ARCHIVAL VAULT: THE SECOND 100 MESSAGES
February 27, 2008 at 11:48 am eOK, We eat the cheesesteaks, then bike it off to the news stand. We will have to double up on some bikes, because I AM sure a few will turn up missing! Then we can get a hockey magazine with Forsberg on the cover. And because it may take us a little longer to do this now , we can use the flash lights for night time travel.
Paul Skeens Says:
February 27, 2008 at 12:48 pm eVery True George, very true! It will take a while longer…and that is even if we make it past 32nd and Westfield, it is a warzone! Ken, not only Hockey mags, but Fishing, Flying, boating, hiking, camping or whatever else we were into that week….
Ken Says:
February 27, 2008 at 1:13 pm e32nd Street is nice these days… all new housing and the new school on Westfield Ave. Bob Thomas has been trying to convince me to buy a time share there. (Don’t take that seriously Bob) The new school’s name is Octavius Catto Community School. I found some pictures online and will post them.
Ken Says:
February 27, 2008 at 1:51 pm eBrainstorm Idea… maybe if we plan a return reunion trip to East Camden, we can get permission to camp out at the new Catto Community School one weekend like scouts, use their pool and other facilities, and still have Mario’s Steaks just across the street!
Paul Skeens Says:
February 27, 2008 at 1:54 pm eCount me in!
George Gumbrell Says:
February 27, 2008 at 2:12 pm eCount me in too! Right now I am trying to find my Kevlar swim-trunks!
Paul Skeens Says:
February 27, 2008 at 2:36 pm eHey, maybe we could get a permit and just camp out in Dudley Grange!
Maybe bring our families too! I smell ROASTED MARSHMALLOWS!!!!
George Gumbrell Says:
February 27, 2008 at 3:39 pm eYeah! lets bring the kids! What old needles did you find? Stay away from those broken vials! What new friend? No you can’t drink from his bag of wine!
Russ “HALOMAN” McDaniel Says:
February 27, 2008 at 8:51 pm eKen, George, Paul,
I’ve read all of your comments and I have to say, truly, I don’t have a friggin’ clue about any of the places you’re talking about. Having grown up in “MacGuire Gardens”, I wasn’t privvy to the fine establishments you mentioned. That’s not completely true; I do know where the Cherry Hill Mall is. I think I mugged someone there once.
Still, it’s good to here old friends (and we are OLD!) talk about the old homestead. I’ll pop in from time to time and see if you mention any of the places I remember; detention, juvie hall, lock-up. You know, all of my old hang-outs.
Take care all,
RussMac
Sandy Kolessar Says:
February 27, 2008 at 10:03 pm eI went to Davis from K-9th, probably 1955 to 1964. Can I comment?? My kindergarten teacher was Mrs. McCarroll. Anyone remember her? East Camden holds many good memories for me. Mario’s had the best Italian water ice and I once lived in Stockton Station Apts. Remember Roxy’s candy store on the corner of Cramer & 34th across from Davis? How about Brant’s down the street from Wilson? Anybody eat there? I’m class of ‘68, one of the best. Would not want to reunite back there, but the pictures are good.
George Gumbrell Says:
February 27, 2008 at 10:09 pm eHey Russ!, Its great to see you post something! And nice to know your still out there! I think that was Ken at the Mall. I look forward to seeing you post more on here, and talking to you soon. I remember walking with you almost to the MacGuire Gardens – didn’t it have a large fence around it with some sharp things on top! Take care, talk to you soon.
George
George Gumbrell Says:
February 27, 2008 at 10:16 pm eHey Sandy, I had Mrs. McCarroll in 63. I agree about Mario’s, and I remember something of a store at Cramer & 34th. I lived on Beideman Ave., down from the Acres in the row homes across from the Stockton Station Apts. Maybe you remember my sister Linda, who was in that class.
