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News
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Changing Westport: A 21-Year-Old’s Perspective
Tom Haberstroh is a 21-year-old college student from Westport who recently mused about his changing hometown in his blog, Tom’s Bombs of Thought. He listed 50 Westport stores that he remembers having changed since 1990.
“Everyday I feel like I remember on old store in Westport that is no longer,” Haberstroh wrote.
Here are his entries on his “Westport’s Used-To-Be’s (and Now is’) Circa 1990 A.D. List”
1. Herman’s. (Trader Joe’s)
2. Shawmut Bank. (Wachovia Bank)
3. Bank of Darien. (Lafayette-American Bank to Hudson United Bank and now, TD Banknorth)
4. Westport Bank & Trust (Patagonia)
5. Fuddruckers (Post Corner Pizza to ??)
6. Onion Alley (Bobby Q’s)
7. Speedy Pizza (San Remo Pizza)
8. Dairy Queen (Swanky Franks)
9. KidWear (Smith and Hawken)
10. Arcudi’s Pizza (Chef’s Table)
11. Downtown Movie Theatre (Restoration Hardware/Inferno to Matsu Sushi)
12. Ship’s Corner (Lynne Scalo)
13. Eddie Bauer (Tiffany’s)
14. Athlete’s Foot (Sunglass Hut)
15. Arnie’s (Anthropologie)
16. Hay Day (Balducci’s)
17. Waldbaum’s (Barne’s and Noble’s)
18. Grand Union (Shaw’s)
19. IHOP (Westport Pancake House)
20. Trail Blazers (Maggie Moo’s)
21. 3D Linen’s (NYSC)
22. Sam Goody’s (SomeBank)
23. DeRosa’s (Poggen Pohl)
24. Genovese Pharmacy(?)
25. Ames (Stop and Shop)
26. Positano (Tengda)
27. Toyota-Mazda Dealer (Toyota-Scion Dealer)
28. Post Cinema (Zany Brainy to now, Pompanoosuc Mills)
29. Taco Loco (Border Grill)
30. Haagan Dazs (An Indian Restaurant to Finalmente Trattoria
31. Chroma (??Beautiful Faces??)
32. La Villa (Bank then La Villa again)
33. The Remarkable Book Store (Talbot’s)
34. Britches (Ann Taylor)
35. Klein’s (Banana Republic)
36. Silver Ribbon (Nine West)
37. Westport Public Library (Domain, Starbucks, HSBC, Guess)
38. Manero’s (John Harvard’s to Conte’s)
39. Party Barn
40. Wild Oat’s (Food Emporium)
41. Food for Thought (FedEx Kinkos)
42. BBQ’s Galore (Panera Bread)
43. Talbot’s (Talbot’s Men’s)
44. Westport Big and Tall
45. State Police Barracks (Walgreen’s)
46. Mazda Dealer (Lexus of Westport)
47. I Can’t Believe it’s Not Yogurt (Etoile to Sole Etoile)
48. Speedo (Zest) 49. The Arrow (Jasmine’s Restaurant)
50. AlphaGraphics (Pierre Deux)
Haberstroh ended his list this way: “My mom and I hit 50 so we’re done for now… more to come if we think of them. Feel free to add to it, but I’ll only post it if I remember it. No arguments.”
