The wicker seats were especially interesting when wearing mini-skirts. You would arrive at the office with a criss-cross pattern embedded in the back of your thighs.

And while fun in winter as nostalgia - they were hell in the summer - no AC.

And remember how CHEAP they were. Just a token - no MetroCards. And the lovely adage: That (something useless) and a token will get you on the subway.

Thanks, we will try and make it one Sunday.

And they also had Miss Subways, a dubious title for election if ever there wad one. And Ellen, the owner of the Starust Dust, was Miss Subway Seat one month.

Man, that is right about AC!! Thanks.

Speaking of Miss Subways, the Transit Museum in Brooklyn is having an exhibition called "Meet Miss Subways: New York's Beauty Queens 1941-1976" containing posters (with current pictures of some of the winners) as well as some recent recorded interviews.

http://www.mta.info/mta/museum/whatsnew.htm


The Transit Museum is located at the corner of Boerum Place & Schermerhorn St in Brooklyn. It is in a decommissioned subway station. The hours are Tues-Fri 10 AM - 4 PM, Sat-Sun 11 AM to 5 PM, closed on Mondays and major holidays.

Admission is $7.00 for adults, Children (2-17) and Seniors (62+) $5.00

http://www.mta.info/mta/museum/index.html


The TM also has a gallery annex & store in Grand Central Terminal (to the left of the Station Master's office. The current exhibition there is a large Lionel Train display for the Holiday/Christmas season.

GCT Annex & store Hours

Monday – Friday: 8 AM to 8 PM
Saturday – Sunday: 10 AM to 6 PM
Closed: major holidays and for special events
Phone

(212) 878-0106

And remember how CHEAP they were. Just a token - no MetroCards.

A dime when I first started using them.

And remember how CHEAP they were. Just a token - no MetroCards.
___

Yes, we and walked to school uphill both ways.

I'm not THAT old. That was my father - and in was always in the snow - even in June.

I remember the fare being 15 cents.

>>> And Ellen, the owner of the Starust Dust, was Miss Subway Seat one month. >>>

Stardust Diner. And she has been milking it ever since. (Like Debby Boone and "You Light Up My Life").


Thanks for posting this nycguy. I read about it a few weeks ago, then promptly forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder. I love NY nostalgia.

Exactly Panecott. I used to stop at Ellen's downtown restaurant for she did sell a wonderful pair of scones. She would linger in the aisles as if still solicting Miss Subway votes.

Unfortunately or fortunately, I am old enough to remember trolley cars. There were two derelict trolleys by Fairway in Red Hook and I am unsure if they survived Sandy.

I have the annoying habit of trying to remember the past as it actually happened rather than as people thought it happened.

There used to be (perhaps still is) a restaurant/coffee shop downtown near the courthouses (found it while on jury duty) that had a display of a number (perhaps all) of the Miss Subways.

That was Ellen's original place before she moved further north on Broadway.

One summer when I was clerking, two of the partners - not a fancy law firm, LOL - took me to lunch there. I found a dead bug in my food but was too embarrassed to say anything.

I never ate there again.

BTW, I didn't finish my meal, just left it.

Ellen was there that day, in fact. I wonder what she would have done if she'd heard about the bug.

I remember the old trolley tracks along 13th Avenue and down 86th St. in my old neighborhood, before they were covered over - or maybe removed.

I can't remember if I ever saw a trolley, however. But I do remember those wicker subway seats.

Ellen's downtown place is long gone.

It's probably a Duane Reade now.

Well at least the first Duane Reade was just a few blocks north on Broadway between ah... Duane and Reade. And it was sold to...Bain Capital

I don't remember the wicker seat marks on the back of my thighs, but sure do on the rear of my linen shirts. I eventually started placing a handkerchief (remember those) on the seat before placing my butt down, which also kept the dirt between the weaves from also leaving a reminder on light colored cloths.

Between the lack of a/c... fans only if working... and that wicker it was a given you'd remember the ride. And yes... only a token, which size seemed to increase as did the price.

Of course the first Duane Reade was located between Duane and Reade Street, now owned by Walgreen's after numerous owners between. The first Sym's Dept Store was located down there also and Century 21 was a grouping of small interconnecting stores before they eventually moved into one large store taking over the space of a bank... now lots of Century 21s around town.

What a lovely reminder... thanks for posting this.

We were waiting at Queens Plaza on Sunday and saw the vintage subway cars come in. Unfortunately that was as far as they were going on that line, so couldn't take it to our stop which was only two further down the line. DH got some great photos though.

I think we will go on Dec 9th.

first Sym's Dept Store was located down there also

I used to work with a women who would hide clothing because the longer clothes stayed at Sym's the cheaper it became.

Sym's is one of the most depressing stores I've ever been in.

Most discount stores manage even a bare modicum of ambience, but not Sym's. I never shop there for that reason.


I knew about the origin of the name, Duane Reade, but didn't know it was sold to Bain. Ugh! Are they the current owners?

I also remember back when DR was considered a discount drug store. Now their prices are ridiculous, and they've redecorated most stores to look like cosmetic boutiques.

No, DR has been sold twice since Bain and is now owned by Walgreen's.

The reason why DR prices are so high, is that someone has to pay for the cost of DR constantly being bought and sold. And maybe if they eliminated half of them the margins would increase in the ones that remain. In a six block walk from my house there are three DR's and Walgreen's JUST IN ONE DIRECTION.