sidandsams

This might be a bit off topic but what the heck. I am wondering if there are any Rockaway people out there who remember Sid and Sam's candy store on Mott ave between Cornaga and Greenport Rd. in Far Rockaway in the 50s. Sid is my Uncle Sid Leinwand who still resides on Long Island and is well into his 80's. I know he would get a large kick out of hearing from any one who rememebers that great store. I for one used to enter the yoyo contests that were held every week there from Duncan yoyo. If you have any memeories or just want to shout a hello to this great guy please do. Skip you continue to run a fantastic site. Best regards to all.

Dear Larry, Thanks for your kind words about the Rockaway web site. I hope to hear from many grads who remember 'hanging out' in Sid and Sam's. My father and uncle (Sam and Larry Weinstock) owned and operated the laundry store located a few doors down from Sid's store towards Cornaga Hardware. They spent lots of time at Sid and Sam's on a daily basis. Unfortunately, they have both passed away. I seem to remember that someone owned a vacuum cleaner store right in that area too. Can't remember his name.

Grads, you can either write to Larry or send your memories to me at rockaway@astound.net and I will post them on this page.

Hi everyone....With all the talk if that section of town,does anyone remember the kosher Deli that was next to the sugarbowl? The owner of the sugarbowl was Bob. He had a son that was in my class at P.S.39.His name was Gerry Goldstein.Sid and Sams was a much better store but we had a sentimental reason to go to the sugarbowl. The exception was the yo-yo contests. I had patches for my jacket, of 5 - 10 - 15 and 20 tricks. The next plateau was the jacket itself, which i never could win. But I did have a diamond studded black yo-yo from Sid and Sams.

December 27, 2004

My friends and I lived at Sid and Sam's from when we went to P.S. 39 through FRHS. I graduated FRHS in 1955 and am looking forward to the upcoming reunion in June of 2005. Besides Sid and Sam's that has been described very accurately in other posts I vividly remember Joe the barber. He had a fight with Sid and Sam's and when we were asked to get coffee for him we had to go the the Sugar Bowl. My friends and I, especially Eddie Hellenbrand called Joe, "Wanna Wet-Um". Joe always asked that at the end of each haircut. I also fondly remember the pickle barrel at Nat's grocery.

Hi Larry, Hi Judy Shulman, Steve Sigler -- Hi everyone who went to PS39 and Sid and Sams for lunch, egg creams and hot fudge sundaes with cherry vanilla ice cream with nuts for 55 cents, Dr. Greenberg, Sugar Bowl, Doc Gellis, Paul's Dry Cleaners, Cornega Hardware, 101st police precinct where we caught the bus to Junior High, the Indian Grave Yard on the way to the "Pub" on the far side of Greenport Road.

Living in Northern Virginia, Gino's has become my gold standard for pizza (nothing like it here).

Carole Dicker here from 1430 Greenport Road (and then 1420 Greenport Road), PS 39, Cardozo Jr High, graduated Far Rock, 1962.

Carole Dicker Email Address: cdicker@cox.net

I too remember Sid and Sam's very fondly. I went to PS39 and it was the place to escape to for lunch. It sure beat packed sandwiches in the basement. I especially remember the tuna sandwich, which came with a free 6 cent coke. I also remember walking there at night occasionally with my parents and sister for an ice cream cone -- with sprinkles.

I spoke with my Uncle Sid of Sid and Sams and yes it was originally Clarks Candy Store before he owned it. It is great how many people have memories of that small strip of land near Sid and Sams. I walked to PS 39, had Sodas at Sid and sams as well as buying my comic books. had my hair cut at Joe the Barbers with his singing canaries had a candy bar at Ben Gellis drug store. All within 3 blocks of my apt building on Greenport Rd. I even remember what we called the Indian Grave yards on Greenport. I truly enjoy checking back here and reading the memories. Best regards,

Just found this Sid and Sam’s page. I grew up across the street in the Crossways [which my grandfather owned] until I was 10 years old. Sid and Sam’s was an important part of my daily life – as was Doc Gelllis’. I remember when I split open my forehead riding my bike, and when I was being stitched up by Dr. Greenberg my father saying that if I didn’t cry I could have an ice cream soda at Sid and Sam’s. Not a tear was shed! Also, I remember the yo-yo contests. The Sugar Bowl, across Cornaga Ave always seemed second rate. There was no place like Sid and Sam’s!
Thanks for the memories.

My memory isn't what it used to be. However, I worked for Nat at his Grocery store during the1958-60 era ( next door to Sid & Sams ). The most fun I had was bringing the soda cases up from the cellar located under the grating on the sidewalk outside the front door. They outweighed me by 20 pounds!! I also worked in the Sugar Bowl for a short time. My favorite memories were of the owner ( name i cannot remember ) with his middle finger always being straight out. I believe he had arthritis, but who knew that back then? My other memory is of the day I learned to make "whip cream" with the compressed air and shot it all over the store and a half dozrn customers... Thanks for a walk down memory lane.