Comments: Comment Policy
Take it back a few years and add some help me Dan Woog
1. Herman’s. (Trader Joe’s) FINAST food store
2. Shawmut Bank. (Wachovia Bank) Sunoco Station
3. Bank of Darien. (Lafayette-American Bank to Hudson United Bank and now, TD Banknorth) Westport Bank and Trust
4. Westport Bank & Trust (Patagonia) Westport Bank and Trust
5. Fuddruckers (Post Corner Pizza to ??) Chineese Resturant where the shooting happened
6. Onion Alley (Bobby Q’s) Jewelry Store
7. Speedy Pizza (San Remo Pizza) Mens Clothing Store
8. Dairy Queen (Swanky Franks) DQ brazaier (horse?) Burgers
9. KidWear (Smith and Hawken) old house
10. Arcudi’s Pizza (Chef’s Table) carvel parking
11. Downtown Movie Theatre (Restoration Hardware/Inferno to Matsu Sushi) Fine Arts 1 then Fine Arts 1and 2
12. Ship’s Corner (Lynne Scalo) Apartments and Music lessons
13. Eddie Bauer (Tiffany’s) The Ships and before a Bar
14. Athlete’s Foot (Sunglass Hut)
15. Arnie’s (Anthropologie) Torrino Ford
16. Hay Day (Balducci’s) Ford Lot
17. Waldbaum’s (Barne’s and Noble’s) The Carnival lot
18. Grand Union (Shaw’s) Houses
19. IHOP (Westport Pancake House)
20. Trail Blazers (Maggie Moo’s)
21. 3D Linen’s (NYSC) Food Fair
22. Sam Goody’s (SomeBank)
23. DeRosa’s (Poggen Pohl) Fire House
24. Genovese Pharmacy(?)
25. Ames (Stop and Shop) Barkers
26. Positano (Tengda)
27. Toyota-Mazda Dealer (Toyota-Scion Dealer)
28. Post Cinema (Zany Brainy to now, Pompanoosuc Mills) The Carnival Lot
29. Taco Loco (Border Grill) A repair garage
30. Haagan Dazs (An Indian Restaurant to Finalmente Trattoria
31. Chroma (??Beautiful Faces??) Mobil Gas Sta
32. La Villa (Bank then La Villa again)
33. The Remarkable Book Store (Talbot’s)
34. Britches (Ann Taylor)
35. Klein’s (Banana Republic) Townly Restaurant
36. Silver Ribbon (Nine West) Crest Drive Inn
37. Westport Public Library (Domain, Starbucks, HSBC, Guess)
38. Manero’s (John Harvard’s to Conte’s)
39. Party Barn Café Barna
40. Wild Oat’s (Food Emporium)
41. Food for Thought (FedEx Kinkos)
42. BBQ’s Galore (Panera Bread)
43. Talbot’s (Talbot’s Men’s) Shell Gas Sta
44. Westport Big and Tall
45. State Police Barracks (Walgreen’s) Troop G
46. Mazda Dealer (Lexus of Westport) Rippe Farms
47. I Can’t Believe it’s Not Yogurt (Etoile to Sole Etoile)
48. Speedo (Zest) 49. The Arrow (Jasmine’s Restaurant) Nistico’s Arrow
50. AlphaGraphics (Pierre Deux) Crest Drive Inn and Old Victorian Apartments
The Penguin now Condos
The Grayhound Station Peper mill now ??
Pharmacies all sold Liquor and one was always open Dorains, Compo, Compo Acres
Arts Deli now Antique Rugs
Goodwill Downtown ??
Chubby Lanes now Beach Volleyball
ahh, another “old time Westporter” (that claim usually seems to be made by anyone who has lived here for over 5 years, although this author does have 17 years of reference) bemoaning the “big change” from the Westport they recall from years ago.
Stores come and go, that’s a constant; the real change is the character of the stores (migration from locally-owned to chains, hours of operation and type of use) and most importantly the loss of some “critical elements of a vibrant town center” such as the movie theaters pulling out from downtown (in retrospect that led to a loss of all evening nightlife downtown) - we used to have three “Fine Arts” theater locations downtown with four screens (thus Fine Arts I, II, III and IV) - let’s not forget Fine Arts IV in the 180 Post Road E building that is also home to Baskin Robbins (the theater used to be where the bridal shop is now located, I think). Perhaps the first major shift in the character of Westport’s downtown was when the Gristedes market that occupied a good swath of the western side of upper Main Street left - imagine that, a food market right on Main Street! And not one, but two “old style” hardware stores right on Main Street where they had everything. The loss of most of the downtown restaurants (perhaps related to the loss of the movie theaters) was also a major change in the character of downtown and its “hours of operation.” Ships, Soups On, Pancho Villa’s, The Bridge Grill, Grass Roots, etc. - I don’t think the author’s time in Westport reaches back far enough to recall these bastions of downtown life.
