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Red's Taxi - Anyone remember?

By Bea McManis

Does anyone remember where the dispatch office was for Red's Taxi?

Was there a taxi cab company near the Blue Bus Station on Court St?

While we are at it, does anyone remember an ice cream parlor attached to the Family theater on Jackson St.

....and to settle a dispute, where was Alexander's clothing store located.

Thanks

Gary Spencer

I remember Red's Taxi quite well, the office was on Center Street (I think). My mother never drove and growing up we used Red's Taxi a lot! I remember going into the office on several occasions, he knew us all by name, and I remember him helping us carry groceries into the house when he drooped us off! What service (try to find that these days!).

May 17, 2009, 8:07am Permalink
Dave Meyer

I remember the original Alexander's store being on the north side of Main St.
I would estimate that the location would be somewhere between City Centre and Larry's Steakhouse.

May 17, 2009, 8:44am Permalink
Bea McManis

Re: Alexander's
This dispute is a two parter:
1. The original location.
2. Did it move, after the Urban Renewal disaster, to the corner of Jackson and Main.

Playing "Remember when and where in Batavia" is fun, but memories have a way of playing tricks on all of us.

Re: Red's Taxi
Gary, you've added another question into the mix. Center St.? hmmmmmm, I think I'm going to make a trip to the library tomorrow.
So far:
Red's Taxi - State St., Center St., School St., Court St. Ellicot St., near the Moose club? Red either moved around a lot, or none of us are exactly sure where it was.

May 17, 2009, 8:59am Permalink
jayleigh porter

im to young to know where alexanders was but i can ask my mom cuz she still has her wedding dress from 30 yrs ago and it was from alexanders and i think she said it was in the area of larrys but then i think she said it was near where C.L. CARRS WAS but i can ask her

May 17, 2009, 10:20am Permalink
Bea McManis

CL CARR's was on the south side of Main St. In the day, there was Grant's on the corner of Main and Center, then Newberry's, CL CARR, Thomas & Dwyer and the M&T bank on the corner of Main & Jackson. I think we got that straight.
Can you imagine two five and dimes and a department store that close together?
When you crossed Jackson St. still on the south side, there was Dean's drug store, Critic's, Marine Midland (it may have had another name then); Sleight's book store, Scott & Bean's; and it seems like there was something else before Seavor St. maybe the Army Surplus store (or the Outdoor Store or Western Auto). I'm not totally sure about the order on this block.
In the next block, still on the south side of Main were more stores, including J.C. Penny. I keep thinking that Alexander's was across from that block. That would put it about where Wendy's is now, or in the parking lot between the mall and Wendy's. At the end of that block was the old Richmond Hotel on the corner of Main and Court St.
You are too young to remember. I'm afraid I'm old enough to remember when the Dead Sea wasn't sick, and a failing memory is evidence of that.
I'm sure someone, on here, will know.

May 17, 2009, 11:05am Permalink
Lucille Van Son

Bea,
I pretty much agree with what you remember on the south side of Main St. It was Alexanders that remodeled where Dean's drugstore was to the way it is now. They use to be pretty much on the corner of State St. and Main, which is pretty close to where the road now comes out between Wendy's and The City Centre. There are some awesome old photos & postcards hanging in Main St. Pizza of old Main St.

May 17, 2009, 12:08pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Harold, thanks for the video. It is certainly a keeper. For whatever reason, I have no recollection of Alexander's being on the corner of Main & Jackson after Urban Renewal. Perhaps it was during the time I was boycotting Main St. and refused to drive down that stretch for a long, long time.
I was one of many who didn't object to urban renewal. My vision of how the money should be used was far different than powers that were at the time.
I pointed out, then, and still look at Corning as a shiny example of how our Main St. could look today. We had a total face lift. In legal terms if someone had that bad a face lift, which left them with no face and certainly no personality, they would win damages in court for malpractice.

