Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases the buildings, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Instead of a building, it may be a TV show, personality, or commercial that no one longer exists. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

Textile mill origins
The Ames department stores got their start by brothers Milton and Irving Gilman in 1958. Their flagship store was in an old textile mill in Southbridge, Mass. called the “Ames Worsted Textile Company.” The idea for the name wasn’t anything original, they just used the existing name – and sign.

The Ames Worsted company was a descendant of the U.S. Bunting Company which was founded by one of Lowell’s wealthiest citizens, business mogul, and Civil War general, Benjamin Butler. While Ames is a first name, Worsted isn’t a surname. Worsted is a type of fabric made from yarn, which was originally made from a village known for its highest quality: Worstead, England.

A bunting is a worsted style, wool fabric used to make flags and ribbons mostly.

Hence, we go from Ames Worsted, to just Ames. Ames is the first name of Ames Stevens, a wealthy Lowell native who owned and ran the Ames Worsted Textile Company mill. The Ames Department stores are named after this fellow!

Growth and fall
From its inception the store went after a rural market as opposed to being in cities. They felt less competition would be profitable and they were correct. Through the 1970s and 1980s they began a massive expansion and went into an acquisition phase, acquiring chain stores, department, variety stores, most notably the Zayre’s chain of stores.

They spent a monumental amount of money on converting these stores in their own store. Combined with poor economical conditions, and a approve anyone and everyone policy for credit, and profits plummeted as the 1990s approached. They filed for their first bankruptcy in 1990.

Amazingly they returned to profitability within 2 years of declaring Chapter 11. They also returned to expansion and bought the Bradlees, Jamesway, Caldor, Hills and Montgomery Ward chains. By 1998 they were the fourth largest chain in the country with over 00 stores, only beat by Target, Wal-Mart and KMart. Profits were $2.2 Billion dollars annually.

Rapid return to profit; an even quicker collaps
In 1999, the beginning of the end started. Stores began to close at a rapid pace. Eight stores were shuttled that year, 32 the following year, and a whopping 117 in 2001. In spite of still having hundreds of stores still open, the filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001. From 1998-2002 they had lost almost half of their stores.

An executive decision was made to close he remaining 300+ stores and blame was placed on poor sales and shipping woes by Ames’ higher ups. Economists and financial analysts felt that their rapid expansion in general, a poor credit market, the acquisition of the many Hills Department Stores, and Wal-Mart’s expansion were the cause.

Local locations, slogans and commercials
Ocean State Job has taken over many of the sites, however many have remained empty since the chain closed its doors. In the greater New Bedford area there was an Ames at 1024 King’s Highway (where A.J. Wright is), at the North Dartmouth Mall, and 11 Berdon Way, Berdon Plaza (where Shaw’s was) in Fairhaven. If you worked at Ames, you may find many of these forms to bring back memories!

Slogans: (Wikipedia)
“You can believe in Ames” (Early 80s)
“Amazing Ames!” (Early 80s)
“It Pays to Shop at Ames… Every day.” (Late 80s)
“Where you come first… Every day.” (Late 80s early 90s)
“Ames. We grew up with better values.” (Early 90s)
“On your side.” (Mid 90s)
“Bargains by the Bagful.” (1995-2002)

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The first Burger Chef opened its doors in 1957

Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases the buildings, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Instead of a building, it may be a TV show, personality, or commercial that no one longer exists. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

Any waxing nostalgic of food related topics is always popular. It’s not difficult to recall these memories because typically we’ve had the experience hundreds of times and gustatory recollection involves multiple sensory experiences; sight, smell, and taste. Lend me the liberty and even count audio as an experience; the conversation had with family and friends, ordering inside or at the drive-thru speaker, and familiar crash of ice into your paper cup and the click-click of the fountain gun being engaged.

Food and restaurants serve as an exemplar mnemonic anchor, because of the many childhood experiences that revolve around them. Mention a “forgotten” place like Barbero’s, A&W, or Howdy’s Beefburgers or Royal Hamburgers is to immediately evoke specific memories. “Remember that time when we were at Barbero’s and…”

Burger Chef is no different!! If you grew up in New Bedford, you’ll recall the one on Mt. Pleasant Street that became Popeye’s. If you grew up in Dartmouth, you may recall the one on Route 6/State Road. Fairhaven’s was opened by George Staffopulous in 1970, who I believe was his second store. I don’t recall where this one was.