Sadly, the loss of the YMCA from downtown (which would seem to be a certainty since the Y has already sold their downtown building without having a new location, to bolster their case for approval of Mahackeno) will almost certainly be one of those things, perhaps in retrospect, that “old time Westporters” will also point to as having really changed the character of downtown.
We moved here in 1980, so I’m new to the scene, but 2 buildings stick in my mind as having been in a series of ventures. They are the 2 story stone building in Saugatuck across from Derosa’s and the building behind the Y where the Mexican restaurant/furniture store is. I used to have a business that inspected properties for prospective buyers and I had the chance to look at the building behind the Y. In the attic were a series of at least 20 old menus going back into the 1940’s. Time has taught me to keep one eye looking forward and one backward, as a concequence; I run into things on a regular basis.
Jack,
I apologize if you think that I am “bemoaning” the store changes in Westport. No where in my post did I refer to Westport’s evolution in a negative light. I do not claim to be an “old time Westporter” and do not know why you chose to label me as such. I’m just a college student who grew up here since preschool. I hope that is enough to reflect on the town’s growth.
I’m sure those who do know me would say I’m as proud of this town as any.
Aside from losing the movie theater (which we desperately need back) - didn’t we also used to have a pet store - Fur, Fin & Feather if I remember correctly?
That may be before Tom’s time - excellent list though.
Tom - I certainly didn’t mean to cast you in a negative light or disparage you - in fact, if anyone is doing any “bemoaning” about the changes in Westport’s commercial areas you would have found plenty of it in my post above. I used your fine article to focus on what’s really changed, not just the name of the establishment but the character of the business and its impact of that change on the character of the town’s center. And I too am very proud of the town I grew up in, and remain so. Happy to call you a fellow “townie”!
Jack, What a fun idea. Soon it will be complete with pictures of what was then and what it is now and I will be sure to participate in your blog (my first). So many times growing up my brother and sister and I would be treated to dinner at Beefsteak Charlies ("All the wine and beer you can drink") next door which is now, I believe, it’s third Thai restaurant in as many years with some martial arts school in the back. After dinner we’d be allowed to cross the Post Road and play with the puppies at the pet store accross the street which is now the Tiger Bowl. My current favorite transformation happens to be the old Wicker Factory located at 1835 Post Road East on the corner of Bulkley. It’s now a complex of higher end businesses of Walpole Woodworkers, Fjord Fisheries, Huntington Learning Center, and, of course, Re/Max Heritage.....Anyone need a house?
Design Research followed by Fine Arts IV and now La Villa
The Selective Eye now Katzenberg Kafe (how could Woog forget that one?)
harvest commons was formerly rippe’s farm/market
regents park was formerly the driving range/miniaturegolf run by the backiels
landsowne was formerly home to the other driving range in town
mitchell’s used to be the site of the fore &aft;and before that cafe barna
how could i forget town hall used to be bedford elementary
Here’s some more:
