The Brooklyn Eagle has a wonderful story this week about the glory days of the St. George Hotel, most notably its salt water pool. The piece was written by Dr. Howard B. Moshman, a long time resident and neighborhood dentist.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle: How It Was…: The huge hotel pool varied in depth from 3 feet to 10 feet, with a waterfall at the shallow end, three diving boards at the deep end, a 10-foot-high board in the center, and low boards on either side of it. The St. George pool was the place to go in the winter, when Coney Island and its adjacent beaches appealed only to members of the Polar Bear Club.
My trips to the indoor pool were generally with my childhood pal Malvin Guralnick. I would walk north on Henry Street where I lived at number 309, to Pineapple Street, then east over to Fulton Street. Malvin lived in one of early nineteenth century storefront buildings on the west side of the street, above his parents’ stationery/candy shop. In the 1960s that whole area was razed and supplanted by the Cadman Plaza housing development, and the street renamed Cadman Plaza West.
My grandfather used to tell me about this pool. It was apparently the largest salt water pool in the country and was a massive luxury. It was frequented by Naval Captains who were stationed at nearby bases (and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard right down the road.) I’ve seen amazing pictures of the St. George at it’s majesty filled with society swells in their white tie. Makes its current state all the more depressing…
Bw, Stanley Moshman, Howard’s son, continues to practice dentistry in the Heights and is fantastic. In case you’re in the market.
When I was 13 or 14 yrs old, (about a hundred years ago) a nickel subway ride from Queens, and a dime admission to the pool, got us in to the St. George Hotel pool for a whole day of swimming in salt water, and a workout with excercise bikes, dumbells, speed bags, and a lot of fancy moves to avoid hungry eyes that thought 13 yr old boys were pretty hot stuff.
By the way….am I the only one who remembers that there was a radio jingle advertising the Hotel?
Thanks for posting this. So many of my relatives of “a certain age” have sighed about that pool and told me about the dances they attended there during WWII. I’ll be sure to pick up a copy of the Eagle and pass it along to them.
Thanks for memory.What a beautiful memory.My sister took me to this pool when I was a little girl back in the 60′s..
During the 1946 & 1947 baseball seasons the Brooklyn Dodgers used the St George as their resident hotel. My mother worked in the lingerie shop in the lobby and I got to meet all of the boys of summer
What was the Hotel’s jingle???
In the 1950′s I saw a movie on television that mentioned the St George Hotel and I believe showed its swimming pool. I recall that Shelly Winters was in the film. Does anyone know the name of that movie?
Having read some of the comments about the St George in it’s hey day, I thought I’d invite everyone to come see the many photos I’ve collected of the hotel. Go here: http://www.TheStGeorgeTower.2ya.com and subscribe to this experimental website designed to collect the oral histories of those who remember a different time in New York, a time when this once grand dame played a very central role in many people’s lives. It wasn’t just the pool, it was also the social events that were held here, and the glamour of the Jazz Age.
Perhaps you have a senior relative who remembers when the Tower first opened and enjoyed one of the many themed restaurants here. Or, maybe it is one of your early childhood memories? Maybe you stayed at The St George Tower when you visited New York as a teen? Tell us about that visit! Was it during a one of the two worlds fairs? Or maybe it was during WWll? Was it your prom? Did you get married or spend your honeymoon here? Do you have photos or clippings from events that changed your life? Maybe you heard one of our presidents speak. So much shared history happened here.
We are archiving those memories to be searchable on the web for generations to come!
Imagine one day receiving an email from a long lost friend who joined this site who was there… someone who remembers the same event you do! The St George has been a central part of New Yorks social and political life since the first section of the hotel was opened more that 100 years ago.
Don’t forget, the stories and photos of the early years of the St George Tower, especially the 1930s, are eagerly sought. If you need any help emailing these images to StGeorgeTower_photos@mac.com, simply send a request for technical assistance to the same address. A technical expert will contact you to help you get those images out to the rest of us and to add them to the permanent collection, along with whatever memory is attached.