Ken Says:
February 27, 2008 at 10:28 pm eHey Russ, bout time you found this place. Welcome. Remember that time we found our way back to the city from the Pine Barrens, first in the back of a pig farmer’s truck, and then by bus? What were we doing out there anyway? I remember our hike of several days on the Batona Trail also, with Tony Lope one Summer. We put some miles on our I Goldberg jungle boots on that trip.
Check back, I think I can find some pictures of Westminister Avenue. I’ll post your 8th Grade class also!
Welcome Sandy. If you graduated in 68, you may have known my sister Karen Brown, she graduated in 67. We lived on 32nd at the top of the hill. And I sure do remember Mrs. McCarroll. All of my siblings and I had her (five of us). She was a great K teacher.
George, you must have been in McCarroll’s morning class? I was in PM.
George Gumbrell Says:
February 27, 2008 at 11:24 pm eHey Ken, your right, I was in Mrs. McCarroll’s morning class.
George Gumbrell Says:
February 28, 2008 at 12:08 am eHey, who else use to climb the fence next to the McGraw school, to get into the WWHS football games for free.
Paul Skeens Says:
February 28, 2008 at 7:34 am eSaggy is probably rolling over in his grave that someone finally refered to his place as a “Fine establishment.”
Ken Says:
February 28, 2008 at 1:30 pm eGeorge are you admitting to never paying for a ticket to the Wilson games?
Was it just me (and my sister) or did everyone else growing up refer to that area of Pennsauken off of 36th Street as “The New Development?”
I have distinct memories of my Mom asking me where I was going as I headed off on my bike, and I would reply… “We’re going to ride our bikes around the New Development.” I guess back then, anything built after WWII was new!
Also, does anyone recall the bus routes on both Federal and Westfield? I’ll give you a hint, they both were letters. George, you rode the Federal St. bus most days senior year to your job in Maple Shade didn’t you?
George Gumbrell Says:
February 28, 2008 at 1:52 pm eOf course I a-l-w-a-y-s paid, I heard their may have been some who didn’t. Hows that Paul! I did take the bus to Maple Shade for the job I had at G & R service company, but at this moment, I can’t recall the letters.
George Gumbrell Says:
February 28, 2008 at 3:09 pm eHey, I thought Russ was from the rich area!
Ken Says:
February 28, 2008 at 3:49 pm eRuss, Lorrie says she lived just around the corner from you in McGuire Gardens for a few years. Then they moved over to Boyd St.
George, you took the “F” bus, it continued on to the Moorestown Mall; the “D” ran down Westfield, all the way to the Cherry Hill Mall. When I first went to Stockton after Wilson, on Monday mornings I would catch the “D” to downtown Camden about 4:30 in the morning, walk over to City Hall, stand freezing in the cold, then catch the “P” that ran to Atlantic City down the WH Pike.
We sure rode buses a lot, and the Speedline. I don’t think my kids have ever been on a public bus.
George Gumbrell Says:
February 28, 2008 at 4:45 pm eThats funny Paul!
Ken, I was thinking E, F, or G. I was close. We sure did travel the buses alot, and back and forth on the speedline. How about those times taking the speedline to the broad st subway, then to the Spectrum to watch the Wings play.
Ken Says:
February 28, 2008 at 6:14 pm eGeorge, I remember going to the Wings games. Russ went with us one night, and I recall we had to hurry from the Broad Street subway to the Patco Speedline because a bunch of South Philly kids were irate with us for some reason. Russ did you have anything to do with that?
Also, George do you remember the time we were riding the Speedline back and forth with NJ tickets, and tried to get through the ticket turnstile in Philly so we could go eat lunch? That Patco cop who escorted us all the way back to Haddonfield where we had left our bikes, never did call our parents! LOL
Russ “HALOMAN” McDaniel Says:
February 28, 2008 at 7:46 pm eKen,
I do remember the Wings game. I also recall that you gave me the title of “flipping off the most people on a train in the world”! For the life of me, I can’t think of a single thing that I could have done to offend anyone. Not with my sweet demeanor and shy personality.
Russ “HALOMAN” McDaniel Says:
February 28, 2008 at 7:48 pm eKen,
I remember walking to school with Lorrie and her brother, the first time I lived in “The Gardens”. Of course, that was when it still had class.
