Feb 23, 2012

East Side Memories


Man! How things have changed - Cigarette in ash tray - two chile dogs and black coffee - and he had a cigarette dangling from his lips as he made your doggies from the open grille - Man! what a sauce. Just doesn't exist today. Must have been those ashes!!

photograph and commentary by Carl Rubrecht

18 comments:

  1. Where was this and when? I can not place it.

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  2. it was just east of K Photo, near Hanover and Irving intersection. the photograph was taken in the early 1970's, not sure when sad sacks closed. Rubrecht was a photographer of early 1970's drag racing. some of those images are available on ebay, under the seller name crfrompa

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  3. Majestic stuff, this.

    Too bad it is not subsidized.

    Pleasant day, Sir.

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  4. Retired ASD teacher here.

    Nice memory photo. Thanks.

    Anonymous 8:05am-

    When we wanted to get SUB-sidized, we'd go a few blocks down to Fuzzy's!

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  5. I ate there. As I recall they used nothing but lard on the grill and in the fryer.

    There was also a sub shop located just before you entered Hanover acres (just off of Hanover Avenue). They made one of the best hoagies for a very resonable price.

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  6. Retired ASD teacher.. Maybe that was Fuzzy's?

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  7. Retired ASD teacher here.

    LVCI-

    Yes, that was Fuzzy's. Good pinball machines there, too! It was the quintessential "Happy Days" crowd.

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  8. Thank you for the quick history lesson, Retired ASD Teacher.

    (and, course, regards to Mr. Molovinsky for the post)

    This is probably about 10 maybe 15 years ahead of my time ...

    ... in my day (and in another part of town), GEORGE's HOAGIE SHOP was the place to go for "Grinders" (as they say in New England) and pinball machines.

    This blog should charge admission ... it would be worth every penny.

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  9. Sorry, but can you tell me where K Photo was? What is there now?

    Very interesting.

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  10. Retired ASD teacher here.

    The ORIGINAL K-Photo was located behind and to the east of the Sad Sack's shack, on Irving Street, behind what is now Zeiner's Piano. The building is still there. I don't know what it is now.

    K-Photo later moved to a new, larger building, about 150 feet to the right of the Sad Sack building shown. Also don't know who's in there now.

    K-Photo was a high-end shop (like a smaller Dan's Camera City). It was very popular.

    The Sad Sack shack was next to what is now Zeiner Piano. It flooded often.

    Here's another fond memory from across the street, Zesto's.

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    Replies
    1. We lived on Gilmore behind Zestos
      10 cent cones unforgettable

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  11. Lived right by Sad Sack's. Made many a good dollar when it rained really hard, and you would push cars through the flooding in front of it.

    KPhoto on Irving Street was a sewing factory for some time, think it might be again. It is in the 400 block, right on the alley, catty corner from O'Donnell's Funeral Home.

    Sad Sack's closed soon after this photo was taken, and the neighborhood was never the same, the Turkey Hill across the street put it out of business.

    Sad Sack's also had a good pinball machine, right as you walked in the door (well, truly, what wasn't right as you walked in the door?) and it was the place mom sent you to buy her cigarettes. Well, there and Gabe's market, but then you had to cross Hanover Avenue from my house.

    The pastor from Our Lady Help of Christian's told us all that it was a sinful place to go - Sad Sack's was not his cup of tea!

    Mike, thanks for bringing up some good memories.

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  12. Sad Sack was found died on the countertop! Got divorced from his wife and lived there and slept. On the countertop and that's where they found him. It was right near Avenue Moters.

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    Replies
    1. I thought that was an urban legend. I lived right up the street on Halstead late 60s to 70s

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    2. How about the lunch counter at Cookies and so many corner stores around Mosser School.

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  13. Ok one more back to 71. Frankie Pizza at the Carlisle St Light . Cheap slices and juke box

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