On The Sly

This is my first time visiting your blog and i must say i like it alot.
Your post was an interesting read.
I will surely come back here more often!



hooka

Okay, you were right! They do take approx. 20 mins to dissolve. I should have never doubted you....

Foxy, I remember going to Wynn's grocery store on the corner of Battery and S Catherine street to get candy on my lunch from the old High School. I could get 5 candy bars or gum for a quarter. My favorite gum was Black Jack and Teaberry which I haven't seen in a long time. Also I was wondering if anyone remembers the candy counter at Fischman's where you could get coconut covered marshmallows individually wrapped? They also had caramel coated marshmallows which were my favorites, but whenever I mention them people look at me like I am crazy they all remember the coconut ones though. I also remember the old Whoopie pie cakes that Bouyea's Bakery use to sell. I lived acoss from the bakery so we use to get them as they were loaded on the truck, can't find them that big any more. Thanks for the walk down memory lane, it has been way too long for some of us.

Hi Foxy
When I was a youngster many moons ago, I remember the fake cigarettes we would buy at Henry's store at the intersection of Riley Ave./Weed St/Margaret St. I would go by my grandmother's house, stand outside her window on a winter day and pretend I was smoking. The air was so cold that it did look like you were blowing smoke. My grandmother would run out of the house to tell me to stop smoking and of course I would always end up laughing and run off knowing I had played a joke on her.

(Foxy's note: Good one, June. Thanks for sharing!)

fox, not sure you have enough fireballs to fill Gus up. how big is that pocket?

(Foxy's note: Just one per customer, Cricket! Welcome back to the blog!)

Hello Foxy, If you want to save on shipping, You can get big jars of the fireballs at Sam's Club. I am a former student of yours and think it's neat reading your blog.

(Foxy's note: Welcome to the blog, Don ... and Johnson Avenue boys are especially welcome!)

When I was about 7 years old, growing up in Willsboro, I took ballet & tap lessons
(maybe the Grange Hall?) next to a little store that had loads of penny candy. Inez Neal was the elderly woman who operated it. All of the children that took dance lessons would go to her store for candy. I used to call her "the good lady" because she had a knack for making each child feel special. While she was helping you fill your bag with candy, she would throw in a few extra of the ones she knew were your favorites. Then she would put her finger to her lips and whisper "sshhh. This is just for you. Don't let the others know." It was a wonderful secret! She was doing it for each & every one of us, but managed to make us all feel special. What a generous, kind woman. She certainly made an impact on me considering that nearly 50 years later I still remember it vividly.
On another note, Fountain & Lucas used to deliver groceries to my great-aunt Margaret's house. When I would be visiting her she would always have them bring some special treat for me along with her regular order. What memories!

(Foxy's note: Dianne, thanks for sharing. I hope some of Ms. Neal's relatives somehow get to read this!)

Hi Foxy... Not sure if it is still there, but I remember making the trek to Lester's Market as a young lad with a couple of my sisters to load up on all the penny candy our change could buy...and that was a lot.

(Foxy's note: Sadly, there is no more Lester's Market. That closed several years ago. The building still stands, but I am not sure what business is there.)

Hi Foxy; George & Mabel Rock, owned Rocks Grocery Store located on the corner of Cornelia St and South Catherine St. Across from St Peter's Church. They had a large selection of penny candy. My favorite (shot size) cup of Boston Beans for 1 cent!I also like Mission Orange Soda for a nickel! I don't eat Boston Beans anymore, but I do use the shot glass often!!! Lenny

Just to let everyone know, there is a new candy store on Clinton st in downtown Plattsburgh. We carry some of the old time favorites and we can order just about anything you want. We have fireballs, candy buttons, pop rocks, rock candy, airheads, pixy stix, jaw breakers, red hots, gummy bears, sour patch kids... the list goes on and on. Come try some of your favorite candies. A Different Blend, coffee shop, candy store, milkshake shop. 19 Clinton St next to Peabody's.

(Foxy's note: Thanks for the heads up, Joe. I will stop in tomorrow morning!)