Ken Says:
February 28, 2008 at 8:01 pm eThat would be her brother Russell, Russ. Lorrie said she thought you two were in Scouts together when you were kids.
And Russ, better avoid the Broad Street Subway if you ever revisit Philly, your mug is probably posted in every bar in South Philly.
George Gumbrell Says:
February 28, 2008 at 11:38 pm eHey, Because of you Russ, I still can’t go to Philly!
Bob Thomas Says:
February 29, 2008 at 8:16 am eAh, yes, Mrs. McCarroll. Wasn’t she about 100 back then? I used to annoy her by not wanting to lay down for the morning nap. I’d keep popping my head up and asking her if it was over yet. I think she was in that little back room popping Valium, trying to get through another day. My 1st grade teacher was Mrs. Morrow, 2nd Miss Hoxter, 3rd Mrs. Davis, 4th Mrs. Finkle, 5th Mr. Hershey, 6th Mr. Morfeld, 7th Mr Garvin and 8th Mrs. Wilkinson. Mostly good teachers. Ken, I loved your riff on Mrs. Rifici. I hadn’t though about her for years until I saw one of the Star Wars movie. Somehow Pizza the Hutt reminded me of her. Everytime I went down to her to lay down (usually coincided with some test I had forgotten to study for) she wheeze and ask me which bed I wanted, give me 5 minutes then tell me to go back to class. Very warm and caring.
Sandy Kollesar – was your father John? Was he active in my scout troop 36? If so, he was a nice guy. He enjoyed going to Pine Hill camp and was very laid back. I enjoyed the Scouts, meeting at Asbury Methodist up on Westfield, next to St. Joes school. Hated the camping trips. Still do.
I’m a little fuzzy on the Barron’s Rug place. Did that become the Pizza place (Jimmy Burgos)? Across the street was the Gulf Gas Station, owned by Harry DeWalt. I ran into him a few years back, living at Lake Garrison in Monroeville. On the corner of 34th and Westfield was a bakery, that became a sandwich place. Goldie’s ????? Across from the coin shop and the shoe repair guy. I always liked seeing the reallly looong shoes in his window display. My mother told me that if I didn’t exercise more my feet would grow long and I’d need those shoes……I believed her. Down the street was Henry’s barber shop. Whenever I’d be in the chair, he’d disappear into his back room and eat his lunch. (or did he go out the back door and go down to Choice for a quick one?) Has anybody mentioned the corner store at High and 36th? Was it named George’s or was that just the guys name? I think he and his wife hated kids, which is why their business plan was to set up a candy store opposite an elementary school. How about the crossing guards? I best remember a Mrs. Park (at 36th and High) and Mabel (at 34th and High). Good memories!
Ken Says:
February 29, 2008 at 9:55 am eHey Bob, nice to see you back here. Lotta great memories you have shared. Didn’t anyone else find “Henry’s” an odd name for a barber shop? Wasn’t that the bald guy in the Sunday comics?
I remember Mabel the crossing guard well, as she was the guard on the corner I crossed at. Funny thing about Mabel, I have some old 8mm home movies that my Mom use to take, and for almost every Halloween Parade at Davis School on those old movies, Mabel is on there also.
Bob, Barron’s Rug Mart was on the corner of Wesfield and 37th, not sure if it may have been on another corner earlier on. It was on the same side as the bakery and Gulf station. Paul and I were actually assistant managers at Barron’s. And we attained that position by rising through the corporate ranks by 8th Grade. We answered the phones, rearreanged the carpet showroom, and even went on deliveries with Mr. Barron, which, when he was driving and smoking a cigar at the same time, was not unlike driving with Mr. Magoo. The pay was okay, the benefits much better, as we made our own hours, and even got to kick back at Mr. Barron’s desk and put our feet up.
