Thursday, January 09, 2025

MY LEGENDARY MEETING WITH MOE . . . AND SOME BLATANT NOSTALGIA!

 I KNEW I DIDN'T DREAM IT!!!! 

Back in 2006, I wrote this post about the old Walt Whitman Theater in Pennsauken NJ which my great grandfather built.  I also recalled dimly seeing Moe Howard (of the Three Stooges, natch) at a personal appearance there.  Well, the interwebs came through with an actual newspaper ad for the event I went to when I was 7 years old!!! 

As previously noted, I used to stay at my grandparents house on Westfield Avenue back in the 1970's.  My grandmother and I would frequently walk the length of Westfield Avenue all the way to Thor's Drug Store and the Walt Whitman Theater was about midway between their house and Thor's. 

My great-grandfather was an architect and built many things in the area; not only the Walt Whitman Theater but also the cabins at Medford Lakes as well as the Maple Shade Custard Stand (the latter two of which still exist today!). 
The Maple Shade Custard Stand

The Walt Whitman sadly was torn down I think back in the 1980's but by that time my grandparents had moved away from Pennsauken closer to my parents and I.  But this old newspaper ad is so awesome to finally find as confirmation of Moe's appearance there on April 28th & 29th, 1973 and the time I actually got to meet him.  Sadly, I can't remember if he called me 'porcupine' or not but I can dream, can't I?

Now I'm in such a nostalgic mood, I'll post a bunch of old 1970's stuff that I remember vividly from my childhood in the 1970's.
The little bridge & pond that used to be in the Moorestown Mall


The huge birdcage that used to be in the Moorestown Mall


Sound Odyssey record store that used to be in Cherry Hill Mall - I remember the purply/maroon shag carpeting that used to be on the floors AND the walls!!!

The Pennsauken Mart used to have a Listening Booth record store in it.

Wow! A Pennsauken Mart ad from before EVEN I was born!!!!


An exterior of the Pennsauken Mart in its final days.

An interior of the Pennsauken Mart after it closed down


The iconic pretzel sign from the Pennsauken Mart


An S&H Green Stamps store used to be on Main Street on the way from Maple Shade to Moorestown.  I got my red King Tut T-shirt there - I still own it but it's too small for me to wear now!!!

Grant's Department Store had a "restaurant" in it called the Bradford House
Bradford House delectables from their menu.


Hey!  Grant's is having a steak dinner special in this newspaper ad!
There used to be a Richman's in the Cherry Hill Mall in the late 70's/early 80's (for all I know it might still BE there!!!) which not only had the best barbecue beef sandwich (my mother and I loved them) but also my mother's (and my) favourite flavour ice cream:  Black Raspberry!!!


Steinhauer Elementary School in Maple Shade.  Other than that goofy yellow and blue thing, this facade looks exactly the same as when I went there in the 1970s.


On Main Street going in the 'other' direction from Maple Shade towards Merchantville & Pennsauken (on the drive to my grandparents' house) was Peaches Records & Tapes!  Wish I had some of those Peaches wooden crates to keep my vinyl in these days.


7 comments:

Cheeks DaBelly said...

Ahh some Cerpts that live in the past indeed.

See where you and your family ventured towards Pennsauken my family migrated south and west and we went to the Berlin Mart and I went to a Grants there as well. Spent many days in Grants with my Grandmother. I'm not sure if the restaurant in Grants had a name.

I remember the Mo Mall like that as well. Way before the fire destroyed it back in the early 90's and turned it into what it is today.

Now, about that King Tut t-shirt... a blowie with the lights on and a LOT of eye contact to see you wear that today! HEHE that would be a sight!

I used to go to a Richmond's somewhere near the Cherry Hill Mall but I didn't think it was in the mall. I thought it was on Haddonfield Road. Maybe King's Highway. I dunno, but black raspberry ice cream? Sounds a little Commie Pinko-ish to me. But if your Ma liked it, I'll allow it.

Cerpts said...

Yeaaaaaaaaaah booooooooooooooooyyyyeeeeee WAY in the past!
Wow, there was a Grant's in the Berlin Mart? I didn't venture to the Berlin Mart really until the 80's and probably with YOU!

There was a fire at the Mo Mall???? Don't remember that at all LOL.

Now about the about the King Tut shirt -- yes, it's a bright fire engine red shirt with the golden mask of Tutankhamen on the front; probably in the mid-70's when King Tut came to America and he was really big and Steve Martin decided to make a song about him. I'm pretty sure Steve Martin made a King Tut song when he heard that I had a red King Tut T-shirt because we have the same birthday -- me and Steve NOT me and Tut. Different years, same day. Which you don't know because you always think my birthday is the 15th.

Nope Cherry Hill Mall definitely had a Richman's inside it; in fact, I've never ever BEEN in a Richman's that was a free-standing restaurant; only ever the one in the Mall. And no, Black Raspberry ice cream is probably one of if not my number one fave ice cream flavour; just because you're a twit and haven't had it (because it's very rare to actually find), I can't help you out with that one. You have led a sheltered and wasted life and the angels will weep for you!

Cheeks DaBelly said...

Well, no there wasn't a Grants in the Berlin Mart but it was a block or two away. I just meant it was in Berlin as well. But anyway hidey-hole, of course there was a fire in the Mo Mall. That was when Paul decided to not transfer to another Ritz Camera and that was what sent him to Home Depot.

Ya know what now that I think about it there was a Richmond's in the Echelon Mall as well and nope I never went to the Cherry Hill mall Richmond's but I definitely went to the one on Kings Highway (I did some research and confirmed it was there and not on Haddonfield Road.
Hey, speaking of Black Raspberry ice cream; did you used to get it at the Friendly's across from Rustler? Remember the one we used to go to and then sit in the parking lot and I'd gas you the hell out because ice cream makes me gassy!

Cerpts said...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I see. I didn't get the inflection of your nuances.
No, I don't remember the Mo Mall fire at all nor do I remember why Paul stopped working at Ritz and went to Home Depot. I'm actually pretty sure I never knew why so thanks for the decades-old news flash which apparently is BRAND NEW TO ME!!!!
If I see Black Raspberry ANYWHERE, I will get it so I'm sure if I saw it at Friendly's I would've gotten it. I don't remember getting it either. in fact I don't remember anything at all EXCEPT ice cream making you gassy! My Giddy Aunt, but what a pong!!!

Cheeks DaBelly said...

I think the Shop Rite I go to has black raspberry ice cream. I'll check the next time I am there and if so I will pick you up a 55 gallon drum of it. Or something.

Cheeks DaBelly said...

There you go again putting beaver shots on the interwebs for all to see. Have you no shame???

Cerpts said...

Of course I don't! Have you just met me?????