This is wild, I’m doing a piece about a cheese cake contest that used to be held at that A & S in the 60s, my grandmother would take me to shop there, they had gorgeous elevators on the first floor and a restaurant.. I think they restored the front and moved the grillwork to another building? Anyway, I’m reading a book by Michael Lisicky called “Abraham & Strauss”, time travel, indeed, Anne!
oooh I was going to write about the beautiful elevators A & S had. There was a sort of luncheonette counter in the basement, and on the 4th floor, The Garden Restaurant. My mom took me shopping there a lot. Once we went to The Garden Restaurant and I I had creamed spinach. It surprised my 6-year old self by being so delicious I wanted seconds. I'm going to have to get that book!
It’s great, Erika! Yes, the Garden Restaurant was great (I love creamed spinach, too!) the book has pictures of the restaurant, I’m writing about the cheesecake competition, if you’d like I’ll link to you in my post if you post first!
My grandma used to take me to A&S too! We’d ride the bus from Dyker Heights. Fulton Street was a lot to take in during the 80s, but it felt so fancy inside.
Oh what I wouldn't do to see Fulton Mall in the 80s, Phoebe. Even in the last 20 years it's gone from BONKERS to a lot like everywhere else in the world.
I think it's high time Anabolic World had a brick and mortar presence in downtown Brooklyn. That could easily take up a floor of the old Macy's. Throw in a nice Catholic espresso spot (think of the latte art opportunities!) and a ZYN bar and the place will pay for itself.
I just want to say Catholic Coffee with its patron saints has made my day. Thank you! My patron saint is Teresa of Avila -- am amusing myself thinking up Spanish dark roasts etc. But I have work to do.
You must know the wonderful story about Teresa of Avila. She was off on her mission to reform all the convents and monasteries in Spain, and it was an awful stormy night,, and she and her trusty mount fell into a ditch filled with racing water and various aglomerations of dead leaves and such. And while she is sitting there in the ditch, ass over teakettle, she prays to the Lord and says, "Oh LORD! If this is how you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few."
We've had "snus" (google it), as it's called in Swedish, for close to two centuries, here in Sweden. It's become increasingly popular in the last twenty years, also with women, and young girls. It's highly addictive, much more so than smoking. And a lot of users get gum cancer. Enjoy
Sorry, Lief, it was that your "enjoy" at the end that provoked the laughter.
Snus has tobacco, though, yes? As far as I can figure, a ZYN habit would likely ruin my life but at least it wouldn't give me cancer. Something else will give me cancer.
Thank you for my weekly slice of NYC. A very different life. Although if someone closed a mall near me, I’d probably just ask for more of the same too. Imagination is not my strong point. Thanks so much.
Wow, this is bringing me back in a bad way! A&S was my first job in NYC. I was a secretary working in that building back in the late 80s. I got in trouble with HR because my skirts were “too short”. They weren’t. I worked for a general manager who was highly unliked and mean to everyone. One time a co-worker stuck his finger in my boss’s tuna sandwich as I was carrying it up to his office. Another time, one of the buyers told me I had “the perfect blow-job mouth”. Must have been because of my skirt length, right? My goodness, that freaking place! They did sell the best “Morning Glory” muffins on the ground floor though. Nearly 40 years later and I’m still thinking about those muffins.
Ha! I love your curiosity! Oh yes, they were a big thing, and a BIG THING. I once asked about how many calories might be in the GINORMOUS, oily, soft-ball sized muffin and was told about 1,000. Given one of these smaller beauties lists about half that, seems accurate. Also had a laugh at muffins having been called "moofins" given your "skwon" escapades! After reading this newsletter I reached out to an ex-co-worker from A&S who became an ex-boyfriend/forever-friend and shared your story on Macy's demise. He said I was the best thing about working there, and confirmed my other memories. So all in all, a delightful and unexpected walk down memory lane. Off to bake the moofins! Thanks, Anne!
Hah the Danceteria mention. I used to work there, I drove the blue elevator. (There was a blue one and a pink one.) I have lots of stories. Debi Mazar taught me how to work it, it was one of those really old-style elevators with manual doors and a manual lever to go up and down. I would bring my own stereo. No Madonna did not work the coat check, no the beastie boys were not barbacks or floor sweepers.
Only Cafe Anne could get me to Google Catholic Coffee! I'm not a practicing Catholic but I love the idea of patron saints, they're like spiritual cheerleaders! I nominated St Melangell, patron saint of bunnies. I wonder if the Vatican would ever consider a patron saint of online newsletters? Imagine the potential!