Bob Thomas Says:
February 29, 2008 at 1:47 pm eOkay, you’re right. So…what was Jimmy Burgo’s before then. I remember it being something else. At least I think it was. Speaking of that corner, who lived behind (actually next to) on 36th st. Was it the Rapponoti’s? Nick? Barbara? The brain is fried after all these years.
Along Westfield (next to Barron’s?) was Small’s Tailor/Cleaning. Nice quiet people. Would always do the mending that my mom couldn’t. They’d also let out my pants when I grew the wrong way, and the cuff down when I grew the right way.
Charles “Skeeter” Moy Says:
February 29, 2008 at 1:50 pm eDid not attend H.H. Davis during your time frame,but its good to see you folks keeping the memories alive.
I lived on Rosedale Ave (3177) long before Marios existed,and attended H.H.Davis in the mid to late 1950′S.
Teachers:
Mr. Theodore Johnson (T.J.)
Mr. Bolton
Mrs. Madera
Mr. Greenwald (Gym).
Remember the corner store,penny candy,gum ball machines with striped winners,and the Cheerio & Ducan YO-YO reps.,putting on demonstations.
The Bakery on the corner at 34th and Westfield.
Parking our bikes in the woods across the street alongside of the school.
I have so many wonderful memories of that area & Dudley Grange Park.
Sad that other children will not be able to experience what you and I had.
If nyone from my time frame drops by,contact me at moy3rd@yahoo.com.
Still looking for old friends & classmates.
Cliff Wells
Genevieve Stinsman
Donna Ogle
Barry Brickner,
John Glaser,
Merrietta Quigley.
Ronald Higgambotham
Terry Costanza
Lynn Barry
Where are you?…LOL
Skeeter
Fred Kalt Says:
February 29, 2008 at 3:04 pm eI went to HH Davis before your dates shown here — 1945 to 1952, then to Cramer Jr Hi for 2 years, and finally to WWHS until 1957 when I graduated. Lots of good memories of E Camden and Davis
School.
Paul Cohen Says:
February 29, 2008 at 3:38 pm eHello everyone. I just logged into this site for the first time. It is nice to see some familiar names and to know that you are all doing okay. I will definitely spread the word about this page. Thank you to all who had a hand in creating it.
George Gumbrell Says:
February 29, 2008 at 7:50 pm eHey Paul!! It’s good to see you on here! I am glad to see that you are still around. Post some other things, and send me an email.
George
George Gumbrell Says:
February 29, 2008 at 7:54 pm eHi Fred and Charles, Since youse lived there before us, I am sure you both have some great stories and memories! How about sharing some? I certainly would like to hear them and I know the others would also.
Ken Says:
February 29, 2008 at 8:21 pm eWelcome SkeeterMoy, Fred Kalt, Paul Cohen, and Carl Orth!
Skeeter Moy, I remember you from a few years ago on another Wilson site, glad you found this one. You lived on Rosedale in the 50’s… my parents were on 32nd (200 block) from 1950 until 1982 – raised five kids in the house.
Paul glad you finally found the place. Did you pass the address on to Dennis Goebel?
Carl Orth – long time it’s been. Glad to hear all is going good in your life. I think you are in at least one of the class pictures I’ve posted.
George Gumbrell Says:
February 29, 2008 at 9:00 pm eHey Bob, You did that to, you went to Nurse Rifici when a test was given? It looks like she was on to all of us!
Ken Says:
March 1, 2008 at 12:00 am eBob, there was another store where Jimmy Burgo’s was, before Jimmy opened the pizza shop, but I can’t recall what it was. And yes, the Rapanotti family lived right next to Burgo’s on 36th. Burgo’s later opened a deli or a night club in the storefront next to the pizza shop. I think it was a deli first, then a night club, both short lived.
Charlie “Skeeter” Moy Says:
March 1, 2008 at 8:02 am eKen,
You mentioned a Carl Orth.
I went to Davis 55-57,I believe, with a girl named Orth…think her first name was Nancy.
Any email address for Carl?
Als Cavallo sounds familiar.
We had an apartment at 235 n. 40th st (newly weds lol) in 1968.
A family across the street was Cavallo.
