On The Sly

Hi Foxy,

Larry Mooney told me you were Pat's cuz...and yes, so very sad at her passing. Pat, Joan Bragg, and Denny Lebrevre (sp) are my earliest childhood memories!! If I wasn't at Pat's house I was at Joan's or Denny's. Denny lived next door..

I went to Bailey Ave school...jeez, the momories. I've not been back to visit since the late 60s, shame on me!

(Foxy's note: Here's an invitation to return to Plattsburgh the first weekend of August, which will feature the return of the Stowaways, a high school band you might recall.)

I lived in Plattsburgh from 1954 to 1966 and remember the town and townfolk with SUCH fond memories.

I kept in touch with one childhood friend Pat Rabideau Mooney, who sadly passed away last year. I regret not getting back to Plattsburgh to visit with her.

I remember the Witherall Hotel, my mom and I dined there often when my pilot father was away. Shopping at Merkels was always a treat and I believe there was a shop called Pearls?? I also remember my parents going to a restaurant/watering hole called Brodys..

(Foxy's note: Great memories, Terry. And Patty Rabideau was my second cousin. Her brothers still live in the area. Sad that Patty passed away at such a young age.)

My father Harold Sidney McCready (a Plattsburgh High School Hall of Fame member) grew up in Plattsburgh and is the grandson of the founder of "McCready's Taxi". He goes back home to visit every year.

(Foxy's note: Are you referring to "Chick" McCready? I have met him several times!)

I came to work at WIRY the first week of July, 1993. It just so happens Merkel's was having its "Going Out Of Business" at the time. I needed a white dress shirt so I went there and got one. I remember the clerk taking my money and putting it in the little canister and sending it up the air tube to the office, where the change and the HAND-WRITTEN slip were made and sent back down. So Very Cool. I still have the shirt 13 years later; you don't find that kind of quality very often anymore either.
And I remember buying a cartridge for my fountain pen at Beemer's just up the street.

(Foxy's note: I'd forgotten about those delivery tubes! And my own all-time favorite tie is now a collectors item from Merkel's. Still has the Merkel's tag.)

Foxy:

You really struck a nostalgic nerve with that book. You should get about 100-copies made and watch how fast you could sell them. I know I would take five as Christmas Presents for my brothers and sisters out of town.

The Cumberland Hotel was, as you say, located on the property now being disputed for the Bove Housing Project. The Hunt Room was a dining room. The Men's Bar was downstairs and a small cocktail lounge.

The Witherall Hotel was located where the Glens Falls Bank is now on Margaret Street and was owned by William Howell. The help dressed in colonial garb and yes, Al Billups, Jim Doran and Ron Langlois were the barbers that I can remember. Both the Cumberland and the Witherall were good locations for guys like me and my brothers and others in the community to set up our "shoe shine kits" and make some money shining shoes back in the late 40's and 50's.

Downtown also had great Men's stores like Austin's, Studholmes, Joe Bornstein's family had a store downtown and Jerry Donnelley had a clothing store on Clinton Street where Peabody's is and Mrs. Cohen had a fine woman's store on Clinton Street. Margaret Street also had Beverly Pearl's. You had the National Economy Store (Jim Andre) on the corner of Cornelia and Margaret with Connor's Drug store across the street when Charlie Forgette worked and sold those famous "frosted malts" for 10-cents a glass. Then you had the National Army store on the corner of Margaret and Clinton. I can remember my father broadcasting the 4:00 O'Clock news from the store window. Right across the street was Larios' where all the kids gathered and had 'cherry cokes' and hot fudge sundaes. Ah the good old days.

Great blog..Great memories.

(Foxy's note: How do you guys remember all this? That Plattsburgh Panorama book is up for auction on eBay right now. Guess I should have kept it!)

I went to an Optimist Club father/son dinner at the Cumberland Hotel around 1960. I got to shake hands with Rocky Marciano, who was the guest speaker that night. He taunted me by calling me "boy" to see if I had any fight in me. He could see in my eyes that I did - I wanted to clobber him. He laughed and I got madder - which caused him to laugh all the harder.

Boy, what a time to be a young lad in the City of Plattsburgh. Margaret St., Clinton and Brinkerhoff Str's were all bustling. Many people had to walk to get to work, do the shopping and for recreation and that area was the hub for all three. Besides Merkel's another popular dept. store was "Sharron's" just to the north, between Bridge and Trinity Park. In most of the stores the clerks knew one by name. Shopping was easy for me, I would ask the clerk what my mother wanted and tell her how much I had to spend. They always knew. Larios, a soda fountain type, was the place for all the teenagers to meet. This was on the corner of Clinton and Margaret where Pizza Bono is now. Further up Clinton was "The Karmel Korn" diagonally across from the Champlain Theater a must for every Saturday afternoon. Back to the Cumberland Hotel and the Men's Bar. It was downstairs coming in off Margaret St and had a special aura to it just going down the old stairs. The very popular bartender was Joe Brandstetter. The hotels both the Cumberland and The Witheral seemed very formal and plush. The Fife & Drum was quite popular as a watering hole for the crowd from Champlain Collage. They would dine at the Union Hotel (the finest ham and cheese sandwiches anywhere) and then across the alley to the "Fife". During this period the streets seemed to be much busier with pedestrian traffic. Also you would say hello to just about everyone you would pass since all the faces were familiar. It was the same whenever you would go in any of the stores as most people knew each other. One place that I have not noticed being mentioned here was the Mayette Pool Room. Upstairs across the street from Merkels. You could sit in the window and purvey all the action taking place on Margaret St. It was just a great time to be young and live in Plattsburgh. Time for the Carver to step up and become a legend and leader in our greaat city.

(Foxy's note: The Old Timer comes through big time on this one! I think everyone was waiting for his comments! I had my first-ever chocolate malt at Larios' -- with my Dad on a Saturday morning when I was about six.)

Wow, does that bring back memories for us Montrealers and former-Montrealers like me. I live in Ottawa now. Merkels was a beautiful store, I still have a shirt from there. I wonder if conventional retail will ever return to Plattsburgh's downtown. And The Cumberland Hotel, we were only 21 at that time but we would join the local college and Air Force crowd in an evening of serious drinking. There was something 'cool' about the all-American experience of Plattsburgh. Only 60 miles away but a different culture entirely.

thanks for the memories. My wife and I both enjoyed reading about our old home town. she worked at Merkels. We went to OLVA, before the new school. I am Billy Mcneil's relative. We left in 1962 for a 32 year career in government. retired in South Dakota. enjoy your column. Thanks Ken Monette

(Foxy's note: Thanks, Ken ... hey, do you know where Billy McNeil is now?)

can't wait to hear what the "old timer" has to say about this topic! I think I've heard him and his side kick "Hunk" mention all of the interesting places you've mentioned. as for myself, I remember hearing only good things of all the fine dining establishments however the only places you mention I can accually remember going to were Merkels, the record store, I kinda remember going to the cumberland with my dad, I think at that time the men's bar was called "The Hunt Room" and I used to get my hair cut in the basement of the Witherill, I think Al Billups had his barbershop down there! Good memories, foxy!

Merkels - Just the mention of the name brings back good memories. My mom had a credit card there and she was kind enough to hand it over to her four daughters now and then. What an awesome mom! I miss that store so much.