Best,
The St George Dragon Slayer
The St George Tower Archive Experiment
I grew up in Brooklyn Heights. The promenade had not yet been completed when I first moved to my new home. The Brooklyn docks were old and beautiful made of wood and accomodating the train barges. The New York skyline was much shorter and sparser than it it is today. I went to Plymouth Church Nursery School then Brooklyn Friends School. Everything was Brooklyn Heights for me including the Hotel St. George. I loved that pool and the excellent old time gym. I most remember the amazing waterfalls (ceiling to pool) at he far and deep end of the pool. The entire pool could be iewed from several tiers/balconies. The water was always comfortable and clean. What a magnificent indoor playground for a young kid growing up in Brooklyn. Now even though I lived only a few short blocks away from the St. George, cousins and friends could join me from all over the city by jumping on the subway and getting off at the Clark Street Station of the IRT and Taking the elevator all the way up to the Hotel above at ground level. What a wonderful time and place…
My parents and I stayed at the St. George hotel when visiting (from DC) my grandparents in Brownsville, Brooklyn in the 1950′s. The first several times they took me, I wasn’t tall enough to go in the adult pool. You had to be taller than the brass hand rail at the shallow end of the pool. When I got to be six or seven, I finally grew tall enough to make it in.
Jamie –
EMail me. Wigmar47@gmail.com
You should be able to tell who I am (ex-BFS student) from the email address.
Oh what memories! I used to go to the St George pool every Saturday. I was in walking distance from the hotel and had my first crush on a boy who was visiting from Georgia. I enjoyed the pool from the time I was 12 until I was 17. My friends and I would swim all day and dive off the low boards. It was so much fun swimming under the waterfalls! There will never be another hotel like that! It was magnificent!
I remember my father taking me to St. George’s pool about once a month, when he could save some extra money, take the train from the Bronx and have a wonder evening swimming in the most beautiful I have ever seen. He would rent a locker, towels, and wool bathing suits for booth of us. this was in the late 40′s. What memories.
My Grandmother lived in the residence hotel and we visited her every few years. I loved the subway just below the hotel and the salt water swimming pool – it was just great! Does anyone know – what happened to the swimming pool?
It’s still there. I guess it would be underneath the former basketball court and smaller chlorine pool in the gym. I’ve seen the underside of the western end of it. I was surprised that it’s not set in the ground, rather it’s on columns, at least the part that I could see.
I would have thought that it was filled in with cement, but my understanding is that it is just empty and perhaps still capable of holding water.
when did the pool actually close?.. i went on a date with a girl who turned out to be my wife for the last 50 years. anyone know?
thx
grew up in the Heights in late 50′s and 60′s. Learned how to swim in that incredible art deco splendor. It even had a waterfall at the shallow end that ran from time to time. Still remember my first dive off the highest of the three diving boards. I believe thr story is they found natural salt water spring when digging the foundation and/or the IRT tunnel beneath. Too bad it was not well preserved.
I visited the St. George Hotel pool this weekend. It’s now Eastern Sports. “There are remnants of the original pool. There’s a small pool that was created out of the original large famous pool. The tile work around the edges remains intact as well as signage on the walls. The rest of the pool is now a work-out room, but they retained the green art deco columns as well as several mosaics scattered around the space. Most notably, there is a large mosaic art work that was retained when the smaller pool was constructed out of the original ( the original clock is still up on the wall above it ). This mosaic was well known and possibly was under the waterfall at the shallow end of the pool. It has a crack in it, and the managing company has decided to destroy it, since they deem it “unsightly”. This is an historic landmark or Brooklyn Heights and the old hotel and I was wondering if it could be saved – possibly moved to another location in the heights. Perhaps Brooklyn Historical Society or Brooklyn Heights Association could be made aware of this. The renovation of the Eastern Sports pool is scheduled for April 9th so there isn’t a lot of time to try to save this mosaic. I have a photo of it, which I can post tomorrow.
I grew up in the 1950s with two friends who were sisters who were twleve months apart in age and my birthday was exactly in the middle of theirs.
On Saturdays, their father would take them to the dentist whose office was across the street from the St. George Hotel.