Ken Says:
March 1, 2008 at 10:10 am eSkeeter,
The Cavallo family lived on 40th, so that is the family you remember. Glen Cavallo stops in here, so he’ll see if you leave him a message.
Carl Orth has posted a message under the “Where Are You Now” page.
Also, I’m not related to the Howard Brown you knew. There are no “Browns” outside my immediate family, that are related. That is because the family name is actually Leppaluoto, it was changed to Brown when my grandfather’s parents became naturalized citizens when he was a boy. I can count the number of Browns related to me today on one hand, and most of them are my own kids!
Two of my sisters did go to Davis in the 50’s, Cheryl and Karen Brown, they graduated Wilson in ‘65 and ‘67.
George Gumbrell Says:
March 1, 2008 at 4:21 pm eHey Ken, You really are finding some great photos of places we have been to, Thank you for doing that, it makes you miss the times even more. What a great time, great friends, great area!
George Gumbrell Says:
March 2, 2008 at 1:14 am eHey EVERYONE! When you went down the shore, with your family, or just you, where did you go?
I went to Margate or Sea Side Heights.
Ken Says:
March 2, 2008 at 9:31 am eGeorge, when I went to the shore growing up, it was usually to fish – LBI, Barnegat, Holgate, Fortescue, and Great Bay in Tuckerton mostly. I do remember going to the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, usually with my older sister or brother.
I live at the shore now, across the bay from Atlantic City and Brigantine… we mostly go to the beach in Brigantine, and the boardwalk in Ocean City. And also Barnegat Light – which has a really nice park by the lighthouse and inlet now. I don’t really go to AC, have no interest in the whole casino atmosphere.
David Nevius Says:
March 2, 2008 at 12:00 pm eI remember going to Seaside Heights. There was a huge arcade there. Played the penny games for small prizes (mechanical claw would grab something, I hoped, from what seemed an endless amount of treasures.) Played Skee-Ball with my Dad and saved prize tickets for years.
George Gumbrell Says:
March 2, 2008 at 9:45 pm eHey Dave, I also liked the water pistol game, I would go against my mom, tough race. I also remember winning towels at a game! Remember the big roller coaster on the northern pier.
Ken you make me want to move back down. And we might be. What a nice area!
George Gumbrell Says:
March 2, 2008 at 10:13 pm eHey Ken, You have to go to the White House in Atlantic City, for cheesesteaks and hogies! they are great! The Best! They are at Artic and Mississippi. It is a fun place, even the Beatles in 64 and 65 ate there! They have been opened since the end of WW2.
Joseph Lenkowski Says:
March 3, 2008 at 12:43 am eI just visited the website for Our Lady Of Mt Carmel Church.I graduated
from grammer school in 1946. Wow, what a change.
As i was going through the old Camden Courier-Post atrticles,I was
suprised to see my aunt Helen’s name graduating from the commercial
school ( Helen Shemelie). I was exactly one year old on the date of the
article.
Glen Cavallo Says:
March 3, 2008 at 11:57 am eHi guys…it is great to see and hear from some familiar friends and awesome to share memories…hi to: Paul Skeens, David Nevius, Bob Thomas and Russ McDaniel…hope you guys are well….hard to believe it has been over 30 years!!!!
Charles “Skeeter” Moy-I think you lived across the street from our family…you were a few years ahead but I can almost picture where you lived etc…
Thanks again Ken for doing this…it has brought back many memories
I just gave the website to my brother, Joe who I am sure will join in…
Charlie “Skeeter” Moy Says:
March 3, 2008 at 2:23 pm eGlen Cavallo ,
We got married in 1968 & rented the upstairs apartment over top of Mr. Smith. Moved out in 73.
ERVERYBODY knew Smitty…lol
It was next door to the cleaners
Ken Says:
March 3, 2008 at 3:59 pm eNick Rapanotti, Welcome… I see you found us, and saw your messages under the E-mail page.