The very first Burger Chef was opened in 1957 in Indianapolis, Indiana by Frank and Donald Thomas who incidentally patented the Frame Boiler. At this time a Triple Treat which was an order of fries, a burger and a milkshake (Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry) were an incredible 15 cents each. The family could eat out for about a buck and a half! Imagine that?!

The concept spread like wildfire West and East and within a few short years you could get the Super Shef -a quarter-pounder with cheese, lettuce tomato, onions and pickles with ketchup- or their signature double-burger called the Big Shef all advertised by mascots Burger Chef and Jeff, just about anywhere. Later they added the Top Shef, a 1/3 pound of beef, topped with bacon and cheese. You could also have your order “with” or “without” which meant that the servers could dress your burger or you could do it yourself at the “Works Bar.” In 1964 they debuted the Fish Sandwich and their first dessert item, the Apple Turnover.

Within a year Frank and Donald Thomas had opened seven additional Burger Chefs. As impressive and quick as that was, it wasn’t as impressive as the number of restaurant openings that followed: 100 by 1960, 250 by 1963, 500 by 1965 and their 1000th store opened in 1969.

When the 70s rolled around you could get the precursor to the Happy Meal, the Funmeal Platter or Fun Meal, which would include puzzles and stories about Burger Chef Chef and/or his sidekicks, the Fangmily: vampire Count Fangburger, Burgerini, Cackleburger the witch, and the talking ape Burgerilla. I can’t recall whether the little records, plastic frisbees, or fun money came with the Fun Meal or had to be bought separately. Do you?

For adults they had a few different types of platters: the Mariner Platter had two batter dipped fish fillets, fries and salad, the Rancher Platter was a 1/3 pound of beef, Texas Toast, fries and salad.

In 1968 General Foods bought it, but couldn’t keep up with its expansion and it was bought in 1982 by Hardee’s owners Imasco. They converted many of the Burger Chef’s into more Hardee’s. I believe, the last Burger Chef in the nation closed its doors in 1996. Want to relive the experience and have a Big Shef? You still can in Danville, Illinois, where a converted Burger hef that is now Schroeder’s Drive-In serves burger chef burgers and even has a works bar.

What were YOUR fondest memories of Burger Chef? Do you have any collectibles?

Slogans (Wikipedia):

• Early 1980s – “Nowhere else but Burger Chef”
• Late 1970s – “We really give you the works.”
• Mid 1970s – early 1980s – “You get more to like at Burger Chef.”</span>
• 1970s – “There’s more to like at Burger Chef” and “Burger Chef goes all out to please your family”
• Early 1970s – “We’ll always treat you right”

Short Commercial:

Commercial Montage:

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1852 Portrait of Abraham H. Howland by William Allen Wall (N.B. Free Public Library)

Series Introduction
Welcome to the seventh installment of the series “Historical Personages of New Bedford.” The previous six installments can be found by using the keyword “personage” in the search window in the column at the right or click here.

My intention with this series is to shine some light on the lesser known names and figures of New Bedford’s past.

I won’t focus on the more popular and well-known figures since they have not only been covered in substantial depth, but information about these figures is something most people already have a cursory knowledge of. Though redundant to say, if any more information is desired, it is readily available and easily accessible.

Some of these great and popular figures got to be well known, wealthy, or famous on the shoulders of names vaguely recalled or ne’er heard. I don’t want to swing all the way to the other side and overcompensate by saying that these great figures would be no one without those you haven’t heard of. Perhaps they would have, but I think since history has traditionally ignored the lesser known figures, let’s give them their due!

Abraham Hathaway Howland (1802-1887)
A city’s success – or nation’s success for that matter – is indirectly due to the direction dictated by past city officials in a sort of generational domino effect.

While a politician typically spends the majority of his time remedying current issues, each spends a fair amount of time on setting up the future. Fertilizing the economic soil, if you will.

He or she places certain laws or bills into motion that may take a year, a decade or a generation to come to fruition. This makes some officials down the road look really good, but they unfairly get the credit for their predecessors work. Not all, some.

I begin the article with this point, because the economic, social, and educational climate of a city is a result of every mayor to come before. Now, a disclaimer…I am NOT saying that the people don’t play a role. In fact, they probably play a greater role. We vote the officials into office, we vote them out. We approve or disapprove of city proposals.

