Loved the tour... I waitressed at Maasbach's near the M street station for 2 years, starting when my daughter was a few months old. She'll be 31 this week. Good memories of the neighborhood, customers, colleagues, particularly Anche, a young woman originally from Germany. Mary
Good video of Ridgewood. I lived there from 1955 to 1972. The first 5 year I lived above the Ridgewood Democratic Club on Putnam Ave. Then from 1960 to 1972 on Palmetto Street. A few comments on video: The Polish Rest on Palmetto was the Everglades Tavern; the 99 cent store was Nagengast Hardware and Hobby shop..
If anyone is interested in some history and a story about growing up in Ridgewood, you can read my story by looking up in the Ridgewood Times archives called Palmetto Street Boys.
I grew up in Glendale, 65th place, brownstone buildings, six family. I lved it there, went to St. Pancras School, shopped in Ridgewood, Woolworth, Kresge, the movie theatres, Glendale Store, Milkiows Candy Store, Pretzel lady, so many happy memories. Would love to see it again on You Tube. Went back three years ago, to my old block. Exactly the same, but everything else changed! Love your tours! thank you. Arlene
Thanks for sharing, I grew up on Woodbine St. I cant believe some of those stores are still there. I didn't see Peters Deli. Coratos looks like it moved across the street. Happy to see they are still there, I'm dying for a slice but live in California now.
I was born in Ridgewood in 1950 and my whole family , aunts, uncles, grandparents. Lived on Madison st. right before fresh pond road and then on woodbine st. I lived there 38 years. My heart and good times will always be there. I could tell you what was there in the 50ties. It has changed so much.
Osoff Lincoln Mercury I rememeber that Tavern on Palmetto, though it had a different name. My friend had a deli a few doors down from that tavern, and there was a clothes store a few more doors down called Kings, at 1.45 when I greww up there, there was a butcher shop, and Joes hair stylist, where all of us disco boyswent for haircuts. Next to the Post office was a Hallmark store and ladies hair styliing place, and next to that was Bohacks, way before MetFood, and I think Pioneer.
WOW I remember this area like it was yesterday moved thgere when I was about 3 or 4 and moved away in Dec of 84 for Los Angeles. I remeber the FreshPond Diner, and across the street was a Chevy dealer, and the Arena Disco. If I am correct Rosa'a pizza used to be a lumber store, my dad was a carpenter and built closets from the wood he bought there. And next to thhat was a car repair shop, doing transmissions I think, and next to that was gas stattion,(Texaco?). The Laundromat used to be Osoff
I lived in this neighborhood (if you want to consider it as living) from 1964 to 1997. I enjoyed the walking tour quite a bit. There are some historical inaccuracies and omissions that some folks may be interested in learning the actual facts about. I urge the poster of this presentation to contact me and set the record straight before the well intentioned assumptions and guesses become set in stone.
LOL, Frsh Pond Road and Metropolitan, God I hate this area, I live further down on Myrtle Ave. Don't get me wrong, it has a lot of historic spots, but I lived here all my life, so I got so bored of it.
The 99cent express next to Associated used to be a Burger King..... I hate that they closed it down i used to eat there all the time ...... I also dont like that the closed it down for a 99 cent store we have like 5 or 10 of them on fresh pond.
@BimsterBim LMAO, yeah, BK was the pot back then, I thought they were making good money, especially late night, but they put that dumbass 99 cent store, which messed it all up, you have to go a mile now for Wendy's. Lame!
@cc1945 schumachers has moved to myrtle & a 7/11 has the place. polish/ slavic credit union was a ridgewood savings bank branch & Pino's is still there. jay rose is a computer/small appliance store.
The Top 99¢ was a Chinese restaurant called Fortune Palace from 1980 to 1984. I knew its owners. It was sold and reopened as Good Luck, which lasted maybe two years before apparently being sold again and reopened under another name (which I've forgotten). I think after the last restaurant closed down, a clothing store replaced it before the current store replaced that.
Even before Rite Aid replaced Met Food, the stretch of Fresh Pond between the M train and Woodbine already had plenty of pharmacies. That's why losing the Met was such a big deal.
