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Re: (erielack) Hoboken Eateries
Hi Tim:
That's the subject of my next post. I'll start writing now.
Bill
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Stuy" <njmidland_@_verizon.net>
To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.elhts.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2007 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) Hoboken Eateries
> 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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>
>
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