Stephen A. Sigler Class of 1960, living in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
Email Address: aleeininvader@cfl.rr.com.

Hi - I'm wondering if Sid and Sam's is the same store that was called Clark's candy store when I was a kid?

Judy Feldman, Class of '48 Email Address: keycard@webtv.net

Sorry I'm a little late joining the reminiscing about Sid and Sams et al (most of the e-mails seemed to have occurred back in December). But I'm also a little older than the rest of the rememberers, too.

I was the kid who worked in Joe and Paul's Grocery Store from 1952 (FRHS junior year) through 1958 when I graduated from Brooklyn College; 6 years. Joe and Barbie Perlstein (never was a Paul to my knowledge) were great to work for and I was almost one of the family. In fact, I also used to babysit their two kids way out in Northern Bayswater.

I lived right around the corner from the store at 1420 Greenport Road. Anyone else remember that Al McGuire, yes the same Al McGuire from St. Johns, The Knicks, and then coach of Marquette, lived in 1420 Greenport Rd for a while after he was drafted by the Knicks. Man, did this kid do some serious hero-worship. His wife gave birth to Allie while they lived there. He also was drafted by the Knicks, but that was another story.

Thanks for being the vehicle that allows us to remember the old times. I was Class of 54, and of course the 50th reunion was just held a few weeks ago. We live in Fort Worth, Texas, and we did not get to attend, but the anticipation generated by the event got several alumni and alumnae beating the bushes for classmates and I was "FOUND". I and my wife (Lucille Crovella class of 57) were introduced to this fantastic web site and have reconnected with many of our old class mates.

Skip, you and Carol are doing a great job and we all appreciate it very much.

Marty Moskowitz Email Address: lumarmos@sbcglobal.net

From: shirleyg@webtv.net (seymour greber)
Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 08:10:04 -0700

We are going off for the summer..we will be back at the end of August...you can phone us at 208 356 7009...or if we get it right at sgreberaz@aol.com...have a happy and healthy summer

Great memories. I lived at 3 Greenwood Court - we used to go to Sid's for egg creams and candy, as well as to Gellis Pharmacy, Nat's Dairy.

Wow, do I ever remember Sam's....the best chocolate egg creams in my memory. As a matter of fact my very first job was a waitress at Sam's but unfortunately it was after it was sold to some Greeks I believe. I was only 14 and I remember one of them getting fresh with me so my job was very short lived. I also remember the Drug Store on the corner of Mott and Greenport...I called it Doc's Gellis. I don't know if that was accurate or not and also the Sugar Bowl.
My dad was a cop in NY so I also remember the 101 Pct. Great memories for me, when I was able to walk to those stores from our house on Hurley Ct. when I was just a kid. I live in Orlando Florida now and have a 12 year old girl who I still will not allow to walk to the store....

Please thank your Uncle Sid for some of the best childhood memories anyone could ask for!

Skip.....Boy oh boy do I remember Sid and Sam's! It was the social center for those of us who lived on that side of Far Rockaway.I lived on a small dead end street, Mador Court, about 6 blocks from Sid and Sam's. From the time I started at P.S.39 through FRHS it was the place for a Coke,egg creams, malteds,ice cream sodas and cigarettes for my father. My three siblings and myself always felt very comfortable there....excellent customer service(even for kid's) well before businesses had to define customer service. The Sugar Bowl (on the corner of Mott and Cornaga)was another destination candy store. On the rare occasion that my mother would let me eat a meal outside my house, while I was at P.S.39, the Sugar Bowl was the destination for a hamburger. Oh but Sid and Sam's was the place to find your friends. S&S in my book goes down as one of my top six all time Far Rockaway memories along with the three movie theaters, Gino's Pizza the P.A.L.(maybe I would throw in Neveloff's and Morton's also.) To Sid and Sam's thanks for many warm childhood memories. To Skip...as always thanks to you and Carol for this fabulous website.

My name is Seymour (Sy) Greber......I'm still alive and living in Arizona. I remember Sid and still can recall his face. I owned the store from1955 thru 1969. I closed up when the whole end of town changed. I also owned the kosher dairy restaurant there. I will write some more next time. Right now I have to go out to lunch with a bunch of Romeos. (Rich Old Men Eating Out)

My name is George Berger, FRHS class of 1960. Thanks for posting the piece about Sid And Sam's. I lived around the corner at 1430 Greenport Road, and spent many happy hours in S&S. I bought many comics and magazines there, and consumed innumerable icecream cones. It was a central meeting point for kids from the neighborhood. It was very conveniently located, with Doc Gellis's drugstore, a tailor, a shoemaker, Joe the Barber, and a small supermarket, all on the same block. But S&S was the center for all of my meetings and activities. Yours,

I am Seymour's son-in-law; I married his daughter Andrea, who used to help out in the store. Seymour and Shirley are living in Arizona now, and I sent him a link to the website, in case he'd like to add some of his comments and memories.