Good question Laura Rebecca. I am going to see if there is at least a patron saint of writers...
Oh this is so interesting! ChatGPT says:
-St. Francis de Sales is the primary patron saint of writers and journalists. He was a 17th-century bishop known for his clear, compassionate writing and ability to communicate complex theological ideas in an accessible way.
-St. John the Evangelist is also considered a patron of writers, as he is traditionally believed to have written the Gospel of John, three epistles, and Revelation.
-St. Brigid of Ireland is sometimes associated with poets and creative writers due to her love of learning and storytelling.
-St. Catherine of Siena is another notable figure—she dictated many letters and theological works that had a great influence on the Church.
I sometimes wondered where your eclectic topics emerge from. Now I know. Sometimes it's Zyn in between your cheek and gum. I suppose you chew khat when you have writer's block.
Since we had family in NYC I always of course knew about Macy's and other stores like it. The decline of major department stores is a universal thing in America of course. For Buffalo it was AM&As and some others. When I moved to the Midwest it was the sewer caps around our signature store that defined the Midwest. The sewer caps (still around) the long since closed stores said DHDSC. For Minneapolis and St. Paul it was Dayton's -- the best managed of major department stores. They also owned Hudson's which was a fixture in Detroit and other places. Eventually absorbed them all including Marshall Fields in Chicago. Nose to the grindstone Minnesotans consolidated them all. Eventually DHDSC eventually birthed Target and the decline of department stores began.
Midwesterners are peculiar and have always have an inferiority complex that things are better and mysterious on the coasts. Newsflash, they are just different. Eventually when the Mall of America was built in Minnesota, they needed four anchor stores to be relevant and a destination. All four were given FREE RENT for 25 years. Two of them are dead and reused (Bloomingdales and Sears). Only Nordstroms and Macy's remain. A whole bunch of Macy's were built in the area when the MOA was built but only three remain. The MOA is still a well maintained destination that continues to reinvent themselves. My guess is Macy's will last longer in Minnesota than most other places. Three of them remain including one at the first indoor shopping Mall in the US and still operating. I think it was originally built in the 1950s so pretty old. The survival of department stores won't be because of me. The only reason to visit is for an out to dinner thing during the cold months or an out of towner who wants to ride the rollercoaster and log flume.
OMG I I totally forgot AM&As, Mark! My grandma took me there every September to do the back to school shopping.
That is an amazing story about the Mall of America and the free rent for 25 years. Such a deal! If I went to Minnesota I'd for sure want to check it out.
We went downtown to AM&As for the windows when we were kids. Old fashioned department stores were a phenomena. My Mom worked for Hengerers for before she got married.
I think that Sears got a ridiculous lease when the place opened in 1991. I recall the courts getting involved after Sears filed under Chapter 11. Whenever I am there I am amazed it still draws crowds
When the Macy’s near me closed, they turned that five-story building into a Lifetime Fitness. The Brooklyn location is bigger, though, so you’ll probably get a Top Golf.
Omg a story on that would be amazing. I was so amused when it went up because we thought it was (of course) hideous and one day I was like “it looks like the tower of Sauron”. And then most times we went by it, we would wind up in some conversation with strangers about how hideous it is and it turned out nearly everyone was referring to it as ToS!!! And we’d all laugh at how everyone was coming up with the same reference on their own.
As long as Macy's still has its NYC flagship, they'll be fine. Besides which, they've bought out most of their old competition (Marshall Field, Dayton's, Hudson's) in other cities...
That's true David. I asked a bunch of people at the sale where they'd go shopping instead now that the Downtown Brooklyn location was closing and they all said they'd be heading over to Herald Square for sure.
I lived a few blocks away from it for like seven years. I think I must have only gone in once. The idea of being next to a Macy's was great, but when I finally tried this location, all their merch looked like it was picked out for suburban moms in Nebraska. Maybe I was just super-attached to the Herald Square Macy's which is probably not representative of any other Macy's in the universe. I'd like to lament the "demise" of Fulton Street as I knew it over the years, but I can't. Truth is all through junior high/high school this was not a street to frequent, lest you felt like getting jumped or robbed, or likely both. When I moved to the neighborhood in 2010 it was fun — a weird mix of old retail and new outlet shops, lots of things "coming soon" that would take years, like Dekalb Market (the "interim" Dekalb Market kicked ASS btw, I wish it just remained there for eternity!) Now, I don't even know what to think of Fulton Street. Ever since the Tower of Sauron went up, that whole area is incomprehensible to me... Curious to see how it changes now every time I return to NYC. It was hardly recognizable when I skipped a few weeks, can't imagine skipping a year or two.