I'm sure ABC used to be Henry's Department Store and Queens County Savings Bank was the old Corato's.
I remember when CapitolOne Bank was Hamburg Savings Bank. Then it became Home Savings, followed by Greenpoint, and North Fork. (Did I miss a merger or acquisition?)
I wonder if the Sushi restaurant used to be a Chinese takeout called Royal Lee, which opened for over ten years starting in 1987.
Didn't a Burger King exist where that 99-cent shop (next to The Associated) now stands?
Back in the 1980s, Kraupner used to be Pelligrini's (spelling?), which specialized in catering (I think). The Associated was a small supermarket by another name (started with an "S," if I remember correctly). But before that, it was a meat supermarket called Trunz.
Fresh Pond Rd. hasn't had a good supermarket since Met Food closed down in 1995. The Associated and Price Choice haven't been adequate substitutes. Grocery shoppers either had to trek it to Edward's (today Stop n' Shop?) in Glendale or Waldbaum's at Metro Mall. (I believe Waldbaum's has closed, too, no?)
That's unless a newer, bigger supermarket has opened up in the area in the last ten years.
Awesome video as I lived there from 54 to 69, and I still regard this as my home town. er ... Jay Rose was originally closer to the El station, the store next to the corner candy was Mothers restaurant, and that Chinese restaurant was Tongs restaurant, I knew the two boys Bobby and Monyou and there sister Maybelle, the hobby shop was Nagengast hobbies. Bobby Kouns and Bobby O' Brien, Wayne Veet and Heinz Bloss were my friends we had fun back then in that great neighborhood.
You are right about the Chinese restaurant where the Top 99 store is now. I believe it was owned by a family named Tong. My brother was a friend of one of the sons in the Tong family. The Salvation Army was there since at least the late 50s. The old people's home across from the school was aq Knights of Columbus Hall when I lived in Ridgewood. Again, thanks
Thanks for the tour down memory lane. I grew up in Ridgewood a couple of blocks from Fresh Pond Rd. It was a house right next to the el train. I believe the ABC Superstore near Putnam Ave. was an A&P in the 1950s and 60s. I remember Jay Rose being where the Capital One Bank is just south of the el train.
I lived on Madison. My cousins on Gates. My Mom shopped at the shop owned by the 2 women. Bought my first baton at Brody's Luggage. Shopped at a huge A & P, plus all the delis, bakeries, green grocers. What memories. Going to Coney Island. We have all moved away and parents are now gone. So thanks again for the video.
When I was a real little kid, I was a trolley car cuckoo. Fresh Pond Road was the place for me. I remember sitting on the curb one morning and watching dozens of trolleys coming up the hill from Myrtle Ave as they deadheaded to the carbarn under the Fresh Pond station.
My father grew up on 69th Ave. which his mother always called Foxall St. At the NW corner of 69th Ave & Fresh Pond was a hardware store. Diagonally across at the triangle was Murtha's Mobil station. On the west side of Fresh Pond between 70th (or Halleck according to Grandma) was Schmid's watchmaker's shop and several knitting mills. On the east side, the last house before Barry's was a podiatrist, Dr. Jos. Giovinco. I vividly remember him removing my ingrown toenail while he chewed on a cigar
Yes, thank you, you are correct...Mondo Di Bimbi. They do not seem to have kid's stores like that anymore. Also, never had pizza at Rocky's but will check it out...
nice video. the childrens clothing store that you couldnt remember the name of (now called spoolers or somtthing like that) was Mondo Di Bimbi....and you missed rocky's (minitalia) on palmetto and fresh pond (best pizza around)
Thank you for these videos! How long have you been in Queens? How far back do your memories go? Love to see where my family is from!
chilipepper25 3 weeks ago
Loved the tour... I waitressed at Maasbach's near the M street station for 2 years, starting when my daughter was a few months old. She'll be 31 this week. Good memories of the neighborhood, customers, colleagues, particularly Anche, a young woman originally from Germany. Mary
MsKingmary 2 months ago
at 8:49...there is an office i apply for a job, is called greater ridgewood youth council!
drums364 5 months ago
Good video of Ridgewood. I lived there from 1955 to 1972. The first 5 year I lived above the Ridgewood Democratic Club on Putnam Ave. Then from 1960 to 1972 on Palmetto Street. A few comments on video: The Polish Rest on Palmetto was the Everglades Tavern; the 99 cent store was Nagengast Hardware and Hobby shop..