We sure did put some miles on our bikes, George and I have reminisced a lot about the bike rides. What I remember about some of the rides we took with you Nick, was that they always included a stop for lunch at one of you cousins or relatives… I remember we stopped at one of your relatives in Beverly, and another in Collingswood or Oaklyn maybe. You had relatives all over the place!
I had forgotten about the rain storm – but now that you mention it, yes we certainly got drenched that day, Camden Avenue was really flooded between 36th and 37th.
I also remember good times in your swimming pool, with you, Barb, Paul Skeens, and others.
Nick do you still have that classic bike? It would be worth a fortune on eBay now.
Ken Says:
March 3, 2008 at 4:03 pm eJoe Lenkowski… Welcome! Your name sounds real familiar. Where in Camden are you from?
Glen Cavallo Says:
March 3, 2008 at 5:48 pm eHi Charlie…I do remember you now…I was about 10-15 when you lived there or so…you had to put up with all of our baseball playing…actually if we hit it on your roof it was a home run! Mr. Smith was awesome…he taught me so much…I can also still picture him sitting on his porch listening to Phillies games!
My parents lived there until about 1982 and then they moved to Pennsauken…Mom died of cancer in 1990 and Dad died about 10 years ago…
Just saw that Nick Rapanotti logged in as well…welcome and best to you old friend!
Nick Rapanotti Says:
March 3, 2008 at 10:44 pm eHey Glen! I left messages all over this site. I love it. It really brings back old but great memories. You were my first friend way back in Mrs. McCarrolls class in kindergarten. WOW! Wiffle ball. Loved your mom’s chocolate chip cookies. My mom passed away in 2002. My step father still lives on 36th street. I have been in North Carolina for @ 9 years. I remember the cookout aty your place in North Jersey from the $100 radiuo station. Good thing I remenbered your birthday. By the way, Happy belated birthday!! Hope to talk to you soon. My e-mail address njrapanotti@yahoo.com. I have some pictures on MySpace. http://www.myspace.com/guido57.
Nick Rapanotti Says:
March 3, 2008 at 10:45 pm eTake care and talk to you soon
George Gumbrell Says:
March 4, 2008 at 5:01 am eHey Nick! It’s great to see you on here. Post more, and talk to you soon.
Nick Rapanotti Says:
March 4, 2008 at 7:46 am eGood morning George. Hope all is well with you. Are you still skating? Hockey or fun? Still bike riding!
And Ken. No. I don’t still have the bike. It would be worth alot on Ebay is an understatement. I really got involved in sports after high schopol and kinda got out of the bike riding. The pool was a blast! They wee the good ole days what that area of Camden was safe. Yeah, I had relatived all over. I remember the jaunt to Beverly. I forgot about that one! Remember, “GH’in”?? LOL!!!
Nick Rapanotti Says:
March 4, 2008 at 7:49 am eGotta put a quick shout out to Davie Nevius! Man do I remember all the birthday parties at your house!!!! How’s it going my friend? I hope all is well with you. Gotta run and take my son to school
Ken Says:
March 4, 2008 at 10:35 am eNick, yeah I remember “GH’in”… we never did quite perfect that!
Nick do you remember the day, George, Paul, and I, kidnapped you and took you the the Echelon Mall for the day?
Great to hear you are working in your dream job – and in the bowling industry at that! Now that’s how to live your life! I remember you did bowl a lot at Ivy Lanes. Do you remember all those times you were paged to the phone there, and when you got to the phone, no one was on the line? Well that was Paul and I! LOL Yeah, we were tying to mess up your game!
Nick Rapanotti Says:
March 4, 2008 at 11:23 am eNext time we get together, we have to bring bikes and go GH’in (with the wifes permission, of course..LOL)
Now I know who kept calling!! You CENSORED!! (LOL). Get this, when I am at work, that still happens. YOu guys don’t have the phone number to my job, do you??
Echelon Mall, I can’t say I remember. Refresh my memory a little bit more on that one.
Paul Cohen Says:
March 4, 2008 at 12:27 pm eHi Ken,
Yes, I did tell Dennis Goebel about this site. He said it was very interesting to see all the names here and that he remembered everyone from elementary school.
