Looking Up at the Fulton Mall
[nggallery id=”26356″ template=galleryview] Some readers noted that holding the announcement of the Shop Brooklyn initiative, intended to get folks to buy made-in-Brooklyn products, at the Fulton Mall was a little ironic. True, it’s filled with many chain stores selling the same wares as retail outposts across the country. But head down to the Fulton Mall…
[nggallery id=”26356″ template=galleryview]
Some readers noted that holding the announcement of the Shop Brooklyn initiative, intended to get folks to buy made-in-Brooklyn products, at the Fulton Mall was a little ironic. True, it’s filled with many chain stores selling the same wares as retail outposts across the country. But head down to the Fulton Mall and look up. There you’ll see plenty of architectural originality and only-in-Brooklyn buildings.
Exactly what jfss says. But I was a kid in the 1970s back then. I remember either taking the D train to Dekalb Avenue and walking with my mom & dad to May’s, Korvettes, A&S and Woolworths. What amazing fun! Especially A&S where they had an express elevator to the toy department. The elevator bank still exists today, but no express elevator and 1/2 are shut down so they can use it as sales space.
I know Fulton is not exactly everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s always been a low end shopping district. Back when I was visiting, you had those department stores. Now you do have more schlock… But getting everyone out and replacing them with Pinkberry’s won’t solve anything.
I didn’t grow up in brownstone Brooklyn but Fulton St was THE shopping area. I bought my prom dress at Martins and Evening in Paris perfume in the blue bottle (a gift for my mother) in Woolworths. I still had my original A&S credit card opened when I was 21 (a while ago) when Macys took over. The frozen custard in A&S basement was the best and as a kid every shopping trip with my mother ended in Choc ful O’Nuts for a cream cheese with walnuts sandwich.
Years later when I bought a brownstone, I found full bottles of furniture oil in the house with McCrorys labels circa 1920’s. Yeah, those nuts always smelled so good.
thats all some great reminiscing yall! Aaaaaaaand now the fulton mall is a dump. a dilapidated, filthy, festering cesspool. at the current rate it will be uninhabitable by 2014 after all the buildings decay and collapse out of neglect. Surprisingly the patrons (who arent upscale as everyone points out) will be climbing over rubble ala Mad Max to get to the 47 remaining sneaker stores that remain scattered about the wreckage. And even though there are no more mcdonalds in sight you will still find these patrons disposing of their chicken mcnugget boxes carelessly in doorways and mailboxes.
MM and all;
Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.
The public school is also named after Isador Straus, to clear that up.
Benson, I stand corrected. My very superficial Googling gave me the correct story, which is what you related. I have a hard time seeing modern CEO’s doing that, as well. I have a feeling more would be like Bruce Ismay, sadly enough.
Have a happy Thanksgiving, all. We do have much to be thankful for.
Thank you, Montrose!
Now I can order tomorrow’s dinner from the restaurant downstairs!
NOP
Apparently the original spelling was Straus. It’s a common German name, and is often spelled both ways, but the Enclopedia Titanica and Wikipedia both spell it “Straus”.
Gotta love the internet sometimes. Here’s more info:
Encyclopedia Titanica also says that Isador and his brother owned Macy’s completely by 1896. He was a Congressman, too. It goes one to say that his body was recovered, but Ida’s never was. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetary in the Bronx, with her name on the memorial. Andew Carnegie was one of the euligists. Straus Square was dedicated in 1914, and is at the corner of Broadway and 107th Street. ( I was a few blocks off.) There is a freshman dorm called Straus Hall at Harvard, built in memorium by their three sons, and a public school in NYC, PS 128, in Manhattan.
Benson:
Please note: Bruce Ismay, President of the White Star Line, owner of the Titanic, jumped into a life boat before more than 1,500 of his crew and passengers.
His punishment: a light scolding by the British courts.
Plus ca change.
But again, is it Straus or Strauss?
NOP
NOP and MM;
The Strausses of Brooklyn, and the Strausses of the Macy’s variety were not the same clan, though they may have been related in some way. The Strausses of A&S fame lived on St.Mark’s Ave, whereas Isidor Strauss and his crew lived in New York (these are the Strausses that went down with the Titanic). I always get a chuckle out of the name of the “A” of “A ‘N S” partnership: Abraham Abraham. I guess his folks couldn’t think up a new name.
Montrose: your story of the Strausses and the Titanic is not completely correct. She refused to go into the lifeboat without her husband. For the sake of his wife,Mr. Strauss was offered a seat on the lifeboat (with the women and children) but he refused to get on the boat before any other man. Instead, they opted to stay on the ship and go down together. Say what you will about the Victorians, they did understand that having wealth meant that you had larger responsibilities too. I can’t imagine the CEO’s of today doing what the Strausses did on the Titanic.