I remember Sid and Sam's very fondly. We used to go there for our nickel cokes after school and after a movie date we would go for a hot chocolate or something equally exotic. We used to go to "Doc Gelles" for the best chocolate malteds in the world. Nat's Dairy was a wonderful grocery store right next to S&S and he delivered groceries if you couldn't get out. He was a wonderful man as was his wife and their entire family. Nice memories.

Hi. After every Jordan's Basketball game at Shaaray Teflia (any Jordan's T or M out there - send me an email) & marathon hoops days at PS 197 with Boonie, Paul Pitts, Jay Leiberman, Victor "Grouch" Rausch, Andy Reisman, Rich Driansky, Mark Minsky, Michel Levine, the Shevins brothers, Norman Gershgorn, Rockhead, Charles Simms, David Gambel and whoever else, we headed to Sid & Sams for Hobokens. If I was in a particularly generous mood I would bring my kid sister Sandy (now popular Montreal professional entertainer, Sandy Kogut.)

You couldn't buy hamburgers or hotdogs at Sid and Sams. It was a "Luncheonette". You had to go to the Sugar Bowl for that.

The Sugar Bowl was next door to the Beauty Shop where George Hoffman's Mom worked (Aggie?) so George had a "charge account " there.

I remember him thinking that charge account meant that everything was free. His father Moe corrected him about that notion after the 1st week of George's "account." So no more 3 hamburger 2 hot dogs with egg cream lunches for us.

Sid & Sams was Far Rock's "Cheers". In fact, everyone thought that Seymour was "Sam", but if I recall correctly, Sam was Sid's wife. Can anyone verify this? I was always so high on Hobokens so I might be mistaken.

Hobokens were Ice cream sodas + pinapple ice cream & chocolate soda. I guess they were named Hobokens because of the vast pineapple orchards in and around Hoboken?

If Seymour was behind the counter and he was in a good mood, he might favor us with his rendtions of the immortal ditty, "Scumbags in the Sunset" (sung to the tune of "TipToe Though The Tulips" ) Seymour was a large , bald, round, confident and garrallous man with infinite wisdom at times. He was kind of the anti-Tiny Tim, now that I think about it.

I remember him conversing with Otto (a similar type guy) behind the counter one night. They were discussing a friend who had shirked some responsibility or wimped out on someone. Seymour was upset by this and was venting to Otto. They both shook their heads & Otto says, " Whatever happens to you, you gotta be a man!"

My friends & I were 16 years old. We only heard parts of this adult conversation, but that line always stayed with us. It became our tagline. Still is.

Alan, great job on the site! So many lives have been changed by reuniting with old Far Rock friends.

As for myself, it's good to know that the friends I had then would be the friends I have now, had I just met them.

Couldn't resist telling you my memories of Sid and Sam's. When I was living on Rose St. (Beach 12th) as a little kid I was allowed to go to the Sugar Bowl by myself because it required crossing only two small streets, Nielson and Nameoke. Sid and Sam was across a big intersection, so mostly the teenagers (my brother Henry) was allowed to go. I remember savoring the moments when Henry would be with me and I would be allowed to go into Sid and Sams. My brother loved having the famous egg creams and I was content with the 2 cents pretzel rods. By the way, as a kid , I always thought the name of the candy store was one word-Sitandsams. Thanks for the memory.

Sandy Blaukopf-Kogut , Class of '73 Email Address: kogut@netaxis.ca
p.s. Are you related to the Leinwands in Montreal?

Tommy Morin, great memeory. But you left out 2. There was a shoemaker somewhere in there and my lemonade aid stand that Ben Gellis (Doc) let me set up on the corner of his store guarded by his collie Princess. Smiling at the memory.

Hello, I lived on Mott ave from 1943 to 1963. I remember all the stores between geenport Road and Cornaga Ave. Ben Gillis had the drug store on the corner of Greenport Road. Jack Joseph had the original Accurate Laundry store on Mott Ave. Paul's Cleaners was originally owned by a man from Jamacia by the name of Warnamacker. The Vacuum store was called "Dependable" and was owned by a man named Vic. There were two grocery stores ther too. Joe and Paul's and Nat's Dairy. The Wilton Meat Market and "Joe's Barber Shop were also there. Hope this information is helpful. I also attended FRHS from 1954 to 1957.

I'm a 1975 FRHS graduate who lived on Nameoke Ave and Neilson St. I fondly remember going to the corner candy store to buy a Daily News newspaper for five cents, then going next door to Sari's bakery for seeded rolls and rye bread (my brother and I argued who would eat the end piece!). Then, as an exta treat, we'd cross over at the intersection of Cornaga Hardware, walk down to Sam's and
get a coffee ice cream cone on a wafer cone. Aah, the memories - I love sharing them with my daughters.

Melanie (Simon) Wilner
Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), California
Email Address: mwilner@hotmail.com

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