A reader wrote in with this litany of shops that used to be on Seventh Avenue. Thanks.
My parents bought my chemistry set at Al’s Toyland (which was actually more of an empire, since they owned three stores on the east side of Seventh Avenue and an "annex" of two more on the West side of the street), so I guess they had at least one educational toy.
Do you recall Herzog’s Deli? Al’s Fish Market? Personal Process Dry Cleaners? How about Danny’s Candy Store, Irv’s Stationary, Lehigh Valley Meats, Wing Wah Chinese Take Out, Stanley Liquor Store…because that was the old Park Slope -repleat with bars like the Iron Horse, Stack of Barley, Coach Inn, and Ryans. Punch & Judy sold children’s clothes, and later Sweets, etc. sold homemade fudge long before Connecticut Muffin sold scones to people with dogs and strollers. I’m still under 40 – just a Berkeley Institute alum. with very fond memories.
DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE COUPLE THAT OWNED AL’S TOYLAND? I AM DOING RESEARCH FOR A BOOK ON OLD TOY SHOPS FROM LONG AGO. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
I grew up in Park Slope and lived there until 1999. Great memories of a great neighborhood. I certainly do remember Bellamellio – home of the world’s best and biggest chocolate chip cookie.
Is anyone old enough to remember Peirre’s Falafel cart, always on the corner of 2rd street and 7th Avenue (just around the corner from Tarzian Hardware)? Or Bohack’s supermarket? And, while I love, love, love Two Boots, does anyone else mss the great steak sandwich they used to serve when it was called, I believe, Raintree’s?
“And those funky diners! Aside from the Purity, there was another one on the NW corner of Union and 7th. Can’t remember the name.”
I was called The Economy. I prefered it to the Purity…
Gosh, can you imagine a live music venue on 7th Avenue now? It would surely be shut down by the neighbors!
What a great long stream of old and new memories and comments….Of course, PS still is a very nice neighborhood, but as you can tell by the comments, it was a neighborhood-in-the-making way back when, it was people exploring new ideas for new types of businesses for new customers side by side with the old-school bars and businesses–that is what made it special then, but, sure, that was then…when new Slopers are older y’all will remember the stuff that makes it cool for you that we never had — Southpaw, the Lyceum, [fill in the blank]…
Around 1979-1982, City Lights, a bar at the corner of 7th Ave and 1st street, had live jazz most nights of the week. Even a grand piano! This was a great neighborhood spot to workout. Most of us went on to quite prolific careers. Other bars on 7th dabbled with live music on occasion, including Our Daily Bread at 7th and 9th st. and the Coach Inn (now Starbucks).
Heinzerling on 7th between Union and Berkeley had excellent takeout food including fresh pasta made there.
And those funky diners! Aside from the Purity, there was another one on the NW corner of Union and 7th. Can’t remember the name.
Around 1979-1982, City Lights, a bar at the corner of 7th Ave and 1st street, had live jazz most nights of the week. Even a grand piano! This was a great neighborhood spot to workout. Most of us went on to quite prolific careers. Other bars on 7th dabbled with live music on occasion, including Our Daily Bread at 7th and 9th st. and the Coach Inn (now Starbucks).
Heinzerling on 7th between Union and Berkeley had excellent takeout food including fresh pasta made there.
And those funky diners! Aside from the Purity, there was another one on the NW corner of Union and 7th. Can’t remember the name.
Around 1979-1982, City Lights, a bar at the corner of 7th Ave and 1st street, had live jazz most nights of the week. Even a grand piano! This was a great neighborhood spot to workout. Most of us went on to quite prolific careers. Other bars on 7th dabbled with live music on occasion, including Our Daily Bread at 7th and 9th st. and the Coach Inn (now Starbucks).
Heinzerling on 7th between Union and Berkeley had excellent takeout food including fresh pasta made there.
And those funky diners! Aside from the Purity, there was another one on the NW corner of Union and 7th. Can’t remember the name.
I heard that the India House people owned the building. The barely did any cooking in there. I always thought they made money selling take out to the Indian doctors at Methodist. But they did very little business. No one was ever in there .Had to own the building. A tax write off?
Scouting Party was the greatest. They had all kinds of chotchkas, books, party favors and funny signs all over the store. When it closed one of the people who worked there opened his/her own place called Lucky Duck? they closed, too. Scouting Party. Now that was fun.
Moving further south, there was Nathan the tailor (sign on the store said “Mexico” — was he Mexican, Jewish, both, neither??). He never gave out tickets for your clothes (“are these your pants? What color are they?”) and he was insulted if you asked him to do simple jobs (“what do you mean, can I sew a button?”). Corner of 11th Street.
I also miss Mother’s pet supplies.
Above 9th Street, there was Frank (and Rocco’s) barber shop. Frank gave a great $5 haircut, Rocco not so much, but I could talk World Cup soccer with Rocco at length despite a total language barrier.
What was the coffee/tea place up on the second floor at 7th Ave and 8th Street?
If I remember correctly, Minsky’s had a gorgeous bar (anyone know if it survived or where it is now?) and Miles Davis on the juke box.
Scouting Party deserves another shout out, especially since it is around Halloween time.
Finally, did anyone ever solve the mystery of how India House managed to hang on for 20 years with no customers? Or why it took other Indian restaurant proprietors 20 years to figure out that us Slopers do, in fact, like Indian food, just not from India House?