I think you'll agree: Carr and Vin order up !!! we all gotta have some of that ... we'll all chip in.. (eventually)..
charge it to "zonebreaker's" account and we'll settle up with him later, just ask "Bullet" for the address??

A couple of years ago I found a web-site that had old time candy. I ordered and this is what I got.
"Flying saucers," candy buttons, Atomic Fireballs, Boston baked beans, Bottlecaps, candy cigarettes, candy lipstick, candy necklace, gold mine gum, Good N Plenty, Bit-O-Honey, hot dog bubble gum, Jawbreakers, Lemonheads, Clark bar, Necco Wafers, Nik-L-Nip wax bottles, Pez, Fun Dip (also called Lik-M-Aid), Pixy Stix, Red Hots, Razzles, Ring Pop, Slo-Poke, Smarties, Sugar Daddy sucker, Sweetarts, Tootsie Roll, Twizzler licorice and wax lips.
It was only one of many different boxes of candy they had. The web address is:www.nostalgiccandy.com

I am sure not everyone had to do this, but I also remember the fun we had collecting bottles to purchase all of those devil-may-care treats.

(Foxy's note: Excellent point. Was there ever a time when bottles were returned but cans weren't? Seems like I took my wagon one day and collected a full box of worthless cans from Underwood Avenue and Main Mill Street. My Dad was so mad!)

Next time I see you we can make a trade. 2 of my Ferrara Pan LemonHeads for 2 of your Atomic Fire Balls. The LemonHeads come in 2 sizes and give you a real sour taste at the beginning and a sweet taste at the end...hmmmm good

(Foxy's note: Don't those LemonHeads have a sort of rough outside? I think they give me the willies and make the hair on my arms stand on end! No deal! Sorry, Rick K!)

Foxy:

Just the other day Mrs. Scully received a catalog from The Vermont Country Store and they're selling many of the candy we grew up with. You can order Mallo cups, Boyer's Smoothies, Red Hot Dollars, candy dots on paper, waxed lips. etc. The Mrs. and I recalled how we used to save all the cardboard points from Mallo cups and it was a big thrill when you scored a 25 or 50 pointer.

(Foxy's note: I'll betcha some of us might want to order some of those treats. Save that catalog, Vin!)

I can’t believe no one had mentioned the most popular penny candy of all time…the Kits taffy. That was a guaranteed trip to the dentist. It was the best deal going at 4 for a penny! I loved the B-B-Bats and Laffy Taffy. My family would go to Maine every summer and go to the York Beach Salt Water Taffy Shoppe. They had a penny candy section that was huge. I guess I was a sucker for the filling-yanking taffies. The most awesome candy bar was the Skybar that had 4 different types of fillings!

Like Chris, I grew up in the central part of the ‘Burgh and was able to be at any of the mom-n-pop groceries within minutes via my handy-dandy, banana-seated, baseball card killing, 5-speed bike. M&C, Fountain & Lucus, St. Dennis’, and those stores on Brinkerhoff and Williams St.; all those stores had the most immense selections of penny and nickel candy any kid could ever imagine.

Did you know that baseball cards are now between $3 and $5 a pack! And they don’t even have gum!

(Foxy's note: Thanks for the great memories, Kern. Yah, those 4-in-1 Kits were great!)

A GREAT CANDY STORE WAS MOSE LUCIA'S ON MONTCALM AVE. THE GOOD PART IF YOU WHERE RIDING A HORSE YOU TIE IT UP TO THE HITCHING POST IN FRONT.