It is a union between politicians and the people, however you wouldn’t read an article on how John Doe cut out of work early to make it to the polls and played his part in being one of 6,000 that voted on town referendum! Besides, there’s no information on John Doe in 1840 that I could go by!

So, we’ll focus on the “names.” In the case, with this series, the “lesser” names in terms of familiarity. Very few know who the first mayor of New Bedford is, but I bet you’re familiar with his surname: Howland. If you consider yourself a historian or even a pet historian, it is a name you should be very familiar with. The city’s firsts should be an area of knowledge for anyone who professes to know anything about greater New Bedford history.

One of Eleven Children; Born of Quakers
Abraham Hathaway Howland was born of Quakers Weston Howland and Abigail Hathaway in New Bedford, March 2, 1802 – one of 11 children. Abraham H. was actually the second Abraham, named after his “older” brother who died before his second birthday.

His father Weston Howland was a well-known, respected figure in New Bedford; he was a business mogul who bought and sold grain and flour in the 18th century into the early 19th century. He also owned most of the vessels that carried his product to and from his storehouse on Rotch’s Wharf.

Abraham would follow his father’s footsteps, but refused to have things handed to him. Showing his character early on, he began as a clerk and worked in virtually every department of his father’s business. He even captained his father’s vessels at one point which eventually led him to dip into the whaling industry and captain vessels of his own, most notably the 279 tonnage “London Packet.” He maintained a counting room at 13 Middle Street.

This attitude, work ethic and experience would prove to be invaluable and serve him throughout his life. When whaling began to wane, he went directly into the petroleum refining business. He held high positions or was on the boards of many businesses, Burgess & Howland, director with the Whaling Insurance Company of New Bedford, director of the Western Railroad, Committee on Mercantile Affairs, and even the N.B. Fire Department.

Socially he was a member of the Eureka Lodge F. and A.M. which was formed by members of the Star in the East Lodge, and the Sutton Commandery of Knights Templar.

Business First, Politics After…then Business again
In the early 1840s, showing his continuing desire to be diverse, he jumped into politics, and became a member of the Massachusetts State House of Representatives and served from 1843-1846. All the while still running his many businesses, and even expanded his whaling company and increased his fleet with the aptly named Abraham H. Howland, built in 1845. Alas, this vessel would make three trips before being lost at Honolulu in 1852. In 1846, he obtained from the Legislature of Massachusetts a charter to begin to manufacture cotton, wool, and iron under the name of Wamsutta Mills.

Abraham fell in love with and married Mehitable Earle Russell Howland (1810 – 1892) and they had six children, Abigail, Hannah, Abraham H. jr, Alice, Horace and Mary. Abraham jr. would follow his masonic and political footsteps, and served as chief engineer for the city from 1871-1874 and as mayor of New Bedford (and president of the Water Board) himself from 1875-1876.

When the city of New Bedford decided to incorporate on March 18, 1847, he jumped ship from the House of Representatives and ran for mayor. Certainly his economic effect on the city combined with his political experience made him a shoe-in. The population of the city at this time was 22,000.

A.H. Howland became the first mayor of the newly incorporated New Bedford in 1847 and stayed in office until 1851. I’d imagine, his many businesses ventures suffered with his lack of time and direction. So his last term was in 1851 and he returned to his business life.

Helping the Whaling City become the City of Light
Gas for illuminating was first used in New Bedford in 1853. Howland, James B. Congdon and business associates from Pennsylvania helped obtain a state charter and city franchise to use gas for street lighting.

Eventually the Pennsylvania businessmen were bought out and Congdon became treasurer, and William C. Taber became president. Pipes were laid as soon as possible and the first gas lamp for street lighting was turned on on February 14, 1853.

Their first works were at the foot of Bush Street – today called Madison Street. It was a simple brick house with a gas tank that held 35,000 cubic feet, an office and coal shed. Within a few years, they expanded to three acres with three tanks holding a total of 200,000 feet.

This company eventually grew to purchase the New Bedford Electric Light Company and the Edison Electric Illuminating Company who had a plant on Middle Street. By March of 1888 Howland’s company controlled the entire production of light for electricity for the entire city.

