On The Sly

The old Fountain & Lucas store has changed in name only it seems. I was there shortly after it opened as Becky's and the floor is the same the meat counter even the coolers for soda and the freezers for ice cream are in the same spot. I lived on Lafayette Street in the 70's ands enjoyed going to F&L for new comics and penny candy. Congratulations on reopening the store. All that is missing is the meat cutters and typical Boston / New York "whose gonna be on top come September" chatter.

Foxy-In regards to McGaulley's Cocktail Lounge, that was part of the Union Hotel which is now the grass strip at the corner of Division St. and Margaret St. between the 2 banks. I think it was owned by my mom's Uncle Bill McGaulley who was brother to John McGaulley,former mayor of Plattsburgh and owner of Maple Grove Bakery and the Cumberland Hotel which is now the small parking lot on the corner of Court and Margaret St. Amazing isn't it that 2 great properties have been reduced to grass and asphalt. Oh the price of progress!!
bruin

(Foxy's note: Thanks for the memories, Bruin.)

Hi everyone, I remember Larios on the corner of Margaret & Clinton St. where Pizza Bono is; Angelo's Bakery where Carburs was; The Crystal on Oak St. where the Adirondack Soup Kitchen is and last Goff's Bakery on Clinton St. a couple of doors from the Clinton Diner--going to St. John's had its advantages--lunch downstreet--have a great day--JUDY

Yes, I remember Furman's. Harry was the owner and I worked with his wife Dot at F.W. Myers & Co. in Champlain around 1975.

I remember all the businesses in the first list, but none in the second. Poor city planning has killed many a downtown, others continue to thrive like Kingston Ontario, Burlington Vermont and Saratoga Springs New York. Our downtown here in Ottawa has also suffered. what has replaced downtown merchants is the Rideau Centre, a mall of about 125 stores. It's an ugly scene repeated far too often in Canada and the USA. Merkels, Jerry Donnelly, National Army Stores had character and were the sole of a thriving downtown. A Walmart Supercenter kills local businesses.

(Foxy's note: Great commentary, Norm. Great reference to the business Jerry Donnelly. His son Mark lives in Plattsburgh and is the best athletic trainer north of Albany, maybe the best in New York State! Mark also looks great in a suit!)

Foxy, for us who were raised up north in Rouses Point, we had many a place that are gone but not forgotten. Armond's Place Hotel, Chicken Coop, Park Restaurant, Bertha's Horseshoe Bar, Anctil's Grocery, Moquin's Clothing Store, Grace Laundries Liquor Store, Eldridge Pharmacy, W.W. Gettys Hardware, Pearl's Department Store, Ben Franklin's, Taylor's Bowling Alley to name a few.

By the way HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! Blame it on Charlie Stone who said you were a student teacher for him "a long, long time ago"

(Foxy's note: Thanks for the wishes, Ross! Yes, I learned a lot from Charlie Stone and my other cooperating teacher in the spring of 1970, Charlie Niles. As for Rouses Point, do you remember Furman's on Lake Street? My grandmother worked there.)

Johnnies store 1 broad st, thats where the first michigan hot dog was started. back when pal blade was around the corner.

I remember Candyland, at least by name. My mother (Virginia O'Connor) worked at Montgomery Wards in the '50s to early '60s and she would occasionally eat at Candyland (when not at Kresgee's lunch counter). I remember her mentioning it many times when I was a child, but I don't specifically remember ever going there myself.
Baughn & Defore Service Station at Margaret & Cornelia Streets was owned in part by my cousin's husband, Buck Defore, who later owned & operated the Union Hotel.
Buck's wife was the former Isabelle Savage. Her brother, Donald Savage, was the mechanic at Buck's service station.
Buck & Isabelle lived on the east end of West Court St. and Isabelle's mother, Margaret Carver Savage Ariel (my great-aunt) lived next door at 41 Draper Avenue. Don & Eileen Savage also lived on Draper, on the other side of Broad St., if I remember correctly. In fact, Eileen Savage was a hairdresser with a shop at Broad & Draper, maybe? I don't remember the name of it though.
Thanks for another walk down memory lane!

(Foxy's note: Thanks, Dianne, for sharing!)

I used to go downtown to meet my Grandmother when she was president of A.H. Marshall Co. on Margaret St. & the big treat was walking down to Candyland for lunch. Candyland was right across from the T intersection of Margaret & Brinkerhoff - I think it's a chinese restaurant now. John Betts, who is a chef now some place in the South, got his start as a short order cook there. Ginsberg Furniture moved into the A.H. Marshall building after my Grandmother liquidated the business - her Dad started the wholesale/retail hardware business long ago - next to the First National Bank, which was on the corner of Bridge & Margaret & now has a pizza place there. Scotty Woolman's Dad was the manager of Ginsberg's. My Great Grandfather's house is now the Marshall House, a bed& breakfast @ 115 Court St. I used to shovel the snow in front of Gero's Tavern on Miller St. for a quarter but I think it had a different name then. There are some family photos in my Dad's house that were taken @ the Savage Studio.

(Foxy's note: Great stuff here, Miney! Thanks.)

I know of the Wallace Hill Dairy. When we moved to the Wallace Hill area in 1957 the dairy and farm stood at the corner of the Durand Road and what was then the Wallace Hill Road. I don't remember if the dairy was still operating then or not. I do remember seeing the "Wallace Hill Dairy" sign on the side of one of the buildings. The farm still stands there as of 10 days ago.

Speaking of old businesses If anyone is interested the old Fountain and Lucas grocery has been reopened. I stopped in Monday and the old place looks great. The new owners seem like real nice folks. Support your neighborhood grocery.

(Foxy's note: Good one, LaPoint! I was there on Sunday, their opening day, along with Gary Lucas and Les Lucas, for a "Fox on the Run" interview. Watch for this show on your cable public-access channel.)