We were always together, and I got to go along to the dentist because after the appointment, their father took all three of us to the St. George pool. It was magical. The best feature was the waterfall in the shallow end. I have fond memories of these visits to the pool, especially since I didn’t have to go to the dentist.
I bet you the dentist was the father of Dr. Steven Markow, who was my dentist in the 60′s and I believe is still practicing in the same office.
Re Memories of Hotel St George Pool
Many Happy memories.My Wife and I grew up in the neighborhood,attended Assumption Church and School, were
married in the Assumption Church. Until she passed away in 02 we always went back to visit. I now bring my family back to
visit that beautiful neighborhood. We attended a St Patrick`s/
St Josephs Party there on March 7th of this year.
Would your records indicate the year that the Pool Photo was
taken and the name of the Gal in the swimsuit?
My Wife was employed for several years in the Hotel St George.
I grew up on Brooklyn Heights and during my teen years from 1933 to 1938 I used to swim in the St. George pool on Saturdays when they had a special including lunch in the coffee shop. I well remember checking out the pool first from the balcony and then the great womens changing room with its row of hair driers–I also recall the wonderful heat lamps that were on either side of the pool that warrmed you and helped dry you off after your swim. Also great fun were the steam room, the hot room, and the gymnasium that you could use and accessed from the dressisng rooms.
Wm. fitzpatrick, what year did you graduate from Assumption School. I also went there, Lived on Clark St where my mom still lives..
Dr. Markow was my families dentist, Always love going home and my eyes search the faces trying to find someone from my youth.. but still expect to find them looking as they did back them.. I just recently scanned all those little photos that we made in the machines at the entrance to the pool..
Reply to Diana. I graduated from PS8 which I think was down the street from Assumption School. Our group was very friendly with a girl who went to Assumption. I lived on Clark Street at 95, which was destroyed for urban renewal in he early sixties. All our friends swam often at the St. George. One of our group lived in the hotel. If we didn’t go swimming we observed the pool from the Observation Room off the balcony, which gave a great view of the entire pool with the diving boards at the other end. Does anyone else remember the observation room? It was lined with signed photos of movie stars and celebrities of the day. I was there two weeks ago and took pictures of the pool as it is today, You can see them on the St. George Tower site mentioned in one of the comments above. Most notably, the destroyed (last week) mosaic. Also, does anyone have any memories of the St. George Playhouse, he movie theatre on Pineapple St.?
I have a vague memory of seeing the THE ALAMO at the St George Playhouse, which may have been the last movie it showed. Also remember sneaking in there after it was shut down and seeing spools of tickets all over the place and being both in awe and dread of the emptiness of the place.
Question to Assumption graduates: did any of you attend the school when the Peaks building was still producing candy? A friend that I grew up with in the 60′s who attended Assumption told me stories of when his mother went there and that the factory workers would throw candy into the yard to the children.
BTW Benita, where was 95 Clark in relation to Monroe Place? I have a slide of a photo that my father took from Monroe towards Clark Street in 1961 that shows 3 houses on Clark (two private and one apartment building) as well as the church on the corner. I’ll see if I can get it scanned and posted here.
When I try to conjure the St George Playhouse, I think of lots of red (paint? fabric?) in the smallish lobby (although I can remember perfectly where the ticket window was) and a matron with a flashlight, always patrolling the kids’ section.
Nabeguy — I must have been a total space cadet in the early 60s, because I can only vaguely remember Peaks (I did not go to Assumption). Part of the explanation may be that it was such a remote area (then), that there would be no real reason to scope it out; but I do remember the big garage on the east side of Henry north of Orange, because that was where my dad parked his car. Amazing elevators, especially for a kid.
Please post the pictures of Clark, if you can. Both sides of Clark, from Henry to “Fulton,” were so neat back then.
