 116 th St. Loved there dark cake rolled up with Vanella Ice cream. We also Had ( 3 ) movie houses, between Lenox Ave & 5 th Ave, was the Regunn theater ( hope I spelled it wright), the Loew's on 116th St. between Lenox Ave and 7th Ave. The RKO on 7th Ave. 116th St. Oh! The best fish & chips was on my block. " James fish & chips" 116th St. few doors down from the Lowe's theater . At the corner of 116th St, Lenox Ave. in front of the old subway, was the news stand. There you could buy the Daily Mirror news paper, comic books for 5 cent or a Dime. We had everything we needed on a few blocks. Just one more place, Blumsteins Dept Store. 125th St. That's where my mother took me to get some " Buster Brown " shoes. You could drop a bomb on those shoes and not destroy them. Wonderful memories . Peace , Love , & Hair Grease.

Anonymous said...

Hi, all. I grew up in the St. Nicholas Projects in the 60s and 70s, 212 West 129th St., and I remember many of those old haunts. I remember Thomforde's (I think there was an "e" at the end) which was right by the subway entrance at the corner of '25th Street and St. Nicholas (Does the black syntactical signature of eliminating the words "one hundred and" when referring to streets uptown still exist, where "145th Street" becomes "45th Street," etc?) I was always scared to go in because it was so dark! BTW I was stunned into silence one afternoon on that corner when Redd Foxx came out of the subway holding hands with his woman and proudly wearing a St. Louis Cardinals t-shirt. There was a sporting goods store on that same block, between Thomforde's and the Manhattanville Post Office, where I got my first baseball glove. And maybe some of you remember the *two* movie theaters on the other side of the street a block down: the West End and the Sunset. I remember seeing "Return of the Dragon" with Bruce Lee at the West End. The LaGree Baptist Church is now where the West End stood. More later!

Anonymous said...

Aw man! I didn't even address the thing that brought me to this page in the first place! Teddy's Shanty! I was a little kid when it was in it's heyday but I LOVED their hamburgers. Incidentally, was there one on 135th St and 7th or is my memory off?

Now does anyone remember Roy Campanella's liquor store on 7th Avenue around 134th street? I was too young to have seen him play but I knew who he was and would often walk by the store and peek in to see if he was there! Man, soooo many memories are coming back!

Anonymous said...

My goodness, reading the comments bring back so many memories. Yes, I do remember a Teddy's Shanty on 135th street because I went to JHS 136 and we used to go there a lot. Does anybody remember Better a Crust Bakery on 7th Ave?

Anonymous said...

My goodness, reading the comments bring back so many memories. Yes, I do remember a Teddy's Shanty on 135th street because I went to JHS 136 and we used to go there a lot. Does anybody remember Better a Crust Bakery on 7th Ave?

MysticDiva1 said...

I remember Roy Campanella's liquor store. I think the backery you mentioned was called Better Pie Crust. I remember all of the movie theaters you mentioned. Loved Thomford's ice cream parlor. Service was slkow but food was good. Remember the Rexall drug store across the street from Thomford's? Had a counter where you could sit and have soda, cup of tea/coffee and sandwich? You mentioned Cushman's bakery. Ths biggest apple turnovers in the world. Apples falling out of the crust. WOW. Used to hangf in Wilson's after hanging out all night or M&G's on 125 and Morningside. You're right about Teddy's Shanty charging different prices. When I was dating my future husband, we would go there for 2 franks and a soda and paid a different price EVERY time. LOL.

Anonymous said...

Geez I'm dying reading this! Found it b/c I was looking for a picture of Len Fongs. An actual sit in restaurant in Harlem back in the day- who would have thunk it??? And Shermans....it was always sketchy b/c of the urban legend that rats were up in the window at night! Ahh...good times...LOL!


Anonymous said...

Reliable Cafeteria next door to Copeland's and the small, dark Indian restaurant on 125th St. near Amsterdam Ave. Yum. Don't forget Livingston's (West Indian food) just above 125th Street, nearer to Fifth Avenue. Damn. Those were the days!

Leah Littlejohn said...

Sigh... Thomford's ice cream parlor, one of the great memories of my childhood. What treat it was when my parents took us! We were so fancy!! No one else I know remembers it, thanks for letting me know I didn't hallucinate it!!

Randy Edwards said...

Yes i remember all of those places that was mention, i grew up in Harlem from 1955 to 1989, i started out on 111th st and Lenox ave as a baby went to PS 170 next to the Steven Foster Houses now called King towers, i remember the Central Park Lounge, in 1965 after the Nov 9th black out i moved uptown to the Drew Hamilton Houses, i went to the Roosevelt Movie theater i saw all my James Bond movies there and Our Man Flint, i ate at Sherman's between 145th and 146th st and 7th ave, i never been in Smalls Paradise, never been in Mr. B'S but i remember it never been to the Renny, i remember the Wells restaurant, i at at Mr. Wilson's on 159th st and Ams, i remember the Continental Bar on 145th and 8th and all the singleton bars and restaurants i went to that bad Douglass JHS 139 back in the late 60's i had to fight my way out of there lol that was the gangster school, i remember Stake & Take restaurant on 125th st and 8th ave, i think Teddy's Shanty was next to the Rooservelt theater. who remember Better Crust bakery on 137th and 7th avenue those was some good cakes mmmmmmm and the famous Fish & Chip store on 141st and 8th ave the Majistic on 129th and Lenox and on 125th they had Florsheim shoe store, Regal, British Walker, Lord's Men Shop, Nat Navins mens store on 111th and Lenox, Sleet bike store on 141 in AMS, i can go on and on a true Harlem brother.

MysticDiva1 said...

WOW. It was great reading these remarks. Memories of places I had forgotten like Rockland Palace, Bell, Book and Candle, Reliable cafeteria, Rexall drug store. Campanella's liquor store. WOW. Thanks for more memories.

Anonymous said...

I JUST LOVE THIS POST!! I remember just about all of these places.. What a fabulous place Harlem was at that time! Just magnificent..
Thank you for posting, I will be sure to follow your blog <3

Anonymous said...

I also remember a cigarette/shop and a small restaurant right next door to one another, across the street form where we lived in the St. Nicholas Projects called Marshalls, both owned by Mr and Mrs Marshall. We would go there on the weekends for lunch sometimes but our most favorite place was Thomfords, although I don't remember an E on the end, but there very well could have been. I was little then.. But we used to go there most Sundays after church. Honestly, Harlem was so beautiful then, I felt lucky to grow up and live there. I didn't understand anything about race or hardship, Harlem was quite fancy in those times..