Marilyn Mayes Kaltenborn spoke recently at a Fleischmans history program at Skene Memorial Library. She is the author of “An Unconventional Childood,” a memoir about growing up in Fleischmanns in the 1950s and ’60s, the daughter of Murray and Bertha Mayes. She was also the featured speaker at HSM’s Annual Meeting and Luncheon Oct. 26, 2019.
With help from Richard Pultz and Ian Cohen, Marilyn came up with this list of businesses that existed in Fleischmanns during the 1950s. How many do YOU remember? Add your comments and memories . . .
Businesses in Fleischmanns During the 1950s
By Marilyn Mayes Kaltenborn
with help from Richard Pultz and Ian Cohen
(October 2013)
OPEN YEAR-AROUND:
- 2 toy/candy stores each with a lunch counter (Gale’s – Max and Shirley Geller, Muller’s – Charles and Luella Muller),
- liquor store (Sid Silberstein),
- small department store (Glen Haderup),
- 2 grocery stores (David Solomon and Sam Lipton and at some point
there was an A&P), - 2-3 bars (Cat’s Meow, Monahan’s),
- doctor (Abraham Rottkov and Elwin Champlin in very early 1950s),
- dentist (William Cohen)
- attorney (Gleason Speenburg),
- 2 drug stores (Phillip Miller and Kaplan’s) ,
- hardware store (Paul Shaver) ,
- bank,
- post office,
- barber shop (Anthony Cerami)
- plumbing store (Louis Halpern & Sigmund Halpern),
- restaurant (Anthony Cerami),
- Kosher butcher (Meyer Dlasnow),
- lumber yard (Wadler’s: Herman, Bernard & Arthur Wadler),
- concrete and paving company (Sam & Morris Slavin)
- paint store (Izzy Sliverman) ,
- insurance agency (Flisser-DeGrof),
- 4 motels (Meinstein’s Lodge – Julius and Lori Gross, Valkarian Motel – Milton & June Valk, Delaware Court Motel – James & Geraldine Cantwell, and DePitt’s Motel. The Northland was built in the late 1950s – George Smith
- Laundromat (Sollie Darling),
- 4 garages/gas stations (Meyers’ – Ralph Meyers, Todd’s – Otis & Robert Todd, Lerner’s – Sonny Lerner, and Darling’s – Sollie Darling),
- car dealership (Ford dealership – Todd’s
SUMMER ONLY
(because thousands of tourists came to the area):
- a candy store (Milt Hersch),
- candy store with some clothing (Jack’s was the name of the store, not sure who operated it)
- 2-3 more grocery stores (Klein’s, Progressive Market, Canned goods and pickles – Nat Israel),
- fish market (Charles Barrett),
- hair dresser (Diane Mathes),
- 2 taxi services,
- antiquities store (Robert Lustig – opened in late 1950s – had items from ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece),
- department store (Schwartz),
- theater opened (name was Onteora Theater),
- 2 -3 restaurants (Bel-Air, Elsie’s on the Green, Sugar Bowl (a teenage hangout)),
- lake opened,
- many hotels (some very large, e.g., The Takanassee Hotel’s pool was so large it had a raft and The Grand Hotel had its own golf course), rooming houses and bungalows opened.
There was passenger train service to Fleischmanns until the mid-1950s.