1. Mr. Sandwich (next to Baskin Robbins)
2. Gas station across from Baskin Robbins(Haggen Dazs, now italian restaurant)
3. Pickle Barrel (Blue Lemon)
4. Carousel Toy Store (Camera Arts, now?)
5. Paint Bucket/Brandman’s Paint (HB Home and whatever is next to it)
6. Sport Mart in what was called Sherwood Square, now Sconset Square (Shoe Repair, now a Kitchen store?)
7. Miss Plum’s Particular’s (Pet salon, next to the old Red Cross)
8. Marvel’s Bakery (Dovecote?)
9. Shaefer’s Sporting Goods (Fig)
10. Mr. Frank’s Hair Salon (Lucy’s)
11. Thompson’s Drug Store (Ships,Tiffany’s)
12. World of Wieners (I swear) (Where CG body shop or Etoile is---the original building (Slaone’s???) burned down)
13. Carmen’s Smoke/Candy Shop (same block)
14. Taylor’s Florist (corner of Taylor place, now Jacadi)
15. Christian Science Reading Room (across from the Post Office)
16. Westport Frame Shop (Knoyzz)
17. Tack Room (Fabulous Finds)
18. S&M;Pizza (Joe’s Pizza)
19. B&G;Army Navy (empty, next to Joe’s, Beautiful Faces)
20. The Music Room (was also Come out and Clay, and a Bread Bakery, now DSenses)
21. Platypus (Ann Taylor Loft)
22. The Ice Cream Parlor (Prudential Realty)
23. Welch’s Hardware (Ann Taylor loft)
24. Charles Food Market (Susan Terry, Party Barn,Gap Kids?)
25. Gristede’s Food market (Pottery Barn?)
26. Aspasia Jewelry store (Clare’s)
27. Pancho Villa’s (Aqua)
28. Rachna of India (Banana Republic in the 80’s, now BCBG)
29. Country Gal (Now a maternity store?)
29. World Of Cheese(Shoe Inn?)
30. Letitia Lewis (Athlete’s Foot, Sunglass Hut)
31. Laura Ashley (J. McLaughlin)
32. Kreeger & Son (J. McLaughlin)
33. The Record Hunter (Talbot’s)
34. Westport Hardware (Coach, JCrew)
35. Barney’s (Pottery Barn)
36. Functional Clothing (down below Swezey’s, now Life Is Good)
37. Swezey’s Jewelery (Life is Good)
38. Soup’s On (was Clementine, now empty?)
39. Bill’s Smoke Shop (Williams Sonoma)
40. Chez Pierre(Tavern on Main)
41. Gristede’s (then Cafe Christada, then EAR Music, now Eileen Fisher)
42. Dress Box (Chase Bank on the corner)
43. The Bridge Grill (part of the bankacross the bridge)
44. Fairfield Furniture (Bank, used to be the restaurant that went with the Hotel!?)
45. Premier Market (Antique store on the corner of Post Road and Wilton Road)
46. The Thrift Shop (Age of Reason)
47. Goodwill (River Cafe? Restaurant that is near Age of Reason)
48. Art’s Deli (Tibetan rug store)
49. Corner Spirit Shop (now the Needlepoint store)
50. Pearl’s (DaPietro’s)
51. The Tackle Shop (now Antique store near DaPietro’s)
52. Bon Appetit Restaurant (on Riverside, near the Westport Arts Center)
53. Tony’s Gulf (Riverside Shavell realty)
54 Stew Leonard’s milk machine! (in parking lot at the corner of Treadwell Ave)
55. Arrow Restaurant (first at Saugatuck Avenue and Franklin, then at Charles St., now Jasmine)
56. Gas Station (now Abbondonza)
57. Texaco (now a bank, triangle at Post Road and Kings Highway)
58. Double L Farm Stand (at the bottom of hill at Kings Highway and Post Road)
59. West Bank Food (Black Bear Liquoors)
60. Connolly’s (empty? Next to Nail salon near Black Bear)
61. Daitch Shopwell (Wild Oats)
62, Ed Mitchell’s used to be where People’s Bank is, also where Seychelles clothing store is now.
63. Trudy Gary (Gap?)
64. Lennette’s (Maggie Moo’s?)
65. Shoe store on Main Street (Gap area) that had a mini-carousel in it that you could play on
66. Paul Zabin’s (now antique store across from the Congregational church)
67. Greenberg’s clothing (Gap Kids) Ceiling collapsed in the blizzard of 1969 (?) and they never opened up again.
68. Mobil Station on Main Street (then the Limited, now Talbot’s Men)
Aqua and Panco Villa’s was originally Rosebud’s.
Then there was “Mark’s Place” where the owner got all the teens to rebuild and renovate it, then he immediately made it a bar, where all the teens that helped were no longer allowed (there’s an MBA at work). :^)
Vitam Drug rehab was above Tiffany’s, the former Ship’s. Across the street was a little diner (dark red in color?), that was lost to fire.
My folks bought me Keds at Greenberg’s now The Gap.
My folks also brought the family to The Normandy at the southeast corner of Turkey Hills N/S and the post Road, where Betoveens was and is now an excerise place.