To Nabeguy – that would be fantastic if you could send that picture. That’s exactly where 95 Clark Street was, along with 97 which was owned by my grandmother. 97 was directly across from Monroe looking at Clark and 95 was on it’s left. I have been looking for pictures for years so would love to see your father’s. I use images of the Heights in my artwork so would love to see any that anyone has. I remember the matron at the St. George Playhouse watching over the children’s section. She wore a white uniform. Also the candy counter and the ticket seller’s booth. I have a picture from a book of old theatres that someone sent me from the St. George Tower site, I can post it – it was a great old Art Deco theatre that went to the wrecking ball at the same time as 95 and 97 Clark. My grandmother also owned 81 Pierrepont Street, which is of course still standing, but I’m looking for old pictures of it. Also Henry Street down to the candy factory, which is where I turned left to go to PS8. One of my best friend’s father owned a drug store and they lived in the building above – I think on the corner of Orange. Her name was Judy Fuchs. Thanks much.
Benita, that is such a coincidence that you mention the Parrish Pharmacy, as I was just thinking about that last night. Growing up, my mother never referred to it by its proper name, simply calling it Fuch’s, as in “go to Fuch’s and get me some aspirin”. It wasn’t until years later when I looked over the deed to our house that I discovered that my father has bought it from Judy Fuch’s grandmother, Sophie Fuchs, who had been running it as a boarding house.
Nabeguy, I never realized it was called Parrish Pharmacy only that my friend’s parents owned it. Was it on the corner of Orange? I think there’s an apartment house there and the pharmacy was on street level. The Fuchs family lived upstairs and I was there often. These posts are getting further back, so if you can send me the picture of Clark Street, put the post on the St. George Tower site. Did your Dad have any other shots of Brooklyn Heights? I put a few more pictures on the St. George site – some elevators and the entrance on Clark before the fire. The hotel had closed by then. I can put the St. George Playhouse picture up there also.
The Parrish Pharmacy was indeed on the corner of Orange Street. The 5-letter neon sign saying D-R-U-G-S has been retrofitted to now spell S-A-L-O-N, for the hair salon that now occupies the space. According to a 1920s directory I once saw, Parrish once manufactured and sold its own brand of prophylactics (aka condoms).
There are many photos of old Brooklyn Heights, indeed of the immediate area surrounding the St. George Tower, on the New York Public Library’s Digital Library. You can access them by Googling a specific address and then clicking on Images. Or go to the NYPL website itself.
I have been to that site and have found some. There are also some at the Brooklyn Historical Society. You can go there to access their date base and then purchase a print. They charge $25.00 for a scan of one of their photos. The Brooklyn Public Library also has a digital collection. I wasn’t able to find any of the section of Henry Street near Orange and Cranberry.
Benita, I should have that Clark St scan ready tomorrow night along with 14 circa-1961 shots of Fulton Street from Middagh to Orange.
Thank you so much, Nabeguy. I can’t wait to see what you send. My email is bermanhome@comcast,net, if you want to send them that way. Let me know. It really is a coincidence about the pharmacy. It would be nice to see a picture of it. Do you know about the tax photos? In 1943 the city took pictures of every house in New York City. I haven’t seen any of them yet. You have to go to the courthouse, I think, and look at their photos to see if a particular house is there. I don’t know if they took pictures of any businesses. I wonder if Parish Pharmacy was a chain? I always thought if was owned and run by the Fuchs. Let me know if you want the picture of the inside of the St. George Playhouse. I don’t think it was owned by the hotel, so it might not be eligible for the St. George Tower site.
Benita and nabeguy — You two seem to have way better facts and actual connections than I do, but the more I think about Fuchs and a drugstore, I seem to think that the Fuchs family ran the Rexall Pharmacy that used to be on the east side of Henry, maybe a bit north of where Parrish used to be. (It was much bigger than Parrish, and very sort of dark and moody.) Maybe the Fuchs family had an “empire” of pharmacies:)
Benita – Do you remember the fish market on “Fulton,” run by Dolly?