Hey 'O', no there aren't any more Mallo Cups because I ate them all - got'em from Hobbie's right across the street (thx Jim). But the blind man's store across from the Altamont had great candy too. My pick for the best candy selection in town (besides Lavin's warehouse) was the Altamont on Margaret St. I was addicted to candy as a kid - Bonono's taffy, Mallo Cups, wax lips and those little drinky bottle things, dots on paper, jujubes, Bazooka, Double Bubble, hot dollars, Hersheys, wow. Hey, I was @ Juan's this past weekend and guess what he pulled out of his cupboard? Atomic Fireballs. I couldn't believe it. Patty said Juan what are you doing with that sugar? My grandma told me it was best to suck on a piece of hard candy after a meal, it helps digestion & grandma would never tell me something wrong. Oh, ok ... yeah right, sugar addict. I think no one remembered to name Murray's Market on Montcalm. Yelle's (across from Bailey Ave Park) had great candy but if you weren't quick enough old man Yelle would yell @ you - then Mrs Yelle would send him back into the house, ha ha. No one mentioned their Grandmother's house - actually, that was a great source of candy for me, she brought home Russell Stover by the box, chocolates & ribbon candy, from A.H. Marshall, which she ran - her Dad started it over a century ago.

Foxy,
I can remember many a Saturday spent at Fountain and Lucas or M&C Market, both on Montcalm, deciding what penny candy would last the longest. Tootsie rolls were my favorite. I too, remember destroying baseball cards on the wheels of my bike. Can't imagine the 100's of dollars me and a few friends ruined over the years.

As a kid, Richard's Store on Johnson Avenue (just down the street from your house) had the best penny candy. We would spend 15 minutes looking through the glass showcase window picking out a nickel's worth of penny candy. They had fireballs, string licorice, those little "pill" candies stuck on strips of paper, tiny wax bottles filled with sweet liquid, and of course the Bazooka bubble gum wrapped in the comic strip....or we would buy a popsicle with the two sticks and break it in half to share with a friend. Don't forget the bubble gum shaped cigars and cigarettes or the Mallo cups with the cardboard coupon inside. Does anybody still sell Mallo cups?

fox just so happens I ran into John at the girl's hoop game tonight and he was kind enough to share one of those fire balls you mentioned ...they are hotter than I remember!

...in my day Carmen's was my spot to shop on the south side and Yelle's on Bailey ave (the otherside of town) seemed to have the best candy selection, fireballs, waxed tubes with the juice in them and those stips of paper with little dots of candy on them were popular.

I too blew threw thousands of dollars of baseball cards on the spokes of my bike... could never bear to start collecting them again when it became popular, couldn't bear the pain of knowing all I'd hacked up all those rookie cards from the early sixties!

speaking of red hot fireballs.. your 2 saratoga ct. queens BOTH posted double digit nights, in tonight's game combining for 26 big ones!!! Must be all those shooting tips you're sharing with them out on the court !

Speaking of wax candy, how about those Halloween wax whistles or the small liquid wax bottles?

Foxy: When I think back to the many baseball cards that I attached to the front wheel of my bike, it makes me sick. But, I had fun doing it at the time. I'm sure many of your older bloggers would agree with me on this. Topps cards were a way of life for a young boy. If only I still had them. Oh well!

That struck a nerve here also about the bike and baseball cards! I bet I ruined several good rookies just to have my bike sound like a motorcycle.

My early childhood took place in Savannnah, GA and I remember getting those fireballs (1 cent each) along with a moon pie (5 cents) and RC cola (10 cents) and baseball cards with bubble gum. You could make a quarter go along way in the early 50's!

Paul

Foxy: I believe that you should save one of those "red hot jawbreakers" for "The Bullet." It appears that he is having a very difficult time with the name "Zonebreaker" and I am afraid he might be losing sleep over this. What confuses me is that he was one of the area's best high school basketball coaches and he is only thinking that left-handers could break a zone (What would Billy Flynn think of that concept?) Foxy, do you remember taking a couple of you mom's clothes pins and clip a baseball card onto the spokes of your bike and head off down the street, what a sound!!!

(Foxy's note: Ouch! You really know how to hurt a guy with that comment about baseball cards on my bicycle spokes. I ruined some cards that would be worth $500 each today.)

Hey Fox, as a kid growing up, the best penny candy was at Millie's, across from the Pine Street bridge/police station. You could get fireballs, jawbreakers, swedish fish, tootsie rolls, the list goes on. Next time I see ya at a Hornets basketball game, I will ask ya for a fireball, Gus

(Foxy's note: I've got one with your name on it, Gus! Think you can handle it?)