Front Street in 1941

Written By Dick Salmon in April of 1988 (original grammar retained)

The Falls has grown an awful lot in forty years or so;

The stores have changed, they’re not the same as the ones we used to know.

Remember Front Street as it was when we were all sixteen?

The stores we knew we can’t re-view. They’ll never more be seen.

 

For those who knew what it was lie, we’ll take a little jog

And see the stores that are no more. Here’s the travelog:

Just south of Broad a little ways, Falls Restaurant we see;

Breakfast or dinner, the food was good in every recipe.

 

Bob Piper’s father used to run the Riverside Laund-ery.

Then up the street and what do we meet? – Vaughn Machinery.

We cross Broad Street and jog our way to the Food Shop just ahead,

With magazine racks where favorite books were never left unread.

 

The books we saw were never ‘raw’ and always made the grade.

The comic books, at ten cents each, were thoroughly displayed.

Superman, and Batman too, and spiderman were there;

The Green Lantern, Flash, and Dr. Fate: Heroes everywhere.

 

Captain America, Captain Marvel, and Submariner too;

Bary O’Neil, Wonderwoman, they all knew what to do.

An old hangout for many men who liked a snort of fizz

Was run by Clarence Fishel, the Falls Tap Room was his.

 

Miller’s Restaurant featured meals every single day;

McClellan’s next, then Woolworth’s store – to spend a little pay.

Leiter Hardware was the spot to buy your hammers then.

Cigarette packs at People’s Drug? A buck-and-a-half for ten.

 

Mair Jewelry Store was right next door. We bought our records there.

Dinah Shore and many more at just a buck a pair.

Alhambra Theater, way in the back, was where we saw the shows.

Klein-Crosby’s store that sold the suits to wear with new chapeaus.

 

First Central Trust had windows that were well-equipped with bars.

And Wilfert Drug, with the squeaky floors and candy packed in jars.

Ice cream cones at Isaly’s were twice the size (or more),

For five cents each they seemed as big as any dinosaur.

 

The Falls Hardware is up ahead and, in case you’re feeling ill,

Dr. Keller’s just upstairs to prescribe for you a pill.

Ted Andrews owned the Chocolate Shop. He closed at half-past ten.

He fought the state and killed the tax they charged on candy then.

 

Levenson’s, a land-mark store, is still in business there.

For how many years who can tell? The oldest anywhere.

The next one here is Lawson’s store – now known as Dairy Mart.

This was the first, in ’36, where Lawson got his start.

 

I used to walk down to this store, an empty jug in hand;

A gallon of milk for thirty-five cents. We bought no other brand.

Let’s cross the street – but take it slow – mustn’t disturb the clerks:

This building has the fancy name of the Falls Monument Works.

 

At the corner of Stow we see the place called Lyle Chevrolet,

And the A& P and the Apple Store are not so far away.

The Falls The-ayter was the place for Saturday afternoons,

With Mickey Mouse and Porky Pig and other Looney-Tunes.

 

Across the street a little ways (the street is Portage Trail),

We see the beer joint know to all, the one that’s called Brass Rail.

Garner’s Shoe Store is the next (I think that’s Bernie’s Dad);

Falls Savings & Loan is the one that’s known to multiply and add.

 

The Acme Store here had its start, the first of the super stores;

Sold everything from soup to nuts – and no competitors.

An old hangout on Friday nights was known by everyone;

This restaurant was Kippy’s and there’s no comparison.

 

The North High games, our favorite ones, were always special nights;

You look around, somewhere in town you’ll see some noisy fights.

The Kroger Store was pretty big, with offices upstairs.

Some of the things we didn’t want: Dr. Burroughs’ dental chairs.

 

Old Falls Cleaners pressed your pants and cleaned your overalls,

But Master Cleaners bought them out. It was no longer Falls.

And Sord’s Electric fixed your lights and did it real quick;

The Falls Shoe Hospital fixed your shoes whenever they got sick.

 

The City Building contained the men who wrote the city books;

The Police Department’s also there (the ones who catch the crooks).

Watering Service then we see, with Pegasus in the sky;

I worked there for many years, after old Falls High.

 

Then Weller Funeral (that’s Clifford now – a fine establishment),

On the other side of Weller Drive is the Fire Department.

The Masonic Temple then we see (the part upon the square);

From Washington to Gerald Ford, there are Masons everywhere.

 

Wolf Auto Supply, a popular spot, our last stop on this trip;

In those days men repaired their own, befoe we got the ‘chip.’

This is the way Front Street looked 46 years ago.

How will it look in 46 more? Who can really know?

 

But I sure wish that when my days on this old earth are o’er,

I’ll have the chance to see the street just like it was before.