The Fuchs family drug store was definitely on the southwest corner of Henry and Orange. I don’t know if they had anything to do with a Rexall Pharmacy. I never heard any mention of it. Maybe another relative owned it. I don’t recall there being another pharmacy on Henry. I remember there being a fish market on Fulton – don’t remember Dolly – as well as Tommy’s grocery store which was on the corner of Fulton and Clark Street. There was also a deli further up on Clark near Henry where my parents would buy milk, eggs, etc. and Tommy’s was for produce. I think there was also a meat market next to the deli. All gone now for the Cadman high rise. I found a picture of what appears to be the outside of Tommy’s looking up the street from Fulton in a blizzard.
Bornhere, I thought the Rexall was on the northwest corner of Henry and Clark where the liquor store now is. I have fuzzy memories of going there after swimming in the pool for a malted at their soda fountain counter. And as Benita states, the Fuch’s pharmacy was definitely on Henry and Orange. A real old-time place that made it’s own house brand concoctions and remedies…with an atmosphere straight out of a Hopper painting.
Benita, I seem to have miss placed your e-mail address and can’t find the post. I have that picture ready.
I’ve loaded all the old photos of Fulton St to the BHB photo club, so have a look.
I thought the northwest corner of Clark and Henry was occupied by the St. George Hotel coffee shop ( see comment above from Joan Pennock Craig ). My sister used to go to the counter and get a BLT sandwich when she didn’t like the dinner at home and I used to eat dinner there sometimes with my friend Faith, who lived upstairs in the hotel. She introduced me to soy sauce on my chicken chow mein. The other local drugstore was located off the southeast corner on Henry (across from the side of Clark’s). It was a small pharmacy where we filled prescriptions. On the southeast corner was the Fannie Farmer candy shop. A few doors down the south side of Clark was some kind of sundries shop where I remember posters of some beer company that sponsored a beauty contest every year and then posted the picture of the winner. I’m not sure which beer company it was. I have a gallery page on my apple mobile me site where I can post pictures which can be downloaded, and it also accepts uploads. Will advise more on this later.
Drugstore-o-rama …. The St George drugstore/coffee shop (where the liquor store is) also had an amazing number of phone booths in the entry area (from the subway arcade).
The other drugstore was on the SW corner, where Clark’s corner is now. As a kid, I thought their milkshakes were great.
Nabeguy, my email address is bermanhome@comcast.net. Thanks much. I didn’t see your two posts before I submitted my last one. I’ll look at the BHB photo club now. Maybe I can put my other pictures there instead of my mobile me gallery.
Nabeguy, I can’t find the fulton street photos on the BHB photo club. Have you seen them posted? If so, how do I get there?
Benita, I had to join the group to view hem so try that, Otherwise, I’ll e-mail them to you on Monday. I tried sending you the Clark St photo via Yahoo, so let me know if you got it.
I meant to add that “Parker’s” was the name of the drugstore where Clark’s Corner is now.
I definitely remember Parrish, but that wasn’t our go-to place. But I still look twice when I pass by Ornage and Clark because I still expect to see Parrish. If anyone can remember what was on the NE corner of Henry/Clark (way, WAY before By George), you win.
Benita — I think you’re talking about the old Miss Rheingold contests. Where the pet store now is on Hicks and Pineapple, there used to be a great little deli (“Gus’s” rings a bell here), and as kids, we’d be sure to vote early and often, mark the little ballots, and stick them in the handsome cardboard box. And then buy PEZ, when it still had characterless tops.
nabeguy — I would love to see your Fulton Street photos, but I’ve had no luck in my search. I must be doing something wrong.
I do remember the store on the northeast corner of Clark and Henry. I can’t remember the name, but you would go there to buy sundries and tobacco products, gum and candy, maybe newspapers and magazines, and I remember there were phone booths in there. Do you have a better recollection? Since it was too hard for me to find the pictures on BHB site, I think I’ll put up what I have on my gallery site and post the username and password.
Sorry guys, I missed one step. They’re on the site now.
