WELCOME TO MY FIRST POST OF MY NEW BLOG: MY NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING AREA

WEST SIDE OF BUFFALO, NY  HAD THE GRANT AND WEST FERRY MARKETPLACE ONE TIME.

FROM MY HOUSE I WALKED ONE BLOCK UP FROM 18TH STREET TO MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE THEN OVER ONE BLOCK TO WINTER STREET AND UP THAT TO THE HARVEST ( THEN LATER SUPER DUPER PARKING LOT) TO WEST FERRY AND GRANT AREA. AS YOU COME OUT OF THE PARKING LOT THERE WAS A LIBRARY.

RIGHT ON YOUR LEFT WOULD BE THE WEST FERRY LIBRARY WHERE I GOT MY FIRST LIBRARY CARD WHICH LATER IT MOVED DOWN 5 BLOCKS GRANT STREET. AT HARVEST/ SUPER DUPER WAS THE PLACE I RETURNED ALL THE OLD GLASS POP BOOTLE EVERY MONTH, GOT TICKETS FOR CRYSTAL BEACH AMUSEMENT PARK WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRADES (A>B.C). AND DUBBA BUBBA BUBBLE GUM AND CANDY AT THE CHECK OUT SECTIONS.

ACROSS THE STREET WAS A BEAUTY SALON THAT RENTED SPACE TO  MY MAGAZINE SHOP (AT IT'S SECOND LOCALE) WHERE I BOUGHT MY TEEN MAGAZINES.
ON THAT SAME SIDE A FEW STORES DOWN WAS THE GRANT AND FERRY INTERSECTION WHERE THE MARINE MIDLAND WAS WHERE I STARTED MY FIRST ACCOUNT WITH MY FIRST JOB.

ACROSS FROM THAT AND ONE STORE DOWN ON GRANT WAS THE D AND K STORE ( ONE OF THE FIRST DOLLAR STORES) WHERE I BOUGHT HOLIDAY ITEMS LIKE MUSIC CASSETTES, XMAS WEARABLE DECOR, ETC..

BACK DOWN ON WEST FERRY ACROSS FROM HARVEST/SD WAS STATLER DRUG STORE/ RITE AID WHERE I SHOPPED FOR HOLIDAY FAMILY GIFTS AS MY LAST RESORT.

DOWN TWO STORES WAS THE MAGAZINE SHOPS FIRST LOCALE.

TWO MORE FRONTS AND AT THE WEST FERRY WAS THE WEST SIDE PLAZA. THE FIRST STORE THERE WAS WOOLWORTHS. AS A KID MY FAVORITE STORE. I USUALLY BOUGHT INDEX CARDS, SALES RECEIPT BOOKS, PLAY MONEY , PRINTING STAMP PAD SETS, GUM AND CANDY. I ALSO LOVED THEIR PET SECTION FULL OF HAMSTERS, TURTLES, AND FISH. THEN NEXT TO THE PET SECTION WAS THE LUNCH COUNTER WITH THERE YUMMY HOTDOGS IN A FOLDED SLICE BUN (TOASTED) AND CRISPY FRENCH FIRES.
ANOTHER SHOP THERE WAS THE RECORD STORE WHER I BOUGHT MY FIRST 45S AND 33S STARTING AT 99 CENTS.

THE NEXT STORE WAS LEADERS DRUGS/JAMES SUPER DRUGS/FAYS FOR 99 CENT SPONGE CANDY, AND LATER I WORKED THERE OUT OF COLLEGE WITH A MINIMUM WAGE OF $3.75/HOUR. IN 1983.

THE STORE FRONT AFTER THAT WAS YOUR HOST RESTAURANT WHERE I WOULD GO WITH THE FOLKS FOR SATURDAY BRUNCH. THEY ORDERED THEIR DELICIOUS HOT COFFEE AND DELICIOUS PASTRY AND I ORDERED A HAMBURGER AND FRIES. I ALSO STARTED A LOONEY TOON VINYL FIGURE COLLECTION THERE WHICH I LATER SOLD BEFORE I MOVED TO FLORIDA.

