Decades before Starbucks, frozen yogurt and sushi arrived in Inwood, another generation of business owners serviced the district.
The following advertisements, shot from the defunct Heights-Inwood Newspaper, reveal an Inwood with movie theaters, a bowling alley and even a pub serving fifteen cent beers.
If some of these ads stir up old memories I encourage you to leave a comment at the end of this post, so that others may better understand Inwood’s past.
Tony Orlando and Dawn with Rev. Ike, Heights Inwood Newspaper, 1975.Alpine Theater, 208 Dyckman Street, Taxi Driver.A.A. Paddy’s Car Service, 4982 Broadway.Airways Car Rental, 4898 Broadway.Alpine Theater, 208 Dyckman Street.Archie’s Pub, 568 West 207th Street.
B. H. Glass and Shade, 119 Dyckman Street.Barone’s Restaurant, 101 Dyckman Street.Cactus Flower, 178 Dyckman Street.Candy Barrel, 589 West 207th Street.Chow Mon, 177 Dyckman Street.Chow Mon, formerly Hi-Ho restaurant, 177 Dyckman Street.Dyckman School of Languages, 137 Dyckman Street.Esposito’s Discount Liquor Center, 608 West 207th Street.Fabco Shoes, 149 Dyckman Street.Freehill’s Pub, 4770 Broadway.Getty, 242 Dyckman Street.H and M Hardware, 147 Dyckman Street.Hallmark Cards, 590 West 207th Street.Herb’s Deli on 617 West 207th Street.Herb’s Deli, 617 West 207th Street.Inwood Health Center, 4915 Broadway.Inwood Lanes, 651 Academy Street.Inwood Sports Center, 633 West 207th Street.Inwood’s Sports Center, 633 West 207th Street.Isham Park Pharmacy, 4971 Broadway.Jack Gallo, Broadway and 216th Street.Juliet Fashions, 4915 Broadway.K and R Florists, 592 West 207th Street.La Estrella Cafe, 175 Dyckman Street.Mahoney’s, 4947 Broadway.Marina Garage, 270 Dyckman Street.May Bo, 604 thru 606 West 207th Street.Melody Lounge on 4721 Broadway.Melody Lounge, 4271 Broadway.Modern Dyckman Camera, 140 Dyckman Street.O’Connor’s Fairway’s Travel, 585 West 207th Street.Regan’s Restaurant, 219 Dyckman Street.Ring’s, 572 West 207th Street.RKO Coliseum, 181st and Broadway.RonJenn Shoes, 168 Dyckman Street.San Martin Novelties, 4785 Dyckman Street.Stein’s Furniture, 602 West 207th Street.Stop and Shop, 160 Dyckman Street.Unique Shop, 4979 Broadway.Unique Shoppe, 4979 Broadway.Uptown TV, 575 West 207th Street.
Jack Gallo (under the Seaman Arch) did body work on my car. Jan-Scott was where I browsed for cards. I saw many films at the Alpine (Close encounters of the third kind, The front, The wall and lots more. By the seventies the place was on its last legs and I remember the sorry state of the seats as much as I remember seeing the films). I clearly remember Esposito himself from all the hours I perused his wine selections and discussed them with him. Ring’s was my favorite variety store for a long time with plenty of cheapo buys. Most of the rest are memories, too, even if I did not have any direct business in connection with them. Melody Lounge and May-Bo resonate even though I am pretty sure I never patronized either. One business I don’t see is Dyckman Appetizing (maybe Inwood Appetizing or maybe simply Appetizing) that was on Dyckman near Broadway. Great smoked fish deli fare. Also, I don’t remember if it had a name, but there was a chicken store on 207th forever until around the turn of this century that must have put adverts in the local press. The proprietor was extremely extroverted and I learned much about him, his family and the neighborhood from my dealings there.
I am so sorry that I never bowled at Inwood Lanes when I had the opportunity. I think it is now some sort of academy with no link to bowling. A lost chance.
Love all those Polaroids in the Dyckman Camera ad. I wonder if this is the same location as the television repair place that is, incredibly, still in business on Dyckman. There is no way that any place is paying the rent solely from television repair revenue nowadays.
I do not remember an Inwood Health Foods. Was it connected with the Uptown Cheese store that was between 204 and 207 on Broadway for a year or two in the 1980s?
Archies, Chow Mon and even O’Connor’s Fairway Travel were all part of the background when I was first in this neighborhood, even if I never had any reason to deal with them back then.
There is no ad for it pictured here, and it may have been closed by the mid 1970s, but I remember a small men’s clothing store on the north side of Dyckman Street near Post Ave called Jack’s Pants.
Around 1960, when I was 16 years old or so, my father would give me $1.10 and send me around the corner to Esposito’s liquor store on 207th Street to buy him a bottle of sherry. My father and Esposito were friends, although obviously this liquor purchase was a crime. My father then spent the evening guzzling the quart of wine. Oh dear ….