The best Toy Store on 7th Ave.. then and now is Little Things… even before a Little Things exclusive toy store existed the toys and stuffed animals and kid things in the store (space occupying Star$ucks) was over the top but for the last bunch of years Little Things Tot Store in the currnt location is just the best.. well chosen, organized, kid friendly, great staff!! Don’t lament the passing of the stores now gone. What is .. is terrific.
For some South Slope memories circa 1983: the corner of 10th St. and 7th Ave (now the Chinese restaurant) was a sleep fuel oil company office, where some old fellas played cards amid the cobwebs in the window all day. Once you crossed 9th St., you expected to see tumbleweeds; next live storefront was probably Clover Barber. Next block down, a nice pair of gay guys broke the gentrification sound barrier and opened a card store; as soon as the South Slope caught fire, they were kicked out by rising rents and the space stood vacant forever, until finally a real estate agency opened there (a Tale for Our Times). Way further down, a short-lived art place called the Chameleon Gallery completed the “happening nabe” circuit until they,too, fell victim to the rising rents they helped to create. Wonder where they all are now!
Nice to see all the old names. We moved to the Slope in ’69-I remember Rappacini’s Garden (antiques) and the Rosie Tomato (feminist books). Also, all the kids buying loosies at Danny’s on Garfield, and the bodega/”drugstore” that is now the upscale gourmet place on 6th and Union.
We left the Slope in ’95. Have been in DUMBO for almost four years and am starting to be nostalgic for life before Starbuck’s!
snooky’s actually left back around 1990 when they changed from a pub to a restaurant. i remember back when i was a kid – would go there with my parents, and a buddy and his parents and play the video games up front while waiting for dinner to come out (who remembers that big ass salad bar they used to have?). one night i found a full crack vial on the floor by the sitdown pacman machine. i shit you not.
haagen dazs on the corner of 7th ave and first st where that lame ass muffin joint is now. and there are some crazy stories/rumors about the al of al’s toyland. old school slopers know what i’m sayin …
I miss Daybreak Express records on Seventh between 2nd and 3rd Streets (the oozing cow building). They had the best selection of rare and imported jazz records during the 1970s – I used to come out here from Manhattan for it.
Worst food I ever ate was from Snookys – I sure miss that.
We can indulge in a little nostalgia, but don’t forget that Park Slope is a very nice neighborhood right now.
i’ve only been in park slope for six years, but even *i* miss snooky’s!
How about the futon store – (A summersday Dream I think it was called) on 7th near Lincoln. There were also several antique stores. One on Lincoln off of 7th next what was a stained glass store and one on seventh somewhere in center slope.
Thanks Louise! This is a nice gathering place for people to discuss Park Slope of old. I’m only 28, but 7th Avenue has changed so much over the last 20 years that I can’t help but feel like an old timer when I talk about stores and businesses that are no longer around. I was just remembering a time when Photofaction was one of the only (possibly THE only) video store on 7th Avenue between Flatbush and 8th Street. When Screen Memory opened, it was such a huge deal! If a highly coveted new release came in, my brother and I would stash it away in a different section in the store until we could badger our parents into coughing up the money so we could rent it. Now, with Netflix, In Demand, TiVo, etc, such strategic planning is as obsolete as video itself :)
Yes Pennywhistle was here pre-1991. And it was owned by Mrs. Tom Brokow. They’re still on the Upper West Side across from the Museum of Natural History on Columbus. Louise
And, am I recalling correctly that — this is more recent — wasn’t there a branch of Pennywhistle briefly on 7th ? Upscale Kids toys founded by Mrs Tom Brokaw ?
Abiyoyo was a toy store named for the Pete Singer song. If I am not mistaken (and I often am) I believe the owners moved to Welfleet, Mass and opened a store there.
Louise
Anyone recall the store right next to Al’s Toyland called Abbiyoyo? To this day, I have no idea what that store was. It had the storefront sign with the friendly looking giant painted on it. I recall mountains of clothes and toys piled in the window, so I just assumed it was being used for storage by Al’s.
Al’s Toyland was so wonderful (and affordable!)
I moved to Park Slope in 1982 and some other places I remember fondly include:
– Miami Fruits & Vegetables (I think this was between 8th & 9th)
– P.S. Clothing & Company (betw 7th & 8th)
– Minsky’s Restaurant (corner 3rd)
– The Economy Restaurant (corner Union)
And of course The Scouting Party. I spent so many hours in that wonderful treasure trove of a store.
I was just thinking the other day how Park Slope used to be the cool neighborhood back when Brooklyn wasn’t desirable. Personally (and unfortunately), I feel that old school Slope will just exist in our memories. You can’t go home again!
Remember Bellamillio, one of the earlier gourmet groceries on 7th ? Cafe Machine on 2nd street (I think it was opposite what is now 2 Boots)? And wasn’t Back to the Land a whole food type restuarant before it became a natural foods grocery ? (Was it called Back to the Land even then?)…Herzog’s was a cool local deli with some prepared foods, good for later evening foraging…once, when I had just moved into my first apt, out in the world and on my own, I was sick and my older sister sent her husband over with provisions from Herzogs – fried chicken, cough drops, and a six pack of Bud…LOL
And don’t forget Snooky’s. Replaced by a mid-level restaurant that’s not out of place — in Garden City or Englewood.
I miss the old Al’s Toyland … creaky wood floors … all sorts of old-time stuff … and the old Purity near Union Street.
How does one [or can one] like the mix of old-school Slope and the newer stuff?