THEN AT THE END OF THE PLAZA WAS LOBLAWS/BELLS GROCERY SHOP WHERE MY FOLKS SHOPPED (ALSO HARVEST WHICH WAS  BEFORE TOPS, WEGMANS MOVED INTO OUR AREA). MY MAIN STAY WAS THE PENNY, DIME AND QUARTER GUMBALL MACHINES TO GET CHARMS ( ONLY WHEN THE MACHINES WERE ALMOST EMPTY) AND LATER TO GET STICKERS FOR MY COLLECTION.

ACROSS FROM THE PLAZA ON WEST FERRY WAS A HOBBY SHOP WHERE I BOUGHT ACRYLIC PAINT FOR MY STONE ART.

LET'S BACK TRACK BACK TO GRANT STREET . A FEW FRONTS PAST THE BANK WAS THE GRANT'S ICE CREAMERY WHER I WAS TAKEN TO EAT ICE CREAM AS MY AUNT BABYSAT ME. WHEN I GREW IT UP WAS ALREADY GONE.

 LATER THAT SAME SPOT BECAME THE SECOND LOCALE FOR FROZEN WHIP ( WHOSE FIRST LOCALE WAS THREE BLOCKS UP) . AT IT'S FIRST LOCALE  I STOPPED THERE ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE LIBRARY AND ALSO WHILE STAYING WITH MY GRANDMOTHER WHO WAS WASHING HER CLOTHES AT THE LAUNDERMAT ACROSS THE STREET. MY FAVS THERE WERE LEMON ICE OR A SLUSHIE.AT IT'S SECOND PLACE I THINK I STOPPED THERE ONLY ONCE, THEN IT CLOSED AS HE SOLD IT AND RETIRED TO FLORIDA.

AT THE CORNER OF GRANT AND POTOMAC WAS KRESGE'S WHOSE ALLURE WAS POPCORN, SLUSHIES, ICE CREAM AT THEIR FOUNTAIN, OR A DEFUNKT PET CENTER WITH ONLY FISH AND TURTLES.

LATER IN MY 20S THERE WAS JEWELRY STORE ACROSS FROM D AND K WHERE I ONCE BOUGHT A STUDDED BELT AND WRISTWRAP FOR MY BILLY IDOL PHASE, LL!!!!

THE LAST PLACE THREE BLOCKS UP FROM GRANT AND WEST FERRY WAS MILLERS DRUGSTORE AND LIQUORS WHERE I USUALLY BOUGHT MAD MAGAZINE ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE LIBRARY.

AT THE CORNER OF 18TH AND NEW HAMSHIRE THERE WAS  AND STILL IS A LA NOVA PIZZERIA WHRE I ALWAYS ORDERED A SLICE WITH GREEN OLIVES AND HOT PEPPERS OR A LARGE MEDIUM HOT TACO ( ONCE HAD A DEATH FLAVOR TACO).

THAT'S IT FOR THIS FIRST ENTRY THANKS FOR STOPPING IN.


HERE'S A LITTLE MORE ABOUT SHOPPING AS A KID.

IF I DIDN'T WANT TO WALK ALL THE WAY UP GRANT AND FERRY THERE THREE OTHER CLOSER SHOPS ONLY 1-2 BLOCKS AWAY.

BORDEN'S ON 18TH ANS MASS. AVENUE WHICH I GOT MY ARCHIE COMIC BOOKS, ICE CREAM TREATS, CRACKER JACKS, OR ONE OF MY FAVS.

UP A BLOCK 10 19TH ST AND MASS. AVE. WAS NAVARRO'S WHERE I BOUGHT CHOCOLATE ICE CUBES OR WELCH'S FUDGE BARS.

TWO BLOCK THE OTHER WAY ON 17TH ST AND MASS. AVE WAS GANCY'S WHERE I BOUGHT BLACK SMOKIN BLACK SNAKES AND CAP ROLLS FOR FUN.

ON WEEKEND JAUNTS UP TO WEST UTICA STREET ACROSS FROM THE A&P WAS A LITTLE STORE  CALLED BILLIE'S WHERE MY  GRANDMOTHER LIVED UPSTAIRS. ON NIGHTS WHEN MY FOLKS WENT OUT SOCIALIZING I STAYED THERE AND I WOULD BUY TWO OF MY FAVS FOR THAT NIGHT.