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New York, 1949. "A&P Supermarket on Broadway in Queens." Now playing at the Strand: Alan Ladd in Whispering Smith. Photo by John M. Fox. View full size.
Thought I'd post an updated photo of Broadway Queens NY. Tried to get the perspective as close as possible.
I'm intrigued by the grille guard on the Chevy panel truck at the extreme left. Even has the "bow tie" in the center.
The antenna appears to be a "Super Trapper." I don't remember who made it, but growing up in Blythe, CA, i remember my dad putting up a 50' mast with a rotor and stacked (2) Super Trappers. we could get channels 2, 4, and 5 out of Los Angeles and a couple of channels from Phoenix. I remember watching Dick Lane, the L.A. Thunderbirds and the Bombers, and wrestling with the likes of "Gorgeous George", etc., on KTLA channel 5.
Grandma is standing in a sidewalk safety zone, to avoid being run over by a buggy. Her older grandson is performing blocking duties, while her younger grandson holds her cane while grandma digs out the spending money for the boys.
The interesting antenna over the bar may be for receiving TV signals. There's another one to its right. I expect that TV was a novel thing at that time, especially in the suburbs.
Reminds me of my nickname in seventh grade. "Crisco, Crisco, Fat in the can."
In agreement with Mach72, but I counted 9 before I saw this comment. Also, as denverlev comments, I don't know what this woman is standing on either, but I'd imagine the young man is holding her cane while she finds a nickel or dime which should yield a sizeable haul of sweet treats in that time.
The only place my mother would shop for groceries was our local A&P, Grew up drinking their house brand 8 O'clock coffee and I still do though it's not quite the same.We also had a small bakery right next to it as well.
And everything in between. I can't quite make out what La-Chic, Richard's and Albert's contribute to the mix, but everything you need is here. You could transplant this block anywhere in the country, put up a post office and a church across the street, add some homes and you would have a town.
The Strand was open in time for the first run of "Casablanca." I wonder if you could hear strikes and spares during quiet passages of the film.
At least five baby strollers visible in this picture! Plus at least three kids under six years of age.
Grew up in Astoria in the 1950's (and still live here 50 years later). The Strand Theatre & Bowling Alley (the latter was in the basement) lasted through the 1970's. The A & P Self-Serve Supermarket became a Key Food store (after A-&-P relocated down the block just off Crescent Street) - G.T. Lawe's variety store expanded into some of the smaller shops and also continued in business through the 1970's, as did the Strand bakery at the 29th Street corner. Today this block remains a vibrant and viable commercial entity housed in the same structures as in this photograph.
you just really don't know when you will run out of Crisco.
In my early childhood, we would take my grandmother grocery-shopping (she didn't drive) to the A&P. I remember the delightful smell of standing by the 8 O'Clock grinder as Grandma got her coffee. And here I sit, 60+ years later, sipping a mug of 8 O'Clock.
The Strand was opened on August 27 1941 with its first showing being The Wild Man of Borneo.
One of those words from the so distant past!
I wonder what's going on here with the woman and the two boys? What is she standing on?
[The sidewalk. The thing in front of her is a little shovel. - Dave]
Here is the same street, Broadway, today. The A&P is now Lanzee Department Store. The store at 25-37 Broadway was the Strand Bakery and is now a Dentist, such cruel irony. This location is actually in the town of Astoria, which is in the county of Queens and is still a great place to get Italian Ice.
[Actually, Astoria is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens. -Dave]
The occupants of those buggies are retired now.
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