B & B, your memories are much deeper than mine. I only have the fuzziest of memories of the east side of Henry before the Cadman towers…a Chinese hand laundry on Pineapple, a seafood restaurant with a lobster tank in the entryway where Gristede’s is, but not much more. For some reason, my mother was more of a Henry Street west-sider, choosing to go to either Mike’s or Sal’s for meat. And Kennedy’s on the NE corner of Cranberry, but only on Sunday’s, when the Schlemer’s deli on Hicks would be closed, and we ran out of a basic like milk, since Kennedy’s prices were “highway robbery” to her. Speaking of Parrish, I recall an amusing story when my mother, in the grips of her monthly burden, sent me there to get a package of Modess. Being only about 10 at the time and not the most articulate of kids, I mumbled the order…and surprised my mother with a bottle of No-Doz
nabe — Wow. Wonderful pictures!
Glad you enjoyed them. Bring up any memories?
The placement could be totally incorrect, but on the southeast corner of Pineapple and Henry, just west of the St. George Playhouse, was the 72 Club, a restaurant/bar, owned by a very funny man named Benny, who would greet every customer who entered. I remember a lobster tank inside the restaurant, and there may have also been a tank in the window. Further north across the street (same side of the street) on the corner was a large, dark drugstore, with small black and white floor tiles and a tall scale just inside the door; I think this place was called Rizaffi’s, or maybe it was owned by a man named Rizaffi, but that’s what we called it. Then east of the drugstore (between Clark and Fulton Street) was Lottie and Jack’s, another restaurant. I remember a jewelry store on Henry Street (east side), but that may have been later. On the west side of Henry and Pineapple, where the breakfast/lunch place is now, was a wonderful deli that we called ‘Lou’s,’ owned and run by a lovely man named Lou Weisberg. I remember Parker’s and the phone booths (we’d also get our film developed there) and it’s a toss up on which place made the better malteds: the St. George Drugstore or Parker’s. Fanny Farmer’s was across Henry where the Penny Bridge is now, and east of that, where the Iron Chef place is now, was a great pizza place with the best jukeboxes at the counter. I think it was there that I heard Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
Lottie and Jack’s was the name of the Chinese restaurant at the corner of Pineapple Walk and Henry Street, after that row of one story stores went up, after 101 Clark Street was built, at the beginning of the 1970s. The restaurant later became a gay bar with the windows covered over; it’s now part of Peas & Pickles.
Benita Berman, I’ll e-mail you some of the photos I’ve downloaded over the years of your area of interest.
Where was Parker’s? Also, what was the name of the drugstore a few doors down from Fannie Farmer on the corner of Clark and Henry? I seem to remember there being a coffee shop which was part of the St. George (I think you could enter through the lobby or the street), which had a counter. Where was the St. George drugstore? I also remember Patricia Murphy’s Candlelight restaurant which was on ground floor next to the Church off Henry. They served great popovers and complimentary condiments with your meal. I have a picture of it in an old shot.
Nabeguy – I found your pictures on the BHB site – they look really good. Great color and they really depict the area s it was in 1961. Thanks for posting them.
Benita — Parker’s was on the SW corner of Clark and Henry, with the entrance actually at the corner. It ran along Henry to the Candlelight (that was the side with the counter and standard malt-shop stools, and extended down Clark to include I guess what is now Sea Asian. The St George coffee shop was part of the drugstore. I think their counter ran along Henry, and you could enter from the arcade both at Clark and at Henry, and I think there was also a street entrance on Clark, although I might be making that up. Candlelight was exactly where you describe, and it occupied what became a Thai restaurant. I can’t remember a drugstore next to Fanny Farmer — I’m guessing that it would have been really small, and with Parker’s and the St George and Parrish and Rexall and Kleinman-Spector (on Montague), I guess there was a lot of competition.
Andrew — you may be right about Lottie and Jack’s, but I seem to recall it being on Henry before Mitchell-Lama went up. But it’s funny how one remembers “the old days”; seeing nabeguy’s great pictures of Fulton Street reminded me that, as a kid, if I were to venture as far north as McGrath’s, I was being a little too adventurous for my own good. And the idea of crossing the Fulton Street force field to the park without a grown-up would be an act of youthful recklessness :)
I remember eating chicken chow mein with my friend at a counter in the St. George. It doesn’t sound like something served at a pharmacy counter. I wonder if I’m remembering the oyster bar which was also in the St. George and had a counter in it. There’s a picture of it on the St. George Tower site. Clark’s must have replaced Parker’s, but originally there was a church on that corner – I see it in al old picture I got from BHS and it’s next to Patricia Murphy’s Candlelight restaurant. There was a very small drug store that just filled prescriptions and sold a few things a few doors down from Fannie Farmer, across from PM Candlelight. I remember being surprised to find a Thai restaurant in its place. I, too, had my limits as to where I could go in the Heights. Not north of Middaugh and not south of Montague, and not across Fulton. In fact, my mother preferred that I walk around to the St. George Playhouse on Henry instead of Fulton.