Chubby Lanes was next ot the Westport Inn. It became a seafood place at one point before the pediatrics shop was built.
At the corner of King’s Highway North and the post Road was a lawn mower repair shop (north side, I think my dad visited there every spring).
Didn’t Selectman Joseloff own the property of all the Fine Arts Movie Theaters? I seem to remember the answer was economics. How short sighted. I remember seeing Speilberg’s “Schindler’s List” at Fine Arts 3. What irony for the next business restaurant to be called “Inferno” (now Matsu Sushi).
There was the diner next to where the Silver Ribbon first started.
I need to clear one up:
46. Mazda Dealer (Lexus of Westport)
777 Post Rd. East was a “Pontiac Mazda” dealership in the eighties. It became “Toyota-Mazda of Westport,” and now “Toyota of Westport.” The Lexus dealer was “Flagg Motors,” which became “Crabtree-Haas Toyota.” Crabtree Sr. bought out Fred Haas (Texas dealer) out of the Westport store and “Colonial Toyota” in the late eighties. The Lexus store was built in 1991. Crabtree pulled strings with Bob McCurry (then head of Toyota Motor Sales) to have the service department separate from sales (rare then and rare now).
And “Arnie’s Place” was a Ford (and Chevy?) dealer. “Arnie’s” you youngins’ ask? It is now “Hay Day,” wait, “Sutton Place,” oh, yes, “Balducci’s” (at least until tomorrow).
But wait, there’s more!
The French restaurant that is now Goodwill (Chateau somthing??). And across the street from the Lexus dealer next to the Honda store (that recently sold to the Dan perkins group) was an Italian restaurant, Rocco’s (?).
and of course
the amazing Cafe de la Plage is now Positrano’s
Positano’s. A big improvement over the Beach House which was there in between the Cafe and Positano’s.
How about the bowling alley and Club 300 bar (now V restaurant, and Pier One!)
BIG TOP restaurant (now McDonald’s)
Pottery Corner (where Wish List, Earth Animal, etc is.....)
Wasn’t there an A&P;near the present Fire station?
Food Fair near Golds (where the health club is)
Brooks Hirsch (ladies clothes, where Olympia Sports is)
PAL JOEY’s luncheonette (now the sports collectible store near CVS)
McCLELLAN’s ("Ten cent store") Now CVS
Player’s Tavern next to the Playhouse now the Dressing Room. A lot of great music was played there. Restaurants in between:
Sole E Luna and ???
Oh… Tom H… it was Tacos or What? (not Taco Loco) before The Border Grill (And it is probably the most missed on all these lists.)
Very true. Also, I’m too young for this but my brother mentioned Crazy Vinny’s (Starbucks)...?
My stag party was there. =8^O
Too bad it isn’t there anymore. An institution. ;^)
Ahh the night life
Jim Morrison being arrested a Longshore with mr Mojo
The shipwreck cafe Now Ed Mitchells
Ann Surbaban now the Brook
The Westporter Diner (my dad and granddad toasting my great great dads ashes at the bar and forgetting them)
The Penguin (oh the rumors)
The Byrds at Staples
Joe Cocker and the Mad Dogs at Players
The Winters Bros at Players
Free Beer after The Great Race at Longshore then up in Weston the next year
Buddy Miles Experience sponsored by my church youth group (our priest trying to revive Buddy between shows)
GOOD GOD WHAT A GREAT TOWN !
And don’t forget.....
the Clam Box
Allen’s Clam House
Friendly’s (now DermaClinic)
A mexican place that was in the former car wash, near the Crest Drive Inn!
Starbucks was Crazy Vins.
Wouldn’t it be easier to point out the places that haven’t changed?
Max’s
Oscar’s
The liquor store on Main st.
The Cedarbrook
Boccafusco Garage
Carvel
Acorn Pharmacy
Only small towns can escape change. Southport is almost the same town I remember as a child, which made it possible to shoot a fifties era movie there last week.
How about the family eateries: Glynns at the corner of Myrtle & Post & Masters over near Toys-R-Us? And Roy Rogers where McDonalds now stands. Any others?