May 17, 2009, 12:58pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by Lucille Van Son about 2 hours ago
Bea,
I pretty much agree with what you remember on the south side of Main St. It was Alexanders that remodeled where Dean's drugstore was to the way it is now. They use to be pretty much on the corner of State St. and Main, which is pretty close to where the road now comes out between Wendy's and The City Centre. There are some awesome old photos & postcards hanging in Main St. Pizza of old Main St.

That part of the dispute is now settled. They were at the corner of Jackson and Main. :( I lost that bet. drats!
Still hope for Red's Taxi, though. Can't get a definitive answer on that one yet.
Isn't there anyone old enough to remember the Family Theater? Am I the ONLY old codger left on this site? It was where I had my first dance recital...which is almost as bad as remembering my high school graduation was held at Mancuso Theater. The question was about the ice cream parlor attached to the Family Theater. Anyone remember it?

May 17, 2009, 2:03pm Permalink
George Richardson

Bea wrote: Can you imagine two five and dimes and a department store that close together?

I'm neary certain that S.S. Kresge was located in that same five and dime stretch during the early 60's and I remember a three story Montgomery Ward's near the east end of downtown, closer to Liberty St. on the south side of Main Street, as well. It had wooden floors and wide staircases and seemed ancient even then. By that time only the Dipson and Mancuso theaters were left. I did a lot of browsing, and spent very little money, on the top floor of Grant's where all the toys were and I bought a cameleon for a quarter down in the aquarium section of Grant's basement, to the right of the double staircase, once as well. Of course, I may be totally wrong about everything but the Grant's comments. It's hard to be sure with a fifty five year old hard drive. Actually I think it is a soft drive, only the casing is hard.

May 17, 2009, 2:28pm Permalink
George Richardson

I also remember when Batavia had a regular bus system that went up and down Main Street. I got on across from Ann's Paint Store, at the corner of Lyon St. in front of the Plymouth dealarship, and rode to Ross Street so my older brother and I could visit the Library. I was about five or six and it was the only time I ever rode the Batavia bus, I think we even walked home. Shortly after that they went to a call and ride style system that I never used even once.

May 17, 2009, 2:42pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Kresge's was on the corner of Main & Jackson where Dean's Drug Store and, ultimately - I guess, Alexander's. For those not familiar with Kresge's, it was the forerunner of K-Mart.
I had a glass negative taken by McJury (McJury's studio was at 80 Main St., across from Scott & Bean's and Marine Bank) of troops marching east to Jackson St and making the turn down Jackson to the train station...the corner building, soon to be Kresge's was under construction and about 3' tall at the time.
Judging from the uniforms, I'd say it was WW1.
I remember Montgomery Wards down toward Liberty St.
Which brings us to downtown grocery stores, near Montgomery Wards was the A&P; across from St. Jerome's was NuWay, later Acme. Just down the street from A&P was Loblaws. Marchese's had a green grocery store in downtown Batavia, can't remember exactly where it was.
So not only did we have five and department stores falling over each other, but we had grocery stores on top of each other as well.
Ironic that there was no concern about competition back then, they all seemed to do quite well.

May 17, 2009, 2:48pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

I remember the Mill Outlet with the smell of popcorn permeating and the wooden floors.

Our Easter clothes and first communion garb always came from The Surprise Store. Was that over on Ellicott?

May 17, 2009, 4:07pm Permalink
Bea McManis

The Surprise Store and the Enterprise Store (Women & Children in the first) Men and Boys at the Enterprise were both on Ellicot. Good memory.
It was the place to go when you couldn't find it anywhere else.

May 17, 2009, 5:30pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Daniel, yes, and Vic's been running it in print ads, too -- well, at least the PennySaver. The Daily won't allow him to mention The Batavian in his ad.

May 17, 2009, 6:06pm Permalink
Lucille Van Son

Also down that way, closer to Liberty St. was Norban's and the other way near the theater ( which I also graduated in) was Marlees. There was a little stand alone ice cream stand where the parking lot is across from YMCA. I think Branton's may have had a building behind it. I am not sure about the Family Theater, but there was a building that could have been a theater at one time on Jackson St. that had roller skating in it. But I was real young and don't remember that much of it other than I think it was on the corner of Jackson & school that is now parking.