Growing up in Inwood during the 1960s to 70s was pivotal time in all of our lives. I specifically remember going to the candy barrel onto 107th St. as a little boy after leaving PS 98 at 3 o’clock after school and scaring for 20 minutes at all the different candies that were available and couldn’t afford. After a few minutes the grumpy old owner of the store would see my face in every now and then offer a free piece of candy. I love that old guy more than he even knew and wasn’t able to express. His kindness was not lost on me. Today I thought I heard a commercial with a similar story on the radio and immediately remembered the Candy Barrel. The best licorice laces ever! The Alpine theater holds many fond memories for me especially because it was where I got to go see my very first movie with my brother buyer selves. James Bond “Live and let Die”. The Carvel ice cream shop across the street from the Alpine was my favorite. My best friend injured his finger going off Alex at the bowling lanes on Dyckman next to the car garage. But how much fun was that? Johnnys pizza is still there and I visit when I’m back in Inwood religiously. I live in California now but find myself missing home from time to time! Thank you for all the info and returned memories!
Is Johnny’s PIZZARIA on Dyckman between Poast ave. and Nagle ave., but closer to poast ave?
Funny because I just visit them this past weekend and told them (the new guys that work there now) I visit this place everytime I visit NYC. I used eat there when pizza was $.45 cents..hahaha.
The Alpine had a nasty old female usher who wanted the kids to sit in the back in the corner. To ferret us out she would shine her flashlight in our faces. Once we all brought our own flashlights and shined them in her face.
How about par ness food carnival and type craft my parents rented the old r and g store and changed it to rand s ladies specialty shop off vermillion was the for 14 years movedto Fordham road as pandora till2011!
My mother took me to the Alpine to see the 1958 film “Damn Yankees” starring Tab Hunter & Gwen Verdon There is a raunchy song and dance routine entitled “What Lola Wants Lola Gets” performed by Verdon. It can be viewed on GOOGLE My mother was so offended she made us go home.
There is no ad here bui in the old days before email and fax people sent messages by telegram via Western Union, which had thousands of offices across the US where people could go to send a telegram which a Western Uoion messenger would hand deliver to the address of the recipient. One could also wire money via Western Union for pickup in another office. The Western Union office in Inwood was on the west side of Broadway just south of the Capitol Restaurant.
There ia no ad for it but when I was growing up we had a regular barber shop on the west side of Broadway just north of Cumming St . Wjen I was a little boy I enjoyed having my hair cut. It was a traumatic experience for me when my regular barber told me that I was now too old to get a free lollipop.
I see no ads for any of the pizza parlors that were in Inwood in the 1970s. A pizza craze swept the country in the late 1950s , but there was no pizza parlor in Inwood. Maybe because there were so few Italians in Inwood which was heavily Irish and Jewish. To get a slice of pizza it was necessary to go down W.181th St. It was a cause of great jubilation when the first pizza parlor opened in Inwood, in one of the storefronts on the north side of Dyckman St just east of Seaman Ave under the windows of 5 Seaman Ave. The new pizza parlor was next to a pet shop. One evening after closing the pizza oven exploded and asphyxiated the birds in the pet shop
Does any one remember the old cream store and candy store south side of207th street off Sherman ?down from woolworths!please state the name of that store had many an egg cream there as a teen!
I get up in the Lakes of Killarney and McGoldricks bars
I remember Dick Nevins the bartender who I loved/hated because my mom never left after getting the buy backs
He was patient and listened to b.s. all day and night and kept lots of secrets! 😁
I don’t even know where to begin.
Jack Gallo (under the Seaman Arch) did body work on my car. Jan-Scott was where I browsed for cards. I saw many films at the Alpine (Close encounters of the third kind, The front, The wall and lots more. By the seventies the place was on its last legs and I remember the sorry state of the seats as much as I remember seeing the films). I clearly remember Esposito himself from all the hours I perused his wine selections and discussed them with him. Ring’s was my favorite variety store for a long time with plenty of cheapo buys. Most of the rest are memories, too, even if I did not have any direct business in connection with them. Melody Lounge and May-Bo resonate even though I am pretty sure I never patronized either. One business I don’t see is Dyckman Appetizing (maybe Inwood Appetizing or maybe simply Appetizing) that was on Dyckman near Broadway. Great smoked fish deli fare. Also, I don’t remember if it had a name, but there was a chicken store on 207th forever until around the turn of this century that must have put adverts in the local press. The proprietor was extremely extroverted and I learned much about him, his family and the neighborhood from my dealings there.
I am so sorry that I never bowled at Inwood Lanes when I had the opportunity. I think it is now some sort of academy with no link to bowling. A lost chance.