Ken Says:
March 4, 2008 at 1:16 pm ePaul Cohen, glad to see you again. Tell Dennis he should stop in and visit.
Nick, let me refresh your memory… the four of us went to Echelon Mall for the day. My sister who worked in Haddonfield at the time, dropped us at the Speedline in the morning, and picked us up later in the afternoon. For whatever reason, maybe because you forgot to tell her, your Mom was under the impression you would be home for lunch. As you might recall, we got home about three hours later. I think your Mom was pretty upset with it all. And I think you got in trouble further, when your mom saw that questionable joke book you purchased… remember that? LOL
And Nick, I had to censor a word in your post above, you used a term WordPress frowns upon… Sorry. Don’t worry you’ll get no demerits. LOL
Ken Says:
March 4, 2008 at 4:26 pm eDon’t know if anyone saw in the Courier the other day, but Al Bass, former Wilson Athletic Director and Dean of Students, died last week at age 95. I’ll post his obituary on a separate page.
George Gumbrell Says:
March 5, 2008 at 1:44 am eHey, who else remembers the farm next to the Acres, way before they put in the Stockton Station Apartments? I think it was called Browns Farm.
Ken Says:
March 5, 2008 at 9:37 am eGeorge, Yeah it was Brown’s Farm (no relation to me). It was along the railroad tracks right? We were always warned as kids to stay away from there, as he had a reputation of running kids off his property – not sure if that was true, or just something our parents told us to keep us in line. I also remember stories of “quicksand” in that lot past Lemuel Ave, going out towards the tracks, train yards, and Cramer Hill. That probably was not true also.
Ken Says:
March 5, 2008 at 11:40 am eNick… you may have the answer to our question… what store was at the corner of 36th and Westfield before Jimmy Burgo opened the pizza shop?
Nick Rapanotti Says:
March 5, 2008 at 11:42 am eIt was Barrons Rug Store. Old man Barron used to sit outside smoking a stogie!
Ken Says:
March 5, 2008 at 11:51 am eGreat memory Nick. I think Bob Thomas, in an earlier post, thought it was Barron’s before Barron moved to 37th.
George Gumbrell Says:
March 5, 2008 at 1:48 pm eKen, your right on an earlier post. Though growning up in a city, we still had a farm, fruit trees of all kinds and gardens! What a great area!
George Gumbrell Says:
March 5, 2008 at 1:51 pm eAlso, remember the farm trucks going around selling their produce.
Bob Thomas Says:
March 5, 2008 at 2:16 pm eHey Nick,
Welcome to the page.
Thanks for confirming that Burgos was Barrons. Thought I was going crazy, or senile. Might be a little bit of both.
Give a shout to your sister Barb. She was with me from Kindergarten through WWHS. Nice gal.
I met somebody at UPS who is somehow related to you and came down to NC a few years back to visit. As I live and breathe I have no idea how your family came up whilst I was dropping off a package at UPS. Just one of those crazy things.
Has anybody mentioned Tippy’s, which I think was next to Henry’s barber shop and Choice Liquor? I bought a new pinball machine yesterday and the guy was telling me he used to service pinball machines on Westfield Ave “back in the day”, and thought the place was Tippy’s. I remember going in every few weeks to see if a new machine had come in. That was always a big deal for me. Still love the machines and play often as I can.
But… it all started on Westfield Avenue.
Did I read that Dennis Goebel is here somewhere? He was my neighbor on 36th street. Great family.
Ken Says:
March 5, 2008 at 6:54 pm eWelcome Linda Lingenfelter, we’re glad you found the site. Stop in often, as new people arrive daily, and there’s always new comments and pictures being posted.
I did not know you at Wilson (I graduated in ‘76) but I think my wife – Lorrie Matchner (also ‘76) may have… she cheered in 75 and 76, after you graduated. She’ll stop in here one of these days, and say hello to everyone.