If anyone is interested in some history and a story about growing up in Ridgewood, you can read my story by looking up in the Ridgewood Times archives called Palmetto Street Boys.
10jnpa 5 months ago
I grew up in Glendale, 65th place, brownstone buildings, six family. I lved it there, went to St. Pancras School, shopped in Ridgewood, Woolworth, Kresge, the movie theatres, Glendale Store, Milkiows Candy Store, Pretzel lady, so many happy memories. Would love to see it again on You Tube. Went back three years ago, to my old block. Exactly the same, but everything else changed! Love your tours! thank you. Arlene
afgkrafty 7 months ago
madison st 6442 go there that's mine lol
rossiny2011 7 months ago
Thanks for sharing, I grew up on Woodbine St. I cant believe some of those stores are still there. I didn't see Peters Deli. Coratos looks like it moved across the street. Happy to see they are still there, I'm dying for a slice but live in California now.
roberts9313 1 year ago
oh and I moved from there 22 years ago
roberts9313 1 year ago
I was born in Ridgewood in 1950 and my whole family , aunts, uncles, grandparents. Lived on Madison st. right before fresh pond road and then on woodbine st. I lived there 38 years. My heart and good times will always be there. I could tell you what was there in the 50ties. It has changed so much.
wduckey 1 year ago
do a tour of 61st my block
kid66625 1 year ago
check out our videos on ridgewood
PutnumFam 1 year ago
how you overlook the Fresh Pond MTA Bus Depot. the bus operators are a major presence on the Road. also, karl ehmers has, sad to say, closed.
rioyaque99 1 year ago
Osoff Lincoln Mercury I rememeber that Tavern on Palmetto, though it had a different name. My friend had a deli a few doors down from that tavern, and there was a clothes store a few more doors down called Kings, at 1.45 when I greww up there, there was a butcher shop, and Joes hair stylist, where all of us disco boyswent for haircuts. Next to the Post office was a Hallmark store and ladies hair styliing place, and next to that was Bohacks, way before MetFood, and I think Pioneer.
kkenbb 1 year ago
WOW I remember this area like it was yesterday moved thgere when I was about 3 or 4 and moved away in Dec of 84 for Los Angeles. I remeber the FreshPond Diner, and across the street was a Chevy dealer, and the Arena Disco. If I am correct Rosa'a pizza used to be a lumber store, my dad was a carpenter and built closets from the wood he bought there. And next to thhat was a car repair shop, doing transmissions I think, and next to that was gas stattion,(Texaco?). The Laundromat used to be Osoff
kkenbb 1 year ago
nice video!!! thank you!!! it brings back my memories
MarcinnKsE 1 year ago
ridgewood is so beaufiul love it so much
staroflight11 1 year ago
Great Ridgewood videos. I grew up on 70th Avenue right off Fresh Pond Road. Went to PS 88. graduated in 1961.
rstue 1 year ago
I lived in this neighborhood (if you want to consider it as living) from 1964 to 1997. I enjoyed the walking tour quite a bit. There are some historical inaccuracies and omissions that some folks may be interested in learning the actual facts about. I urge the poster of this presentation to contact me and set the record straight before the well intentioned assumptions and guesses become set in stone.
windingtime 1 year ago
LOL, Frsh Pond Road and Metropolitan, God I hate this area, I live further down on Myrtle Ave. Don't get me wrong, it has a lot of historic spots, but I lived here all my life, so I got so bored of it.
Crastics07 1 year ago
great video
vanny409 1 year ago
The 99cent express next to Associated used to be a Burger King..... I hate that they closed it down i used to eat there all the time ...... I also dont like that the closed it down for a 99 cent store we have like 5 or 10 of them on fresh pond.
BimsterBim 1 year ago
@BimsterBim LMAO, yeah, BK was the pot back then, I thought they were making good money, especially late night, but they put that dumbass 99 cent store, which messed it all up, you have to go a mile now for Wendy's. Lame!