Love all those Polaroids in the Dyckman Camera ad. I wonder if this is the same location as the television repair place that is, incredibly, still in business on Dyckman. There is no way that any place is paying the rent solely from television repair revenue nowadays.
I do not remember an Inwood Health Foods. Was it connected with the Uptown Cheese store that was between 204 and 207 on Broadway for a year or two in the 1980s?
Archies, Chow Mon and even O’Connor’s Fairway Travel were all part of the background when I was first in this neighborhood, even if I never had any reason to deal with them back then.
There is no ad for it pictured here, and it may have been closed by the mid 1970s, but I remember a small men’s clothing store on the north side of Dyckman Street near Post Ave called Jack’s Pants.
Jack’s Pants was located at 119 Dyckman Street
Jack’s Pants was at 119 Dyckman Street
Hey do you remember the ice cream store old fashion on 207 and Sherman next to the bar?
Around 1960, when I was 16 years old or so, my father would give me $1.10 and send me around the corner to Esposito’s liquor store on 207th Street to buy him a bottle of sherry. My father and Esposito were friends, although obviously this liquor purchase was a crime. My father then spent the evening guzzling the quart of wine. Oh dear ….
Growing up in Inwood during the 1960s to 70s was pivotal time in all of our lives. I specifically remember going to the candy barrel onto 107th St. as a little boy after leaving PS 98 at 3 o’clock after school and scaring for 20 minutes at all the different candies that were available and couldn’t afford. After a few minutes the grumpy old owner of the store would see my face in every now and then offer a free piece of candy. I love that old guy more than he even knew and wasn’t able to express. His kindness was not lost on me. Today I thought I heard a commercial with a similar story on the radio and immediately remembered the Candy Barrel. The best licorice laces ever! The Alpine theater holds many fond memories for me especially because it was where I got to go see my very first movie with my brother buyer selves. James Bond “Live and let Die”. The Carvel ice cream shop across the street from the Alpine was my favorite. My best friend injured his finger going off Alex at the bowling lanes on Dyckman next to the car garage. But how much fun was that? Johnnys pizza is still there and I visit when I’m back in Inwood religiously. I live in California now but find myself missing home from time to time! Thank you for all the info and returned memories!
Hector I too loved candy barrel!
Is Johnny’s PIZZARIA on Dyckman between Poast ave. and Nagle ave., but closer to poast ave?
Funny because I just visit them this past weekend and told them (the new guys that work there now) I visit this place everytime I visit NYC. I used eat there when pizza was $.45 cents..hahaha.
The Alpine had a nasty old female usher who wanted the kids to sit in the back in the corner. To ferret us out she would shine her flashlight in our faces. Once we all brought our own flashlights and shined them in her face.
How about par ness food carnival and type craft my parents rented the old r and g store and changed it to rand s ladies specialty shop off vermillion was the for 14 years movedto Fordham road as pandora till2011!
My mother took me to the Alpine to see the 1958 film “Damn Yankees” starring Tab Hunter & Gwen Verdon There is a raunchy song and dance routine entitled “What Lola Wants Lola Gets” performed by Verdon. It can be viewed on GOOGLE My mother was so offended she made us go home.
Tom Bourke
There is no ad here bui in the old days before email and fax people sent messages by telegram via Western Union, which had thousands of offices across the US where people could go to send a telegram which a Western Uoion messenger would hand deliver to the address of the recipient. One could also wire money via Western Union for pickup in another office. The Western Union office in Inwood was on the west side of Broadway just south of the Capitol Restaurant.
There ia no ad for it but when I was growing up we had a regular barber shop on the west side of Broadway just north of Cumming St . Wjen I was a little boy I enjoyed having my hair cut. It was a traumatic experience for me when my regular barber told me that I was now too old to get a free lollipop.
I see no ads for any of the pizza parlors that were in Inwood in the 1970s. A pizza craze swept the country in the late 1950s , but there was no pizza parlor in Inwood. Maybe because there were so few Italians in Inwood which was heavily Irish and Jewish. To get a slice of pizza it was necessary to go down W.181th St. It was a cause of great jubilation when the first pizza parlor opened in Inwood, in one of the storefronts on the north side of Dyckman St just east of Seaman Ave under the windows of 5 Seaman Ave. The new pizza parlor was next to a pet shop. One evening after closing the pizza oven exploded and asphyxiated the birds in the pet shop
The barber was the Profetta Brothers.
Does any one remember the old cream store and candy store south side of207th street off Sherman ?down from woolworths!please state the name of that store had many an egg cream there as a teen!
In the 60s golden rule was a great go to place,
I get up in the Lakes of Killarney and McGoldricks bars
I remember Dick Nevins the bartender who I loved/hated because my mom never left after getting the buy backs
He was patient and listened to b.s. all day and night and kept lots of secrets! 😁