New on our YouTube channel: Charles Denson's Mermaid Avenue in the 1950's brings together photos from the Coney Island History Project Collection and the voices of Michael "Looch" Goldstein and Stanley Fox. They grew up at opposite ends of Mermaid Avenue and recorded their memories of the Avenue in the 1950s for the Coney Island History Project Oral History Archive. Goldstein and Fox operated businesses in Coney Island's amusement area for over 60 years.
Listen to their stories and those of Jimmy Prince of Major Meats and Steven Feinstein of Wilensky Hardware, whose Mermaid Avenue businesses survived into the 21st century. Major Meats closed when Jimmy retired in 2009. Wilensky Hardware is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020. You're invited to share your Coney Island memories at coneyislandhistory.org/oral-history-archive.
Comments
Mermaid Ave.
I lived at 2805 Mermaid from 1943-1950. I also recall the Junk Man and his horse and the Huba Huba coffee shop. . The fish store had large ceramic tile tanks built into the windows and I loved to watch the swimming fish.
There was a small fruit/vegetable store at the bottom of our apartment house and it had a disproportionate amount horse radish. All sadly gone.
The A&P on Mermaid Ave
I'm sure many people remember the small A&P on Mermaid Ave with the wood floors...In the mid to late 1960s my Grandmother Helen DeMartino would wheel me there in the shopping cart first from our apartment building at 2930 west 36th then from Coney Island Houses, 3020 Surf Ave where we moved to in 1967. Does anyone know the address of that A&P and possibly a photo of it?
Thanks in advance....
A poor kids paradise.
In 1954 when I was 14 I worked at the Save On grocery Mermaid Avenue between W. 32nd Street and W. 33rd Street. Next door was Frankie's Barbershop and next to him was HI and Arties Luncheonette.
I could tell you stories of Sam's knishes or Shatzkins knishes, Larry and Vinny's Pizza. How about the candy stores on Railroad Avenue.
Add new comment