Crastics07 1 year ago
Yes, I remember the laundromat being a Strauss auto parts store during the 1980s.
I also remember Chicken Galore. Does it still have the scantily-clad chicken logo?
The Polish Slavic credit union used to be a Corato's, too, during the 1980s, no?
cc1945 1 year ago
@cc1945 Still there
Crastics07 1 year ago
The 7/11 used to be an appliance store called Schumacher's (or something like that).
The old hobby sign is a remnant of Nagengast Hardware, as another poster already mentioned. I bought some hobby kits from there.
I remember having my glasses repaired at Bonafide Opticians.
I attended PS88 briefly - back when that extension wasn't built yet, so what was there was a playground.
There was a barber near the old Jay Rose called Pino's. I got one or two haircuts there.
cc1945 1 year ago
@cc1945 schumachers has moved to myrtle & a 7/11 has the place. polish/ slavic credit union was a ridgewood savings bank branch & Pino's is still there. jay rose is a computer/small appliance store.
rioyaque99 1 year ago
@rioyaque99 the polish/slavic credit union has been relocated i dont know what its going to be now... but they moved a little while ago...
Ridgewoodallday 1 year ago
The Top 99¢ was a Chinese restaurant called Fortune Palace from 1980 to 1984. I knew its owners. It was sold and reopened as Good Luck, which lasted maybe two years before apparently being sold again and reopened under another name (which I've forgotten). I think after the last restaurant closed down, a clothing store replaced it before the current store replaced that.
cc1945 1 year ago
Even before Rite Aid replaced Met Food, the stretch of Fresh Pond between the M train and Woodbine already had plenty of pharmacies. That's why losing the Met was such a big deal.
I'm sure ABC used to be Henry's Department Store and Queens County Savings Bank was the old Corato's.
I remember when CapitolOne Bank was Hamburg Savings Bank. Then it became Home Savings, followed by Greenpoint, and North Fork. (Did I miss a merger or acquisition?)
cc1945 1 year ago
I wonder if the Sushi restaurant used to be a Chinese takeout called Royal Lee, which opened for over ten years starting in 1987.
Didn't a Burger King exist where that 99-cent shop (next to The Associated) now stands?
Back in the 1980s, Kraupner used to be Pelligrini's (spelling?), which specialized in catering (I think). The Associated was a small supermarket by another name (started with an "S," if I remember correctly). But before that, it was a meat supermarket called Trunz.
cc1945 1 year ago
Fresh Pond Rd. hasn't had a good supermarket since Met Food closed down in 1995. The Associated and Price Choice haven't been adequate substitutes. Grocery shoppers either had to trek it to Edward's (today Stop n' Shop?) in Glendale or Waldbaum's at Metro Mall. (I believe Waldbaum's has closed, too, no?)
That's unless a newer, bigger supermarket has opened up in the area in the last ten years.
cc1945 1 year ago
I last passed Ridgewood in 2007, but was in a car and didn't get out to see how the neighborhood had changed.
Wow, Karl Ehmer is still there. I remember during the 1980s, someone wrote "I'll pork ya" at the top of the mural!
I believe CVS opened in 1995.
I guess the previous Oasis was older than I thought. I remember it being a rollerskating rink, but not a theater.
cc1945 1 year ago
Awesome video as I lived there from 54 to 69, and I still regard this as my home town. er ... Jay Rose was originally closer to the El station, the store next to the corner candy was Mothers restaurant, and that Chinese restaurant was Tongs restaurant, I knew the two boys Bobby and Monyou and there sister Maybelle, the hobby shop was Nagengast hobbies. Bobby Kouns and Bobby O' Brien, Wayne Veet and Heinz Bloss were my friends we had fun back then in that great neighborhood.
drfate234 1 year ago
i was just there last week visiting my mother. nice tour.
BJMidnigt 1 year ago
my wife work on madison and fpr at hilda's beauty saloon
martyhistory 1 year ago
You think you could post a video of the Q58 bus going down fresh pond road to grand ave?