In 1857 he purchased the Joseph Ricketson Works and and began to distill oil from coal, along with most of the city’s Alderman, including John Hicks, Weston Howland, and Joseph C. Delano. Kerosene was first distilled in New Bedford in 1858. He was one of many powerful businessmen – William C. Taber, Joseph C. Delano, William Penn Howland, Henry T. Wood and son Weston Howland (who owned Fish Island at one point) that erected a factory at the foot of South Street.

Weston’s factory on Fish Island distilled kerosene until it blew up in an explosion in 1861 which led to the death of two employees. It was quickly rebuilt and resumed turning a profit.

In 1865 he was wealthy enough that he purchased the Russell Warren designed William R. Rodman Mansion, built in 1833 for $25,000. He remained there until his death on May 24, 1887. Abraham and his wife Mehitable are both interned in the Rural Cemetery at the Abraham Howland Family Plot.

In many ways, Howland wasn’t only the first mayor, but the first real business mogul. Certainly there were some major business figures in the city’s history before him, but in terms of diversity, progressive and forward thinking, and success he was a massive figure.

At the beginning of this article I mentioned, the sort of domino effect political figures have. When you walk the “cobblestone” or Belgian Sett streets of he historic park, you can look at the faux antique street lamps and remember that you can thank the city’s first mayor Abraham H. Howland for lighting the Whaling City.

Welcome to next installment in the New Bedford Streets; A Piece of Americana series. Previously we covered William Street, Kempton Street, Middle Street, Centre Street, Ashley Boulevard, Elm Street, Coggeshall Street, and others. If you would like to read those or perhaps revisit them, they can be found by using the search bar to the right. You can also select the “Streets” category.

By all means, let us make this an open discussion to keep the “wiki” accurate.

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Mechanic’s Lane is one of those streets, where I’ve often wondered how it was named. My friend and I simply dubbed it “Mugger’s Alley,” since it was so narrow and dark. Was it a “side” street off the public thoroughfare specially designed for mechanics? Perhaps it was a street lined with them? Could it -as odd it is may be- a street named after a fellow with the surname “Mechanic”?

The clue to the origin of this street’s name is, well, in its name. In the Rodney French Boulevard installment we discussed the etymology and reasoning behind the differences between “Street,” “Avenue,” and “Boulevard.” In the case with “Lane,” it is defined as “A narrow passageway between fences, walls, hedges or trees,” or “A lengthwise division of roadway intended for a single line of vehicles.” It is derived, virtually unchanged, from the Old English lane, lanu meaning “a narrow hedged-in road.”

These days, people believe that the terms are synonymous and that city planners were rather willy-nilly with the differences in street labels. Avenue? Lane? Way? Court? Road? All the same, pretty much as far as most are concerned. However, through the 17th-19th centuries – or “olden days” as my daughter used to say – urban planners were quite the stickler with these labels. They were important, and for good reason: it let you know whether it was public, private or municipal, paved or unpaved, lit or unlit; whether it was a major carriageway that went through the heart of the city and would get you to your destination quickly or whether it was a nice drive through – ahem – “East Cutty.”

Anyhow, I digress. The earliest mention of Mechanic’s Lane in the records is on an 1834 map. It seems as far as records show, it’s been the same length “from Purchase street west to Eighth.” Then, a bunch of buildings “get in the way” and it continues as Dover Street -one of the city’s shortest streets- to the East and Morgan Street to the West, so to speak.

Seems like an odd bit of city planning on the surface, but when you take into account the surrounding grid of streets it makes more sense. It’s sandwiched between Elm Street to the North and William Street to the South and the aforementioned Purchase and 8th.

So what to make of this? The answer in an indirect way, is hinted at in the term mechanic. Today a mechanic is specifically the fellow that takes advantage of unknowing old ladies – no, wait. Sorry, I meant to say the guy that repairs automobiles.

In the real “olden days” let’s say a few thousand years BCE, it referred to any person who was “full of resources, inventive, ingenious.” Incredibly general. By the 14th century it was a term “pertaining to or involving mechanical labor.” We’re getting closer now!

In the 19th century it was still a general term, but within a narrower field. One could say it was synonymous with the term “craftsman.” It was a term that I suspect would be followed with the question “Which type of mechanic?” It could refer to seemingly related fields of study like engineering, repairing fire engines, blacksmithing, and seemingly unrelated fields of study like navigation, medicine, agriculture, and even hunting. The entire field was called Mechanic Arts. In fact, there are still school that exist today that are Mechanic Art Schools.

