Ernie and his family lived on Genesee Street, just a few doors to the north of St. Stephen's Hungarian Catholic Church and Rectory.
Our family lived across Hagerty Alley, on the opposite side of the block on South Clinton Ave.
Ernie's Mom lived upstairs in the big house above Istvan Parichy's Bar. Now, that place was hopping on most weekends, but then again, most of the Hungarian Bars were. Gliba's Bar was on the corner of South Clinton and Hudson.
There was also the Hungarian Hall, on the Corner of Hudson and Genesee, and this place had HUGE gatherings.
Most of the Hungarians (my Dad was half Hungarian) worked for the Roebling Wire Mills. The benefit was having so many Hungarians in the neighborhood was that we had bars, smokehouses and butcher stores all over the place. THere were some great delis on South Broad (Artie Heyman's Deli had great pickles). South Broad St Imports sold great lekvar and Hungarian spices.
Stepien's Pickles were also big in the neighborhood, up through the 50s or 60s. He delivered pickles and sauerkraut to your home or to your bar in an old panel truck,if you wanted.
There were a few pretzel bakeries, as well, all catering to the bar trade.
As kids, we chased ice trucks to stay cool in the Summer time when they made their rounds to all the bars. We also knew how to slide kegs of beer down ramps into the basements of the bars.
How many of your readers set up pins at Curtis Lanes on S. Warren St., or at Heil's on Whitaker and Beatty St? Or played pool at the Bijou Pool Hall in the basement of the old Theater?
I'm amazed that any of us survived all the bad influences we had! ;-)
Some of us even turned out to be respectable citizens!
Before Ernie was famous, his father rented a room in my grandmother's house (Rose Kovacs). My dad said he would pay him $5 a week to take out his trash. Alot of money for a kid back then!
What a different Ernie Kovacs! No mustache, no cigar, no Percy Dovetonsils character; just a young thespian learning the craft.
Ernie and his family lived on Genesee Street, just a few doors to the north of St. Stephen's Hungarian Catholic Church and Rectory.
ReplyDeleteOur family lived across Hagerty Alley, on the opposite side of the block on South Clinton Ave.
Ernie's Mom lived upstairs in the big house above Istvan Parichy's Bar. Now, that place was hopping on most weekends, but then again, most of the Hungarian Bars were. Gliba's Bar was on the corner of South Clinton and Hudson.
There was also the Hungarian Hall, on the Corner of Hudson and Genesee, and this place had HUGE gatherings.
Most of the Hungarians (my Dad was half Hungarian) worked for the Roebling Wire Mills. The benefit was having so many Hungarians in the neighborhood was that we had bars, smokehouses and butcher stores all over the place. THere were some great delis on South Broad (Artie Heyman's Deli had great pickles). South Broad St Imports sold great lekvar and Hungarian spices.
Stepien's Pickles were also big in the neighborhood, up through the 50s or 60s. He delivered pickles and sauerkraut to your home or to your bar in an old panel truck,if you wanted.
There were a few pretzel bakeries, as well, all catering to the bar trade.
As kids, we chased ice trucks to stay cool in the Summer time when they made their rounds to all the bars. We also knew how to slide kegs of beer down ramps into the basements of the bars.
How many of your readers set up pins at Curtis Lanes on S. Warren St., or at Heil's on Whitaker and Beatty St? Or played pool at the Bijou Pool Hall in the basement of the old Theater?
I'm amazed that any of us survived all the bad influences we had! ;-)
Some of us even turned out to be respectable citizens!
WGSchultz, San Jose, CA
Before Ernie was famous, his father rented a room in my grandmother's house (Rose Kovacs). My dad said he would pay him $5 a week to take out his trash. Alot of money for a kid back then!
ReplyDelete