Ken Says:
March 5, 2008 at 6:59 pm eBob, you missed the whole discussion on Tippy’s last week! You really are addicted to pin ball… (visions of Bob, bleary eyed and locked away in his family room playing pin ball for hours on end while The Who plays in the background).
Nick Rapanotti Says:
March 6, 2008 at 12:51 am eHey Bob Thomas.
I already e-mailed my sister and I hope she and a few others I tried to contact show up, like Kathy Lee, Pat Kroeplin, Terry Defrancisco, etc…. You are not crazy or senile! I used to see Mr. Barron on a daily basis. There was also a little cigar shop attached to the store on the Westfield Avenue side. Tippy’s was cool. So was pinball. We have 1 pinball machine where I work and I play it daily!! That and the original PacMan.
The person you probably ran in to at UPS was my sister-in-law, Linda Gesell.
Hey Ken, is there any way we can see EVERYONE who came to this page?
Ken Says:
March 6, 2008 at 7:29 am eNick, thanks for spreading the word about this site!
The only way to know who has stopped in, is if they leave a message. Many have stopped into the “Add E-mail” page, but actually leaving a contact email is voluntary. Just a reminder, if you wish for other people to have access to your email, you must leave it in the comment box, and not just on the email line above it (that does not get published).
If someone has checked in, but has chosen not to leave an email address, and another poster wants to email that person, I could forward an email stating that someone is requesting their address, but I will not give out addresses without the person’s permission. I really don’t want to be a message middleman, however, so please, if anyone wants email contact from others, leave a contact address for all to see.
I do know that we have had over 4,000 hits on this site since we started on 2/19/08. There have also been 185 comments posted, and Tuesday March 4th, was a high point, with 508 hits on the site. And non of those hits are from myself, as my visits to the site do not get counted.
So this site is taking off, and I suspect more people will find it each week. And I want to thank everyone who has visited and posted, and has helped to make this site a success. It’ll certainly keep growing, so keep spreading the word.
I have submitted the site’s URL to Google, so in time, the site will start showing up on Google searches for various “tags” such as WWHS, Davis School, Wilson, East Camden etc…
Again thanks to everyone, this is your site, and your participation will keep it going. I just administer the site, which takes very little actual time, and I don’t mind doing that at all.
Ken
Bob Thomas Says:
March 6, 2008 at 11:27 am eChecking back….this is so cool!
Linda Lingenfelter…..thanks for fixing my mistake. You’re absolutely right, it was “Jacks” not “Georges” on the corner of 36th and High. What a miserable man and wife who ran the place. Didn’t realize they were robbed so frequently. What was there to take? My parents always told me that he ran numbers out of there. Maybe that was it. Have you passed this site over to the rest of your “girl-gang”? Chez, Toni, etc?
Would love to hear how they are all doing.
Nick….Hope Barb checks in. Yes, Linda does sound about right (at UPS). I still can’t figure how the conversation got started and how your name came up. Glad you still work the pinball machine. An original PacMan is worth it’s weight in gold. I’ve come close to finding one a few times, but either it isn’t as original as advertised or the electronics are screwed up. It’s a funny thing, but when my son’s friends come over to hang out, they are more interested in my old games, not the Wii, PS2-3, or the other whiz bang new stuff. I even pulled out my old Atari recently and hooked it up….the one with Combat, Breakout,Space Invaders, Pong, etc. They were THRILLED to see the “new” games. Hah=hah!!! I even replaced the phone down there with a dial model. It was a blast watching them call home just to use it. What will they come up with next…..black and white TV????
Ken…sorry I missed the Tippy’s conversation. Did way too many drugs in the 70’s….thought you were talking about Zippy’s and couldn’t figure out where that was…..?????
Bob Thomas Says:
March 6, 2008 at 11:52 am eKen, see what you can find out about Kotlikoff’s and other places on Westfield. That was “the” place to shop, before the Cherry Hill Mall (and was alittle higher class than the Pennsauken Mart.) The Pennsauken Mart was a great place to hang. My favorite shop was the sandwich place near the tire place. No names come to mind, but I can still smell it.