Maria, I have never seen any strip in NYC change as fast as Fulton Mall did the past ten years. For while yes it was this delightful mix of old school and chains that were somewhat surburban but also sort of handy. Now only the street vendors remain to give it a sense of life. I wouldn't be surprised if I might actually start going upscale at this point. And wouldn't that be something.
I am dying to do a story on the Tower of Sauron. I just need to find someone who lives there. But I think no one does!
I used to work in Downtown Brooklyn. A&S had the best Christmas window display. One winter I was so enthralled by a nativity scene, I almost converted.
This is wild, I’m doing a piece about a cheese cake contest that used to be held at that A & S in the 60s, my grandmother would take me to shop there, they had gorgeous elevators on the first floor and a restaurant.. I think they restored the front and moved the grillwork to another building? Anyway, I’m reading a book by Michael Lisicky called “Abraham & Strauss”, time travel, indeed, Anne!
Wow—I checked out the book. It's indeed a whole history of the department store at that location. Are you enjoying, Jolene?
Alas, no elevators there anymore, as you probably know. Just your standard escalators.
Also, CHEESECAKE.
Yes, I’m really loving it, lots of good pictures, too. Here’s the piece I was talking about about the facade https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/22/realestate/restoring-brooklyns-queen-of-department-stores.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
oooh I was going to write about the beautiful elevators A & S had. There was a sort of luncheonette counter in the basement, and on the 4th floor, The Garden Restaurant. My mom took me shopping there a lot. Once we went to The Garden Restaurant and I I had creamed spinach. It surprised my 6-year old self by being so delicious I wanted seconds. I'm going to have to get that book!
It’s great, Erika! Yes, the Garden Restaurant was great (I love creamed spinach, too!) the book has pictures of the restaurant, I’m writing about the cheesecake competition, if you’d like I’ll link to you in my post if you post first!
I’m in!
I’ve gotten permission from the author to use the cheesecake recipe!
My grandma used to take me to A&S too! We’d ride the bus from Dyker Heights. Fulton Street was a lot to take in during the 80s, but it felt so fancy inside.
Oh what I wouldn't do to see Fulton Mall in the 80s, Phoebe. Even in the last 20 years it's gone from BONKERS to a lot like everywhere else in the world.
Yes! Very fancy! And the restaurant!
I think it's high time Anabolic World had a brick and mortar presence in downtown Brooklyn. That could easily take up a floor of the old Macy's. Throw in a nice Catholic espresso spot (think of the latte art opportunities!) and a ZYN bar and the place will pay for itself.
Genius, Mr. Stephenson! As per your usual. Think of all the fun characters it would attract.
I would be a regular 💪
A human sized game of Chutes and Ladders.
BINGO!!! The site is PERFECT for that, Mr. Roberts!
I just want to say Catholic Coffee with its patron saints has made my day. Thank you! My patron saint is Teresa of Avila -- am amusing myself thinking up Spanish dark roasts etc. But I have work to do.
I was hoping they might have a St. Teresa blend for you but no! Glad you are ON IT, Geraldine!
You must know the wonderful story about Teresa of Avila. She was off on her mission to reform all the convents and monasteries in Spain, and it was an awful stormy night,, and she and her trusty mount fell into a ditch filled with racing water and various aglomerations of dead leaves and such. And while she is sitting there in the ditch, ass over teakettle, she prays to the Lord and says, "Oh LORD! If this is how you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few."
I didn’t! The patron saint of one-liners, obviously!
The patron saint of headache sufferers. There must be a grant organization in the Vatican that funds the maintenance of these lists :)
I don’t get many headaches and that’s obviously why!
We've had "snus" (google it), as it's called in Swedish, for close to two centuries, here in Sweden. It's become increasingly popular in the last twenty years, also with women, and young girls. It's highly addictive, much more so than smoking. And a lot of users get gum cancer. Enjoy
LOL
Sorry, Lief, it was that your "enjoy" at the end that provoked the laughter.
Snus has tobacco, though, yes? As far as I can figure, a ZYN habit would likely ruin my life but at least it wouldn't give me cancer. Something else will give me cancer.
