Corner luncheonettes may not be unique to Oxford Circle, but I think they are, or used to be, characteristic of Philadelphia neighborhoods. Back in the 1950's, my mother would give me a dime and send me across the street to buy a loaf of bread at Marty's (it became Richie's sometime in the 1960's). Located on Frontenac street between Hellerman and Greeby Streets, it appears that it is still a corner store of some sort, judging from a recent photo obtained courtesy of Google Earth. Marty's/Richie's had a pinball machine that kids used to play and every once in a while I was treated to a Texas Tommy. That's a hot dog wrapped in a bacon strip. I'm pretty sure the term Texas Tommy is unique to Philadelphia, as I've lived outside of Philly for over 30 years and never heard of saw it since. In the 1950's they sold assorted candies including little candied dots on paper strips. Does anyone remember what they were called? Baseball cards sold for 5¢ and the package included a pink bubble gum strip.The other nearby luncheonette, Freda & Al's (or "Punzie's" as it was nicknamed by some kids) was run by proprietor Al Shein and located on Summerdale Avenue between Hellerman and Greeby streets. I worked there part-time during my high school years. I remember making hoagies, cheesesteaks, pizzas, and doing a variety of other chores. There was also a soda fountain, which contained syrups that were mixed into club soda and stirred manually. I doubt there are many places still around with soda fountains like that. It also had a grill, a pizza oven, and a room with slicer in it. Working that slicer to cut deli meats, cheese, and other things made me quite nervous. When I first started working there, I accidentally flipped a burger from the grill to the floor. Al instructed me to place the burger back on the grill and finish cooking it. After that incident, I never ate in there unless I made it myself :-) For some reason, some high school kids used to hang out there. And there were a few strange people in the neighborhood. One kid in my high school class asked me, seriously, if he could sleep in our garage. He would also buy model airplane kits that came with a small tube of glue. Come to find out, he'd throw away the kit and keep the glue for sniffing. That was one messed-up dude. Freda & Al's is now only a vague memory for me. The building that it once occupied appears to be entirely residential today.
15 comments:
Weren't the candies called Zotz? And the soda syrup is upscale now, imported from Italy and $3 a glass.
My grandparents had a soda fountain/ drugstore on Wyoming Avenue. They proudly served Breyer's.
Remember Booth's (with a Carmen-Miranda type with a fruit headdress on the label) and Frank's soda brands?
@Bushrod Boy: The only thing that comes to mind when I hear "Zotz" is an old movie from 1962, which I remember seeing with my cousin somewhere in Oxford Circle when I was about 9 or 10 years old. A Google search for Zotz does turn up a "retro" candy... so perhaps I missed out on something :-)
I remember Franks soda quite well and remember their distinctive logo. The name "Booths" rings a bell, but can't recall it.
Maybe Booth's was more a Central PA brand. My aunt and uncle in Hburg used to keep it in the house.
So Frank's went out of business? I can't get it in Baltimore, I called the main kosher supermarket in Pikesville some years ago and the beverage manager had never even heard of wishniak.
Anyone remember Pollys Luncheonette near the Benner Movies?
MAC
Thanks to former "Punzies" alumnus Bruce Fisher for providing a link to someone's "Punzies Forever!" web site.
There was a place across from Spruance that had a pinball machine and they served hoagies in plastic baskets. You would see the teachers there (Mrs. Perkins, 2nd grade, Mrs. Klein, 3rd grade) 'specially in June. They had a fountain. We used to buy punks and candy after dinner; we called the place 'the candy store.' And of course you could buy cheese crackers and 'malty balls' at recess in the Spruance cafeteria.
'Jummies' was the place across the street from Spruance.
OMG - I bought my first pack of cigarettes (Kents) at Marty's sometime in 1959 (I was 14). I lived at Frontenac & Benner but my cousin lived on Hellerman between Frontenac and Summerdale.
Anonymous, I remember Polly's for burgers and shakes. I remember when it opened sometime in the mid-1950's.
Bushrod Boy, I'm also a Baltimore-Pikesville guy, moving here in 1959 from Philly. My dad opened a chain of men's stores here called Calby's.
@Stoshman - who was your cousin from Hellerman Street? I lived on the same block.
I lived on the 1100 block of hellerman st. (abby schwartz) and these memories brought a smile back to my face. thanks for the memories!
I remember eating at a small luncheonette called Jummies near Spruance during my 6th grade year at Spruance. The 10 cent vanilla cokes were wonderful. I had a vegetable alphabet noodle soup and a hotdog with relish and mustard -- a whole lunch only a few dollars if that. I remember having raspberry flavored chew chewing gum called Razzle Dazzles for like a nickel. They served cheesesteaks, regular steaksandwiches with onions and peppers, hotdogs, hamburgers and sandwiches or hoagies. They served Breyer's ice cream, 15 cent icecream cone, usually Pistachio or mint chocolate chip. I remember the jukebox and putting dimes in to hear Bobby Sherman sing "Julie Julie Julie do you love me?" Great memories.
@Ex-Philly Guy: my cousin was Goldie Rashow; her daughters were Sheila and Lynn.
This is for Lauren Dubin:
Lauren, did you know a teacher named Mr. Plottel (first name Stanley) when you attended Spruance? I attended Mayfair and had him for math in 7th grade. He often told us he taught at Spruance previously, and made it sound like he hoped to return. Please respond. Sincerely, "The Holme Circle Guy"
I attended Spruance years 1964-1971.
There was no Mr. Plottel during the years I
attended Spruance.
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