As far as I am concerned, the location where Masters Cafe was located is properly known as the “place where the Pumperknickel Pub used to be”; Masters was susbequent occupier of the space made famous by the PP and its “nickel night” on Monday nights (buy one drink, the second one is a nickel).
As for Roy Rodgers now McDonalds, you might take notice of the odd “Big Top” reference here and there - that corner, before McD’s, before Roy’s, before whatever was there before Roy’s, was the location of the “Big Top Shoppe” - great burgers and dogs, fried whole clams too - a great local “joint” and speaking of joints, the absolute highest concentration of stoner fry cooks ever.
But no talk of the best burgers in Westport would be complete without mention of Charpentiers, now long gone, located behind where the Taco Loco place is-was.
My buddy says it was Philippe’s Le Chateau; they had that phenomenal Grand Marneir Souflee. I didn’t even think La Caravelle was as fine. Also, Axelrod’s Emporium - later the Spyglass - was the best for piano player and Sunday brunch.
how about Porky Manero’s .....it turned into Club 540 and now it’s Conte’s
Tony’s Gulf was on the site now occupied by the Riverside Shavell Real estate offices
there was a hardware store in Bridge Square ...called Jerry’s Hardware
beofre it was Premier Market it was called Mayfair Market and across the street the Tackle Shop was in 2 different locations ....now they sell antique furniture there
most importantly though was the greatest deli in westport history run by Art and his family
Art’s Delicatessan
Sorry Ms. Lloyd
Boccafusco’s Garage moved from the now empty lot on Bridge St. beside the newly reopened Mansion Seafood restaurant to the site of the Saab dealer who moved to its current site roughly opposite Kings Highway School
1. Riverside Variety aka Franny’s
2. Jockey Club now Derosa’s
3. Pramer’s Liquor Store
4. Riverside Barber (Santella founder)
5. Milazzo’s Market
6. Westuck now Mario’s
7. Dunville’s was Sportsmen Cafe
8. Abbadanza was National Car was Esposito’s Texaci
9. Sam Goodys was Peck & Peck was Franklin Simon
10. Sunoco now Wachovia Bank Post Rd
11. Compo Sports Collectible was Barry’s Shoe’s
12. Food Fair to right of Golds
13. Westlake across from the Y
14. Arnie’s was Westfair Ford
15. Lexus was Flag Motors
16. Western Auto
17. How about Beacon Electric
18. Carroll’s was Burger King now Arby’s
19. Abbey Richmond was Hay Day now ?
20. Stop Shop / Ames / Barkers.
21. Akouri’s Texaco now office bldg
22. Coppola Pontaic now Toyota of Westport
23..Curtain business was Original Arrow Restaurant
24. Elrivra’s was Grubb’s
25. Boxanfcuso’s Chevron between Mansion & Peter’s Bridge Market
THIS IS THE BEST BLOG THIS TOWN HAS EVER SEEN ! Thanks Gordon
one more from friend ex resident Mike from Colorado PURCELLS Bar and its shuffleboard game !
does anyone remember a Pizza place where Sakura is now?
Re: Sakura--I remember a restaurant there called The Galleria, I think. (Did it have pizza?)
And didn’t it become Pondersosa for a while?????
PS. Scott Wilder re: #23--Creative Windows is the curtain business, my Mom started it in 1973, sold it in 1998 :)
Other additions...The Fitness Edge for Woman building was originally a tennis club.
(The Westporter?) Diner on the Post Road (then was Bike Barn, now JPocker Framing/Maurice Villency--across from Black bear Liquors)
The Wood Shed Furniture Store (Next to Kings Highway School, now a mini-mall )
House of Light (almost at the corner of Post Road and Kings Highway)
Hackett Motors - Sports Car Dealer where Saugatuck Post Office is
Olivers, Dan. A big “older singles” hangout (that’d be people in their late 20s - early 30s) when I was in that 18 - 21 phase and thought we were da sheet, and people in their late 20s were positively OLD to us.
before it was olivers it was known as crossroads… there was always live music there
And the hardward store (Izzo’s) across the street from Bogey’s is still known as Crossroads Hardware. Extra Credit - id the gas station that used to be located in that area.