Thank you for my weekly slice of NYC. A very different life. Although if someone closed a mall near me, I’d probably just ask for more of the same too. Imagination is not my strong point. Thanks so much.
Glad you enjoyed Beth, thank you!
Wow, this is bringing me back in a bad way! A&S was my first job in NYC. I was a secretary working in that building back in the late 80s. I got in trouble with HR because my skirts were “too short”. They weren’t. I worked for a general manager who was highly unliked and mean to everyone. One time a co-worker stuck his finger in my boss’s tuna sandwich as I was carrying it up to his office. Another time, one of the buyers told me I had “the perfect blow-job mouth”. Must have been because of my skirt length, right? My goodness, that freaking place! They did sell the best “Morning Glory” muffins on the ground floor though. Nearly 40 years later and I’m still thinking about those muffins.
Wow that is wild, Lala! You sure had to put up with a lot of nonsense.
Okay now I've got to google "morning glory muffin"...
...Wow, it was a big thing! Maybe the first "good for you not good for you" breakfast
https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/morning-glory-muffins-history
You can make them yourself!
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20995/easy-morning-glory-muffins/
But maybe it would evoke too many bad memories?
The recipe for Morning glory muffins was originally given to us by Teresa of Avila, because the Lord felt bad for dumping her in that ditch.
Ha! I love your curiosity! Oh yes, they were a big thing, and a BIG THING. I once asked about how many calories might be in the GINORMOUS, oily, soft-ball sized muffin and was told about 1,000. Given one of these smaller beauties lists about half that, seems accurate. Also had a laugh at muffins having been called "moofins" given your "skwon" escapades! After reading this newsletter I reached out to an ex-co-worker from A&S who became an ex-boyfriend/forever-friend and shared your story on Macy's demise. He said I was the best thing about working there, and confirmed my other memories. So all in all, a delightful and unexpected walk down memory lane. Off to bake the moofins! Thanks, Anne!
Hah the Danceteria mention. I used to work there, I drove the blue elevator. (There was a blue one and a pink one.) I have lots of stories. Debi Mazar taught me how to work it, it was one of those really old-style elevators with manual doors and a manual lever to go up and down. I would bring my own stereo. No Madonna did not work the coat check, no the beastie boys were not barbacks or floor sweepers.
Oh wow what a fun job that must have been, Ross! And I love that you brought your own stereo.
I have a friend who's the late-night washroom attendant at the Duplex on weekends. I suppose that's not quite as fun.
Only Cafe Anne could get me to Google Catholic Coffee! I'm not a practicing Catholic but I love the idea of patron saints, they're like spiritual cheerleaders! I nominated St Melangell, patron saint of bunnies. I wonder if the Vatican would ever consider a patron saint of online newsletters? Imagine the potential!
Good question Laura Rebecca. I am going to see if there is at least a patron saint of writers...
Oh this is so interesting! ChatGPT says:
-St. Francis de Sales is the primary patron saint of writers and journalists. He was a 17th-century bishop known for his clear, compassionate writing and ability to communicate complex theological ideas in an accessible way.
-St. John the Evangelist is also considered a patron of writers, as he is traditionally believed to have written the Gospel of John, three epistles, and Revelation.
-St. Brigid of Ireland is sometimes associated with poets and creative writers due to her love of learning and storytelling.
-St. Catherine of Siena is another notable figure—she dictated many letters and theological works that had a great influence on the Church.
Although Jewish, I carry a St Jude medal in my wallet. Odd that, living so close to Charlotte, I’ve never heard of Catholic Coffee!
I sometimes wondered where your eclectic topics emerge from. Now I know. Sometimes it's Zyn in between your cheek and gum. I suppose you chew khat when you have writer's block.
Since we had family in NYC I always of course knew about Macy's and other stores like it. The decline of major department stores is a universal thing in America of course. For Buffalo it was AM&As and some others. When I moved to the Midwest it was the sewer caps around our signature store that defined the Midwest. The sewer caps (still around) the long since closed stores said DHDSC. For Minneapolis and St. Paul it was Dayton's -- the best managed of major department stores. They also owned Hudson's which was a fixture in Detroit and other places. Eventually absorbed them all including Marshall Fields in Chicago. Nose to the grindstone Minnesotans consolidated them all. Eventually DHDSC eventually birthed Target and the decline of department stores began.