PAM2167 1 year ago
You are right about the Chinese restaurant where the Top 99 store is now. I believe it was owned by a family named Tong. My brother was a friend of one of the sons in the Tong family. The Salvation Army was there since at least the late 50s. The old people's home across from the school was aq Knights of Columbus Hall when I lived in Ridgewood. Again, thanks
AceLibrarian 1 year ago
Thanks for the tour down memory lane. I grew up in Ridgewood a couple of blocks from Fresh Pond Rd. It was a house right next to the el train. I believe the ABC Superstore near Putnam Ave. was an A&P in the 1950s and 60s. I remember Jay Rose being where the Capital One Bank is just south of the el train.
AceLibrarian 1 year ago
I lived on Madison. My cousins on Gates. My Mom shopped at the shop owned by the 2 women. Bought my first baton at Brody's Luggage. Shopped at a huge A & P, plus all the delis, bakeries, green grocers. What memories. Going to Coney Island. We have all moved away and parents are now gone. So thanks again for the video.
CerisePsyche 1 year ago
Did you live there awhile ago. I lived there, too, went to St.Brigid's. Good to meet you.
CerisePsyche 1 year ago
When I was a real little kid, I was a trolley car cuckoo. Fresh Pond Road was the place for me. I remember sitting on the curb one morning and watching dozens of trolleys coming up the hill from Myrtle Ave as they deadheaded to the carbarn under the Fresh Pond station.
ishouldntbeyoutubing 1 year ago
Thanks for the historical insight on the neighborhood. It is always interesting to know where we came from. Hope your toe is feeling better.
rdgwd237 2 years ago
My father grew up on 69th Ave. which his mother always called Foxall St. At the NW corner of 69th Ave & Fresh Pond was a hardware store. Diagonally across at the triangle was Murtha's Mobil station. On the west side of Fresh Pond between 70th (or Halleck according to Grandma) was Schmid's watchmaker's shop and several knitting mills. On the east side, the last house before Barry's was a podiatrist, Dr. Jos. Giovinco. I vividly remember him removing my ingrown toenail while he chewed on a cigar
ishouldntbeyoutubing 2 years ago
i moved recently .. i used to live in pallmetto st...all the way at the end... i love skating here...theres a place called sideshow before td bank.
Bluepuding99 2 years ago
Check out my Seneca Ave tour and also the Seneca Ave M subway station tour.
rdgwd237 2 years ago
I am always looking for new ideas. Stay posted for Seneca Ave. Thanks.
rdgwd237 2 years ago
I find your videos interesting. Can you please do Seneca Ave. covering Harman St. to Linden St.? Thanks.
how8r8u8mate 2 years ago
i live here i live on grove street i love eating at ridgewood eats and rosas pizza
derektvmontenegro1 2 years ago
any tour
rdgwd237 2 years ago
I LIVE HERE I DONT NEED NO TOUR!!! and yes the diner was great Used to go there as a kid
Death4Purpose 2 years ago
Yes, thank you, you are correct...Mondo Di Bimbi. They do not seem to have kid's stores like that anymore. Also, never had pizza at Rocky's but will check it out...
rdgwd237 2 years ago
Sorry for missing your studio; if a do a re-visit in a few years I promise to include your business.
rdgwd237 2 years ago
nice video. the childrens clothing store that you couldnt remember the name of (now called spoolers or somtthing like that) was Mondo Di Bimbi....and you missed rocky's (minitalia) on palmetto and fresh pond (best pizza around)
amw829 2 years ago
They closed down for the time being tho becus someone in the family is sick =x
Death4Purpose 2 years ago
@Death4Purpose
yeah, i just heard that rocky had colon cancer. thats horrible
amw829 2 years ago
@amw829 rocky's pizza is the best!!!
yankfan2589 10 months ago
Thank You well done. I wish you would have mentioned my photo studio. Thank You
pietro1961 2 years ago
Thank you. I also enjoyed making this video. I have made several others of the area and plan to do more. Any topic suggestions?
rdgwd237 2 years ago
In 1957, as kids, we saw "The Amazing Colossal Man" at the Oasis. Thanks for the tour. brought back a lot of memories.
rkmope56 2 years ago