And I still call the little food market there the “Merritt Superette”, just like I will always refer to the store down by Old Mill Beach as “Grubs”
That’s all “townie code”
More “townie code”:
Earth Place (formally Nature Center, ORIGINALLY
The Youth Museum)
Townie’s know where:
Gerro’s Pond - iceskating
Lee’s Dam - swimming
The Pool Hall - shootin pool downtown
Where you found Starfish and Sea horses
1. Christo’s (famous chili dogs) now Pane Vino
2. Getty across from Prudential used to be Flying A gas station
3. Grass Roots next to Ye Olde Bridge Grill
Extra Credit from John Kondub
North Main Garage - American / Amoco gas
Jones Press & Paint n’ Paper where MCA is.
Riverside Motors Plymouth Dealer where MCA is
Doc’s was an Esso Station in Saugatuck
Washington Mutual Bank was Fairfield Furniture
wow, North Main Garage AND the brand too.
so good I just had to go deeper - did you know that the “North Main Garage” d/b/a in Westport was first filed back in 1928 by one Perry Beers, who listed a 174 Myrtle Ave address? [That’s a few houses away from Bedford El, I mean Town Hall.] I guess Perry walked to work each day at the gas station . . . . maybe stopping in at whatever Crossroads was known as back then (Dan?) for a bite to eat!
When Scott posted this:
1. Christo’s (famous chili dogs) now Pane Vino
I remembered buying coffee there when I drove Mini Buses in 1980. I was in one of the very tired Dodge vans (not the Mercedes buses). I even took one of the waitresses from Christo’s on date. I think it was another name in between Christo’s and Pane Vino.
having grown up at the edge of the saugatuck river and having learned to swim in that river ( despite all the “ poluttants” referred to so elequently by Mr A.J. Izzo in the limited time he had to speak at the RTM meeting 2 weeks ago) i remember westport had 2 private marina operations that my brother and i would swim over to or get gas for our boat ..one was fred’s but we can’t remember the name of the other one
also their use to be a gravel bank in area located between the roads that ran paralell to it imperial avenue and south compo road and not all the little league fields were off north compo remember gault field
one last memory ......the current exit road for longshore was not the original exit...that exit used to run between the 10th and 11th holes....back in the 60’s the town filled in the natural marsh that was part of Gray’s Creek that ran up next to the 11th and 12th holes as a landfill site . nobody was talking about clean water as a gift back then.
matter of fact the original jack rogers little league field used to be in back of the police station. it was used as a landfill site back in the late 60’s’ 70’s when the dump was on the site now hosting the library and levitt pavillion...who could forget all those seagulls flying around dowtown westport..
John
did you have to remind me of all those dumps? as a 16 year old i pumped gas at North Main and took about 20 minutes to fill theVespa belonging to Milton Green that Marilyn Monroe was operating; also it may be of some interest I was served beer next door in the Parkway Tavern regularly. The bar was a hangoutfor local darters and dart wounds were a regular thing… although it was most exciting when a ‘grandpa” got his privates caught in his zipper on a visit to the men’s room!!!
ron malone
ps:
who remembers “Fat Johns” and its across the street competiton “Ye Old Bridge Grill” and everyman’s friend Dave?
These comments are great. Amy, thank you for remembering the Wood Shed. My dad started that business from nothing, and I remember bringing his dinner to the barn he would work late. Here’s a piece of trivia- there was always a black cat, always named Woody, who lived in the barn and would sleep on the furniture during the day and occasionally jumping out at very surprised customer.
I can’t believe out of all these great memories no one has listed the remarkable bookshop, or what about the pink ice cream parlor and Bunyons?
Thanks for taking me down memory lane…
Libby Moss Kole
Don’t forget Bill’s Smoke Shop in its various incarnations. I loved the pinball parlour downstairs in the final version. I was sad to see them go.