Benita – I agree that the drugstore would not be the place for chow mein. I don’t recall the oyster bar, but I’ll check it out on the other site.
I learned about the Sands Memorial Church (Clark and Henry, pre-Parker’s) from my son; the pictures on the Brooklyn Public Library site are stunning. I wonder if there was much of a dust-up when that beautiful building was razed.
I love your boundaries; my sister’s and mine were about the same. We did sometimes go down to the “big” playground, but those adventures were just too fraught with anxiety to be much fun. And the idea of crossing Atlantic Avenue would seem like a trek that might involve passports and take-along meals. My experiences with Fulton Street were, at first, related to journeys with my mom to get fish, go to the antique stores, or shop in the butcher’s. My sister remembers the buildings your family owned, but I keep confusing them with one of the smallish houses on Orange Street, where my mother would bring our blankets to have new satin binding put on them by a woman who lived there. Do you remember Semple’s on Fulton Street, just south of Clark, that was a beautiful small market? I think two brothers owned it, and I vividly recall that they would wrap each piece of fruit in tissue paper. I also remember the wonderful little card shop attached to the church across from where you lived.
You know, boys and girls, you could start a YahooGroup which would allow attachments, as in the downloading of photos and such. No charge, and you could make it open to the public.
Benita, as I told you via e-mail, I could make a CD of the hundreds of images I have of the Heights and give it to you. No charge. Are you in Heights now?
This is great! I love your memories. Sound like your sister has quite a few herself. We might have used the same butcher unless there was one on Clark Street next to the deli. My mother liked to go to the stores right on Clarkk. We always used Tommy’s on the corner of Fulton for groceries. And don’t forget the diner that was on the south corner of Clark and Fulton. I don’t remember Semple’s since we went to Tommy’s. They must have been close to each other. There must have been enough business to support so many small enterprises. Do you remember a beauty parlor (no salons then) on Henry Street between Clark and Pineapple. It was on the east side where Cadman is now. Also, was Noodle Pudding always an italian restaurant? Different owners back then. And was there a Chinese restaurant on Henry on the same side as Noodle Pudding? Will write more later.
Will try to provide input in small bursts.I got windy and timed out twice.
To:Feeney-JP Craig-Diane-Berman Here Goes.
I graduated from the Assumption School in 1935 and My Wife(McCarron) graduated in 1933.She was an emplyee of the
Hotel St George and alternated between the Pool-Fountain Room and the Coffee Shop.
There was two favorite hang out for the Assumption and PS 8
youngsters. One was Moe`s on Middagh and Hicks St. the other was mrs Berman`s on Henry St Near Poplar.
Part one concluded
Part two
The Assumption School was located on Middagh St and was
the original PS 8. When the ne PS 8 was built the Assumption
Parish acquired it.The Mason Peak Factory was built next to our schoolyard and yes, on rare occasions the employees would toss some of the product out the window to us aspiring
ballplayers in the school yard. Most of the time it was the
coconut innards of a chocalate covered coconut candy.
There was a large full service Garage on Orange St and
Fulton St.Customers paid extra to deliver their cars to the garage and be chauffered home. When they needed the vehicle they were picked up at their residence and were then
driven to the garaqe to drop the employee off.