Does anyone remember a place on the north side of Main St. called the Hamburg Hut? It was upstairs, it had a lot of pool tables. It was down aways heading west from where Kustas' was.

The buses ran regularly for quite a while, I remember catching the bus for $.25 to go to school. It would meet another bus on Main St. and kids would switch buses, one bus went to high school and the other went to Notre Dame. They were the Main St. bus and the Loop.

May 17, 2009, 7:52pm Permalink
Lorie Longhany

I remember that dairy across from the 'Y'.

I also remember the first fast food joint. The Red Barn (I think where Settlers is now) -- 25 cent burgers and the 'Barnbuster' which we weren't allowed to order. In the summer my mother took us swimming at New lake and we stopped for burgers on the way home.

May 17, 2009, 9:54pm Permalink
julie heywood

wow brings back alot of memories....Alexanders was on the corner of Main and State. There was also a taxi business on State near the bars..many bars back then. I'm 49 now, i remember Kustas on Main St,Go down the alley My grandparents had a store on Seaver Place across from the Mill Outlet. If you went toward Washington Ave you would past by WBTA. Also ACme markets on Bank,,Burton flowers on couner of Bank and Washington. Alot of memories ..

May 17, 2009, 10:02pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by Lucille Van Son
Also down that way, closer to Liberty St. was Norban's and the other way near the theater ( which I also graduated in) was Marlees.

Norbans was an event in Batavia. The lines would be a block long waiting for their sales. I remember shopping at Marlees. LOL, no matter what you tried on, they told you it was just the dress for you.

What year did you graduate?

There was a little stand alone ice cream stand where the parking lot is across from YMCA. I think Branton's may have had a building behind it.

It used to be Adelman's. then Fargo Ware. I don't know who else ran it.

I am not sure about the Family Theater, but there was a building that could have been a theater at one time on Jackson St. that had roller skating in it. But I was real young and don't remember that much of it other than I think it was on the corner of Jackson & school that is now parking.

That was the Lafayett Theater

Does anyone remember a place on the north side of Main St. called the Hamburg Hut? It was upstairs, it had a lot of pool tables. It was down aways heading west from where Kustas' was.

That is a stumper. The only pool hall I remember on Main Street was Spiotta's. Was there a pool hall on Ellicot St, near the square.

The buses ran regularly for quite a while, I remember catching the bus for $.25 to go to school. It would meet another bus on Main St. and kids would switch buses, one bus went to high school and the other went to Notre Dame. They were the Main St. bus and the Loop.

May 17, 2009, 10:28pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Spiotta's Pool Hall was on the north side of Main St., upstairs. I'm not exactly sure which block, I believe it was somewhere across from Newberry's. Some place I never entered, lol

May 18, 2009, 6:39am Permalink
Lucille Van Son

I wonder if that may be the same place I am referring to. It was upstairs, but it seemed to be farther down, how may pool halls could have been upstairs?

May 18, 2009, 8:29am Permalink
Ron C Welker

The movie theater on Jackson St.is where I seen King Kong for the first time and was later made into the roller rink. The city police station was right behind the building on school st.
How anout Gerace's Diner at the Blue bus station on the corner of Ellicott and center st.
Joe Roses novelty shop on Ellicott St. for gag gifts.

May 18, 2009, 8:30am Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by Ron C Welker about 35 minutes ago
The movie theater on Jackson St.is where I seen King Kong for the first time and was later made into the roller rink. The city police station was right behind the building on school st.
How anout Gerace's Diner at the Blue bus station on the corner of Ellicott and center st.
Joe Roses novelty shop on Ellicott St. for gag gifts.

It was a discussion about the Blue Bus station that started all of this. :)
I thought that Red's Taxi was somewhere near the bus station and the diner (corner of Ellicott and Court st.). If you read up, you'll see that memories of his location(s) vary. Still no 'for sure' answer.
I also realized that memories are different depending on the years one remembers what Main St. looked like. We each bring different windows of time into the mix.