Also Calisi’s on the Post Road back when it was a convenience store that sold comics.
Bring back the MiniBus!
There were some places that we thought would never change: Arrow, Manero’s, Art’s Deli, Klien’s.
I think the building that changed name/purpose the most is the current realtor at the corner of Post Rd and Myrtle, with the river running past and under. I think it was 8 different restaurants between 1975 and 1995.
And for a very brief time, the Doc’s coffee shop/garage was a specialty bicycle shop called W-squared (late 70s).
John Kondub
You have a great memory, you always did. I remember all the places that you named. They brought back fond childhood memories of carefree days and fun times. I’d like to add a place that you must remember because our father’s frequented this place quite often and that is that DaRosa’s used to be The jockey Club. The Gault building was just across the street and up two building. Two more stores I remember, One was, Ben Franklins a 5 and 10 cent store was in the middle of main street and the “original” Oscars Deli was in a very small placed just two doors up from the Westport Pizzaria and it included a great butcher shop. Last one, Town and Country Liquors was across the street from Ben Franklins. Do these ring a bell?
Two places I am reminded of while reading this:
The Golden House Restaurant (I think we dined there every Sunday night for years!) and Franklin Simon, where my grandmother loved to shop.
Soooo long ago…
Wow, what a great list! Both of my parents grew up in Westport, and we lived in Weston and visited both families most every weekend. When my Father’s mother passed away we inherited her house and I lived there with my parents for 10 years or so between 1974 and 1984 (and still visit my folks there fairly regularly). I remember most of the businesses listed here. I worked at the restaurants Mario’s, Matthew’s & Glynn’s Cafe, and taught and sold instruments at Westport Music Center when it was downtown next to S&M;Pizza (the look on the owner’s faces when they found out what S&M;stood for in this country was priceless!). I used to play with my band at the old Tin Whistle, and worked the grill there for a short time. I gained the nickname “Hockey Puck” for the semi-edible state I left any burger that had the bad luck to land on my grill. As my parents are still living I can’t share my best Westport stories…
The one place I can think of that’s not made it on this list might be Chez Pierre on Main Street. That is to this day the best French food I have ever eaten. I’d kill for one more dinner there. The second NY Times review be damned (they were not kind) I really miss that place.
In closing, I find myself remembering my Mother giving directions to folks like “take a left where the duck pin bowling lanes used to be, take a right where the old Mansion used to be” and thinking how funny that was. Now I find myself describing the town the same way to my Son as we drive through with “that’s where Grass Roots used to be, Daddy used to play guitar there”. I guess we do become our parents.
My family used to eat at the Peking Inn pretty regularly in the late 70s. It had red carpeting, I believe, like the bowling alley on the other side of town (which created a sort of mystical kinship in my mind between Chinese restaurants and bowling alleys). Sweet & sour pork was my regular contribution to the family meal, but before the platters of food came I’d fill up on the crispy noodles with duck sauce that were automatically served in those less fat-conscious days. Peking Inn was near if not next to Gristede’s. Anyone know how long it lasted, or when it closed? I’m thinking 1981 or so… For all I know it was only open a couple years, but it was a real fixture for me.
If we are looking for a record number of comments on WestportNow… this one has 56!
I’ve only been here 3 years, but it makes me realize how much people love this town.
I lived in Westport from 1966 to 1968 - I was 9 when we moved there. I remember eating at the Arrow Restaurant several times. I assume the very large friendly man who greeted us was Mr. Nistico. He teased us because we were all such skinny kids. He’d poke our ribs and encourage us to eat more. I particularly enjoyed the meatballs. I can’t however, remember where the Arrow was during that period. Was it at the Franklin/Saugatuck location or the Charles St. location? I do remember the big red neon arrow - or am I imagining that?
Westport was (and is) one of the more wonderful places I have lived. My wife and I came back the year we were married and had a great time.
Wow, I thought of one that nobody has mentioned—at least I hope my memory serves me well. How about the Seaside restaurant which was where the Westport Florist just moved to in Saugatuck, used to be Laura Bazante Salon.
I think we’ve hit them all!!
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