Re: (erielack) Hoboken Eateries

["Tim Stuy" <njmidland_@_verizon.net>]

When did the Terminal Resturant shut down?  I have a placemat that calls it
the Erie Lackawanna Terminal Resturant so it lasted at least until 1960.
Early photos of it in Taber's book make it look quite elegant.

Tim

On 4/15/07, vze3fhdr <vze3fhdr_@_verizon.net> wrote:
>
> Hi List:
>
>     I've been meaning to write about the many places in Hoboken that the
> railroaders and public could go to eat. Today is the perfect day, as its
> raining outside, and the basement is flooding. I'm going to divide the post
> into three separate posts: Off Property eateries, On Property Eateries
> accessible to railroaders and public, and On Property eateries accessible
> only to railroaders.
>
>     A bit of history, if you please: My family operated a candy stand in
> Hoboken Terminal from 1937 until 1963. In 1963, we added coffee, hot dogs,
> cigarettes, etc. We closed it in 1985. I started working there, on and off
> from 1957 until it closed. I remember at lot of people, trains, locations,
> as you will see. Sadly, most of it is gone.
>
>     Disclaimer: If your memory is better than mine, you tell the story.
>
>     I guess the best place to start is Off Property. In 1957, as you
> walked out of the Terminal through the passway by Track one, you would find
> yourself in the Public Service bus station. All of the busses would come
> down the driveway, discharge at the Terminal, turn around, and go back up
> under the shed for their return trip. All except one. That was the 62. It
> ran from the Terminal to the PABT. Any of you oldsters remember the 21 and
> 22? The 21 ran from Palisades Amusement Park to Hoboken Terminal, and the 22
> ran from Palisades to 14th Street.
>
>     So, as you looked North, you would see a low brick building. It was
> where that five story office building is now. On the East end, there was
> Duke's House, a bar. That took up most of the building. Right next to that,
> there was a package store, owned by Duke's. There was a passage from the
> package store to the rear of the bar. I never saw any railroaders go in, as
> I'm sure they were fanatical about complying with Rule G.
>
>     The last location in this building was the Ideal Cafeteria. It was
> owned by the Noble family. After it closed, the son, Joe, worked for us at
> the candy stand. The Ideal was a true cafeteria, in that there was a station
> at the front where you picked up your tray and utensils, and walked down the
> line for your food. It seemed that the "line" stretched from the front to
> the rear. IIRC, the cash was in the middle, and the line started from either
> end. In the rear, behind the line, was the kitchen. All day long, the cooks
> brought out food in serving trays, and as you walked down the line, you
> picked out your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, depending on the time of day.
> The food was good, and relatively cheap. Don't forget, in 1957, along with
> the hundreds of railroaders and postal workers that worked in Hoboken, there
> was also the American Export piers up the street. Once in a while, we'd see
> someone in a suit eating in the Ideal. It was obvious he didn't know the
> territory.
>
>     Next up the street was a parking lot, a bank, a camera shop and then
> Schafer's. Schafer's was a full service eatery. It had take out, counter,
> and table service. We only ate there on payday, So did a lot of other
> people. As it was unusual to see a suit in the Ideal, it was unusual to see
> a railroader in Schafer's, unless that person was a boss.
>
>     A few doors up from Schafer's was the Mercury Restaurant. I never saw
> anybody in there, which is why it was closed by the sixties.
>
>     There were places to eat beyond Hudson Place, but I never went that
> far, as there was no need to.
>
>     On the South side of the street, up near the Path entrance, there was
> an old trolley car. It was green with red trim. I don't know if it was on
> its trucks or up on cribbing as there was skirting under the carbody. There
> was a center door, but the entrance was through a door on one end. IIRC,
> this was a coffee shop or very small diner. It is possible it was the office
> for the parking lot. It was gone by the sixties or sooner.
>
>     Enjoy, Bill
>
>
>
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