Batavia had robust commercial districts. While it would be comforting to blame the "big box" stores for the demise of our business districts, there were contributions made by other factors. It is sad to watch Harold's video. Look beyond the stores on the street level and remember that there were retail stores and professional offices on the second, and sometimes, third floors.
Our children will never have the same memories of the Batavia's golden years. I can't imagine them ever sitting around and playing "remember when" when discussing the mall. It is a dismal memory, best forgetten.

May 18, 2009, 9:27am Permalink
Frank Penna Jr

Everyone is forgetting about Woolworths that was on the corner of Main and Jackson. When Woolworths closed it became Dean's Drugstore and during Urban Renewal a new Alexanders was built on that spot. Kresege's was a few doors down on the alleyway that led to Salways Hardware. If you stood in the center of Jackson St you could look up the stairway leading to Spiotta's Pool Hall

May 18, 2009, 3:53pm Permalink
Richard Gahagan

All the Y rats ate at the DAGWOOD but you had to sneak away and eat it there cause if you brought food back to the Y you got beat up and everyone else ate your food.

May 18, 2009, 4:07pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Frank, you are right! It was Woolworths'. What was I thinking. Thanks.
You are just the person who's brain has to be picked about something else that came up last night. Do you remember where Priola's store was on Ellicott St. I said it is where Dewey Towner is now. Also was the little place next to Wortzman's furniture, years and years ago. What sort of establishment was that?
Red's Taxi? Any thoughts on where that was?

May 18, 2009, 4:19pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by Richard Gahagan about 12 minutes ago
All the Y rats ate at the DAGWOOD but you had to sneak away and eat it there cause if you brought food back to the Y you got beat up and everyone else ate your food.

Oh, that's cold!
When I was in high school, everyone went to Don's Dinette after school. It was our version of Al's on Happy Days. The Dagwood was someplace to go for lunch after we were out of school and starting jobs. More 'upscale'.

May 18, 2009, 4:23pm Permalink
George Richardson

One question? Is Max Pies still at the end of Liberty Street? My grandparents lived on Liberty Street and believed in buying locally. My Grandma also believed in clear plastic slip covers for the furniture. I'm guessing Max suggested it, to protect against the grandchildren. It worked, but man it was sticky on those hot days. There were like two or three, haha.

May 18, 2009, 5:56pm Permalink
George Richardson

People my age remember the Jackson Street Movie Theater, and later Roller Rink, as the Tryst, a hangout for young Batavia Hippie Wannabe's. It only lasted for a short while, urban renewal was already foaming at the mouth, but still I appreciate the effort that went into giving us a place to have some fun. Most cities (towns) don't care if the kids are suffering and bored. I think Batavia did and us old hippies are still working to make sure they do. Ramble time is just around the corner folks. Fun is good.

May 18, 2009, 6:15pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by George Richardson about 22 minutes ago
One question? Is Max Pies still at the end of Liberty Street? My grandparents lived on Liberty Street and believed in buying locally. My Grandma also believed in clear plastic slip covers for the furniture. I'm guessing Max suggested it, to protect against the grandchildren. It worked, but man it was sticky on those hot days. There were like two or three, haha.

Max Pies is still there. I remember your grandparents. Your grandmother's iris garden was beautiful. Your grandfather worked very hard around the house. He had a big, BIG dog, I can't remember it's name.
Max didn't have too far to walk to Temple, it was just down Liberty St. from the store. There was also a cider mill close by.

May 18, 2009, 6:22pm Permalink
Lucille Van Son

Bea,
Yes, Priolo's is where Towner's is now, and there was something next to Wortzman's but can't remember what it was. Do you also remember a little hole in the wall diner near Priolo's building, I think Bonarigo's. Part of the building where the health food place is now. Riccobono's was where Southside is, and the next block on Hutchins there was another grocery store called Perkowski's. Those little stores were all over the place. KG's Lounge where the empty spot by the Health food store, Canale's bar where that little empty lot is across from Polka dot, and down Liberty was Pelligrino's Bakery. The ice house that was on Central Ave, behind where the Hardware store is now.