It grew into the term that is used today to specifically refer to car repairmen by way of those fellows that repaired fire engines. So how did this little, odd street get its name attached to this term? Well, if you have read the slightest bit of history on New Bedford, you are aware of the pivotal role of Quakers. Quakers, or Friends, seemed to favor the occupations involving tools and were “full of resources, inventive, ingenious.”

Mechanics were in such abundance and were responsible for so much industry early on in the city’s history that the name was attached to banks (Merchants and Mechanics, Mechanic’s National Bank), a Mechanics Insurance Company, industrial buildings (Mechanics Mill – a textile mill), there was a New Bedford Mechanics Association, a whaling vessel called the Mechanic, and one of the city’s first entertainment venues: Mechanic’s Hall. Which, incidentally, was the site of the first “negro” concert ever given in the city in 1845 with the “Sable Sisters and Ethiopian Minstrels” feature.

There was quite a Quaker neighborhood surrounding Mechanic’s Lane, some who were quite wealthy, notably Andrew Robeson who arrived in the 1820s from Pennsylvania, managed Rodman Candleworks, headed a few banks, invested in whaling, built a whale oil refinery and ultimately married into the Rodman family. He kept a stately mansion on Mechanic’s Lane’s false leg, Dover Street.

These Quakers were exceedingly talented craftsmen, many of whom would work on days that the more puritanical, Sabbath Day practicing Christians would not. This extra business day naturally led to more profit, hence such a strong financial presence in the city’s earliest history. In fact, Mechanic’s Lane is the oldest “alley” in New Bedford.

On the Northwest corner of Purchase and Mechanic’s Lane was the Central Fire Station. As firefighting technology progressed, and the engine began to come into use, it made a heck of a lot of sense to have a mechanic close by.

In essence, this lane was the destination for any craftsman or mechanics that you could possibly need. It was a service road, if you will, that assisted the city in its very beginning before and during the whaling boom. In context of the city grid, its placement makes a ton of sense – whether to repair fire engines at the Central Station, to provide in close proximity “mechanics” to assist anything related to whaling, or even the occasional wealthy citizen who could afford “mechanical” service.

So as they say colloquially, “Yeah, no…,” it’s not Mugger’s Alley, it’s Mechanic’s Lane and called so for a very good reason. Next time you are walking downtown, go a little of the beaten path and take a stroll down the city’s oldest alley. You’ll be walking down a street that people have walked down for over 200 years. But you know differently know. From a busy service street, to quiet “useless” shortcut – one of my favorite New Bedford Streets. Let’s keep it our little secret. 🙂

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New Year’s Eve at the New Wave Cafe!

Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases the buildings, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Instead of a building, it may be a TV show, personality, or commercial that no one longer exists. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

I’m going to pre-empt the meat and potatoes of this piece with a disclaimer: this article will be a reminiscing of the positive aspects of the New Wave Cafe establishment. Life is filled with too many negative Nancies, cynics, and haters. As I get older, I couldn’t care less about the negative aspects. The proverbial cliche of “There are those who believe the glass is half empty, and those who think it’s half full. Both are correct.” Rings more true than ever.

I have very fond memories of the “New Wave.” I met my current girlfriend and love of my life Rachael there 8 years ago. I asked her out there as well. I made some great, lasting friendships there. I’ve had some mouth-watering fare. I’ve seen some phenomenal music acts there. I’ve had half a dozen birthday drinks there. I’ve had some of the most rewarding experiences of my life there.

So forgive me, if I decide I’d rather focus on those instead of the rare bad time I had there or what led to the New Wave’s demise. 🙂

I’m trying to think of a better place when it came to variety of music, and I’m coming up blank. Most musical tastes are complex and people typically don’t restrict themselves to the imaginary borders that supposedly exist amongst genre of music. “Do I like this song?” is about a good enough litmus test as any. Genres be damned.

I like that I could watch people do Karaoke one night, acoustic (Tuesdays) another, open mic on another and metal on yet another. So whatever I was in the mood for at a particular time, I could just check out their MySpace (What’s MySpace?) page for the schedule or call owner Paul Mendes, who always had an enthusiastic answer.