Midwesterners are peculiar and have always have an inferiority complex that things are better and mysterious on the coasts. Newsflash, they are just different. Eventually when the Mall of America was built in Minnesota, they needed four anchor stores to be relevant and a destination. All four were given FREE RENT for 25 years. Two of them are dead and reused (Bloomingdales and Sears). Only Nordstroms and Macy's remain. A whole bunch of Macy's were built in the area when the MOA was built but only three remain. The MOA is still a well maintained destination that continues to reinvent themselves. My guess is Macy's will last longer in Minnesota than most other places. Three of them remain including one at the first indoor shopping Mall in the US and still operating. I think it was originally built in the 1950s so pretty old. The survival of department stores won't be because of me. The only reason to visit is for an out to dinner thing during the cold months or an out of towner who wants to ride the rollercoaster and log flume.
OMG I I totally forgot AM&As, Mark! My grandma took me there every September to do the back to school shopping.
That is an amazing story about the Mall of America and the free rent for 25 years. Such a deal! If I went to Minnesota I'd for sure want to check it out.
PS I just promised my meditation teacher I'd never ZYN again so those days are over for me.
You already buy coffee by the brick -- you can avoid ZYN :)
We went downtown to AM&As for the windows when we were kids. Old fashioned department stores were a phenomena. My Mom worked for Hengerers for before she got married.
I think that Sears got a ridiculous lease when the place opened in 1991. I recall the courts getting involved after Sears filed under Chapter 11. Whenever I am there I am amazed it still draws crowds
When the Macy’s near me closed, they turned that five-story building into a Lifetime Fitness. The Brooklyn location is bigger, though, so you’ll probably get a Top Golf.
LOL every NYC storefront is turning into virtual golf, skin laser treatment and boutique fitness. So you're probably spot-on, Chris.
Omg a story on that would be amazing. I was so amused when it went up because we thought it was (of course) hideous and one day I was like “it looks like the tower of Sauron”. And then most times we went by it, we would wind up in some conversation with strangers about how hideous it is and it turned out nearly everyone was referring to it as ToS!!! And we’d all laugh at how everyone was coming up with the same reference on their own.
If you google "Tower of Sauron" one of the suggested searches is "tower of sauron brooklyn".
Even the Post agrees!
https://nypost.com/2023/05/10/brooklyn-tower-divides-nyc-with-its-evil-sauron-vibes/
As long as Macy's still has its NYC flagship, they'll be fine. Besides which, they've bought out most of their old competition (Marshall Field, Dayton's, Hudson's) in other cities...
That's true David. I asked a bunch of people at the sale where they'd go shopping instead now that the Downtown Brooklyn location was closing and they all said they'd be heading over to Herald Square for sure.
I lived a few blocks away from it for like seven years. I think I must have only gone in once. The idea of being next to a Macy's was great, but when I finally tried this location, all their merch looked like it was picked out for suburban moms in Nebraska. Maybe I was just super-attached to the Herald Square Macy's which is probably not representative of any other Macy's in the universe. I'd like to lament the "demise" of Fulton Street as I knew it over the years, but I can't. Truth is all through junior high/high school this was not a street to frequent, lest you felt like getting jumped or robbed, or likely both. When I moved to the neighborhood in 2010 it was fun — a weird mix of old retail and new outlet shops, lots of things "coming soon" that would take years, like Dekalb Market (the "interim" Dekalb Market kicked ASS btw, I wish it just remained there for eternity!) Now, I don't even know what to think of Fulton Street. Ever since the Tower of Sauron went up, that whole area is incomprehensible to me... Curious to see how it changes now every time I return to NYC. It was hardly recognizable when I skipped a few weeks, can't imagine skipping a year or two.
Maria, I have never seen any strip in NYC change as fast as Fulton Mall did the past ten years. For while yes it was this delightful mix of old school and chains that were somewhat surburban but also sort of handy. Now only the street vendors remain to give it a sense of life. I wouldn't be surprised if I might actually start going upscale at this point. And wouldn't that be something.
I am dying to do a story on the Tower of Sauron. I just need to find someone who lives there. But I think no one does!
I used to work in Downtown Brooklyn. A&S had the best Christmas window display. One winter I was so enthralled by a nativity scene, I almost converted.
Conversation by window display would have been a good story to tell at church coffee hour, Mr. Greenberg.
You survived a Brooklyn Macy's clearance sale... I'm impressed. You sure are, as The Boss sings, "tougher than the rest"
Haha. Actually, I felt a little let down it didn't have a more crazy and chaotic vibe, Leif. Maybe if they keep dropping the prices...