May 18, 2009, 6:35pm Permalink
Frank Giuliano

I haven't lived in Batavia since 1954 but I do remember the Family Theater and also the Lafayette Theater closer to Ellicott St. My mother used to like the original Frankenstien & Wolfman movies and would always bring me. I never saw the movies because I was so scared I always sat on the floor.The little shop next to the Family Theater was where we bought our buttered (real butter) popcorn for 10 Cents.Priolo was my mothers maiden name and he was her uncle.My grandfathers brother.Alexanders was on the south side of Main St. The store on the corner of Main and Jackson was Carr's which also had an entry and exit on Jackson St.I washed dishes at the Dagwood after school but most of kids hung out up the street but for the life of me I can't remember the name of it. Help me out. The Davis family owned it.
P.S...Is there any one in Batavia who might remember me?
Frank Giuliano (Juliano)Class of 54. fgiuliano@rochester.rr.com

May 18, 2009, 7:56pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by lynn garlock about 15 minutes ago
Red's Taxi was located at 37 Center street. Garlock Office Center Building

Thank you Lynn, you are a peach!

May 18, 2009, 9:07pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Frank, the other diner was Don's Dinette. Originally owned by Don Naegley, but by the time I was in high school (1954-60) it was owned by the Davis Family.
We have covered a lot of businesses in a short span of time, and really exercised our memory.
We grew up in a time when there was a grocery store on almost every corner. Many were just doors away from each other.
Someday, we should all gather again and do a count of the bars we remember in Batavia. That would take a day, at least.
:)
Have a good night.

May 18, 2009, 9:16pm Permalink
GORDON KILNER

IJUST TSLKED TO RICHARD SPINK . HE DROVE FOR RED'S TAXI FOR 25 YEARS. HE SAID YHEY STARTED ON THE CORNER OF COURT AND ELLICOTT IN A OFFICE AND FROM THERE WENT TO 37 CENTER STREET

May 18, 2009, 9:26pm Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by GORDON KILNER about 26 minutes ago
IJUST TSLKED TO RICHARD SPINK . HE DROVE FOR RED'S TAXI FOR 25 YEARS. HE SAID YHEY STARTED ON THE CORNER OF COURT AND ELLICOTT IN A OFFICE AND FROM THERE WENT TO 37 CENTER STREET

thanks Gordon. YOU made my point. I lost on Alexander's but I KNEW that Red's was near the bus station at one time.
25 years! Richard Spink deserves a medal.

May 18, 2009, 9:57pm Permalink
Frank Penna Jr

Bea on Elicott St starting at the corner of Liberty was the Kendall gas station which was run by Russ Chilano. Next to that was the LoTempo building that had two store fronts. The east one once housed Pontillo's and next to that in the Wortzman building there was a Batavia Fire Station that later moved down that later moved to where the present building located. Wortzman's took over all of the building and put an addition on the east side. My grandparents owned Colangelo's Bakery for close to 70 yrs which was located in the center of that block. Felix Marchese had a grocery store on the southside of Main St. We all know where Grant's and Newberry's were located - next to Newberry's was Rudoph's Jewelers then Marchese's and next to them was Carr's. When Carr's remodeled Rudoph's and Marchese's moved almost directly across Main St.

May 19, 2009, 2:05am Permalink
Bea McManis

Posted by Frank Penna Jr about 4 hours ago
My grandparents owned Colangelo's Bakery for close to 70 yrs which was located in the center of that block.

I loved that bakery. The bread for the Feast of St. Nicholas was never the same after Colangelo's closed.
As an aside, your aunt was my kindegarden teacher at St. Anthony's?

I forgot that LoTempio owned that building next to the gas station. I do remember the store fronts, but not what was in them.

May 19, 2009, 6:41am Permalink

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