One of the larrge laundrys was the Mott Laundry on Henry St
very close to the St George Hotel
End of part two
Part Three
A wowan ran the Mott Laundry. She recruited me,when I was an eight grader,by casing the Schoolyard on Middagh St
I would put in two hours on Fridays and four hours on Sat
for the magnificient sum of .50 cents One of her big customers was Patricia Murphy was ran the Candlelight Rest. Being
exceptional hard time i always made the delivery with orders:
No money,no laundry.What a way for a 12 year old to enter Business life. Patricia moved on to Manhasset and fro what I heard, did very well.
No one mentioned Mr Hoyt`s Drug Store, Fulton St just below Middagh.
end of part three
Part four
Another missing spot/ Marrones Drug store. Fabulous family.
Cranberry and Fulton St. On Cranberry,close to Marrines,
Mr Finas Barber shop. His son later founded the famous
Fina Silversmiths. The new Seventy One Club was located
on the corner of Cranberry and Henry St. Benny Orowitz
ran the place. Diagonally across from the Seventy One Club.
and a few doors off the corner was famous watering hole
for locals.It was called Al`s Bar and Grill, run by the Alyward
Brothers who were two super Gentlemen. Many of the World
problems were solved in that Institution.
At age 86 I1m calling it a night. Hope it brings back a few memories.
Great memories, Wm. Thank you so much for sharing. Could you clear up the locations and differences betweeen the coffee shop, the pool fountain room and the counter at the drug store on the corner of Clark and Henry. As I’ve mentioned before, my sister always went to the drug store counter for a BLT, but I have a strong recollection of eating chicken chow mein with my friend at a counter (they don’t serve that at most drug stores), and I don’t remember the fool fountain room. How did you enter these eateries? Also, do you remember the observation room above the shallow end of the pool?
Also, Wm – do you remember the history of the present Noodle Pudding space now between Middaugh and Cranberry – west side of Henry? Was it always a restaurant? What kind back in the 40′s? Were there other restaurants on that side of the street up closer to the St. George – maybe between Cranberry and Pineapple?
My mother, Reba Fischer Kovel, used to swim at the St. George Hotel and belonged to the Dragon Club swim team. Does anyone remember her? She is anxious to reconnect with anyone – she is now 93 – so I guess this would have been in the 1930′s – whenever the pool closed.
My grandfather was the owner of the barber shop in the
St. George Hotel in the 1919 -1920′s Albert Parente//
In answer to Benita’s questions on coffee shops, I discovered the St. George website last night and wrote some answers but they haven’t appeared. My uncle was asst manager of the St. George from the early 30′s until he died in 1970, with a few switches to the Towers and Bossert hotels nearby but always returning to the St. George. He lived at 136 Hicks St, another aunt lived at 11 Monroe Pl. but moved to 8 Clark St. Another lived on Remsen moving to Joralemon. I spent many a weekend and vacation there, going all over the hotel, swimming free, taking tour groups to the Egyptian roof, eating there, during college at Rutgers I and frat brothers would come up and ‘do’ NYC on a weekend, staying in a comp suite at the St. George – from 1947 to 1959.
The corner drugstore was labelled “St. George Pharmacy”, I’ll post a picture I took of the corner c. 1953. The counter ran along the Henry St. side, it was indeed a lunch counter and soda fountain. The “Fountain Room” in the St. George off the pool arcade/entrance was a nice counter restaurant which served full meals breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Remember, most of the rooms were single no bath, so the Fountain Room was a nice, full-service counter restaurant for the many long-term residents. I do remember a “Plymouth Coffee Shop” just barely, was it down Henry St. past Pineapple? I never went there, but I did eat in the Fountain Room and it had full, simple, economical meals. My favorite was Seaford’s at the SE corner of henry and Pineapple. They had spare ribs which I loved, my uncle often took me there. And Patricia Murphy’s just south of Clark on Henry, west side. I guess it moved to the island , another in Yonkers which I went to during grad school up there.
I’ll write more on the Tower banquet rooms, there was a large ballroom, then at the top of the elevator (only 3 of the 5 went to the top) was the Egyptian Roof, but up some stairs was the Tower Room, a small room but with large windows and a sweeping view of the NY harbor and lower Manhattan. I would go up there sometimes but the height always made me nervous (although I later flew in the Navy.)
Joel Mc.