When I frequented the New Wave, Wednesdays nights – Karaoke with Weezy and Dee – were perhaps the most popular. You had better of been nestled into your seat an hour early at a minimum, because they place was guaranteed to be packed. I’ve been to a lot of horrible Karaoke, but Wednesday evenings at the New Wave was filled with some amazingly good talent. A lot of local musicians would pop in and give everyone a treat. There were regulars you could rely on to put on a show. I particularly recall looking forward to enjoying Chris Haskell doing Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.” Yeah, I’m a big Elton John fan.

The New Wave Cafe, at any given time, could have Jazz, Punk, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Punk, R&B, Blues, and everything else under the sun, but it wasn’t just music that made the place so enjoyable. There was a pool table and pool league, a Jukebox, those little electronic game kiosks where I played many hours of trivia and a game where two images were shown and you had to peck on the differences. Mikey Almond was usually my partner in crime.

I liked that I could come at lunch time and have some of the best Portuguese food in the area. One time I was there and Mendes had just hired a new cook. She was an immigrant from Mozambique. Yeah, you guessed right. We asked her to make us some Chicken Mozambique and it was out of this world.

Then there were the people….the people that came there and the people who worked behind the bar. Of course, there were too many servers to count over the long life of the New Wave Cafe, but Steph and Danielle were the best bartenders on earth as far as I was concerned. The people that frequent an establishment and work there decide whether a place succeeds or fails. You can have a great location, awesome food and music, but ultimately it comes down to the people. They create the atmosphere, environment and lend a vibrancy to a place. The New Wave was just “alive.”

Once I was there early in the evening. There were perhaps a half dozen other people. It was a slow night with no music scheduled. It was somehow discovered that a fellow that was sitting having a beer was a local who gigged out in Vegas that was back in town visiting. Paul Mendes casually asked this guy “Do you have your guitar with you? If you want, you can hop up on stage and jam out a song or two. Be my guest.”

Well, this guy did that. He grabbed his guitar, hopped on stage and blew our minds. Everyone started calling their friends to tell about this guy who was mind-bogglingly amazing. I kid you not, that within a half an hour Paul had to stop letting people in because he reached the fire code limit. That guitarist was Mark Small and he jammed for hours. I was stoked that I had been sitting their early enough and had the best seat in the house, because you could barely move, it was so packed.

Events like this were a regular thing. You showed up because you knew it was going to be an eventful, memory filled night. Aside from the regularly scheduled acts, there were special events like the Rockfest (each July), the “Save the Titties” which was a creative way to raise funds for Breast Cancer. I can’t finish without mentioning Ron Poitras who hosted the musical shows and covered the sound. He had an almost mystical status. Every band in the area had great things to say about Ron’s ability. You got the feeling that Ron was talented enough to operate the sound board at the Providence Civic Center, but would rather be in a small venue.

The back patio was the best place in the “house.” I loved that I could sit on a couch, and relax, yet I was at a bar! If the New Wave was to re-open, you would find me 3 nights a week sitting on the couch in the back patio.

There are too many names of servers to mention and my memory is not what it used to be, so if I forgot to mention you, I apologize. You can punch me in the face, when you see me next. I won’t take it personal.

I’ll close with James Brockman’s video. Chances are YOU are in it or recognize someone!

What were YOUR favorite memories of the New Wave? Best act you saw there?

New Wave Cafe
143 N Front St
New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740-7332
Phone: (508) 984-0080 (Defunct)

TON of photos on their still existing MySpace Page and on Flickr.

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Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases the buildings, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Instead of a building, it may be a TV show, personality, or commercial that no one longer exists. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

350 Main Street; 1922: The American Building
I saw many a flick at the Bijou Theater on 350 Main Street, Fairhaven, during its almost decade and a half lifespan. I recall there being quite a buzz and the word-of-mouth was that you didn’t have to drive to Dartmouth – Cinema 140 and AMC at the Mall – and pay outrageous prices for movie tickets and concessions, but you could stay in Fairhaven and pay “retro-prices.” Tickets were $2.00 and all items from the concession stand were $1.50.

Madness.

While most people today remember the venue as the Bijou Theater, the building’s history stretches back to 1922 when the building was erected and dubbed the “American” building.”

The following year on January 12, the American Theater opened taking on the building’s name. The proprietor then was one E.D. Davenport who would also run the Rialto Theater on Weld Street when it opened in 1927. The theater’s opening night selections were three silent movies “Fun From the Press,” “Golf,” and “the drama “Sonny.”

The timeline grows a bit dark at this point. It’s difficult to tell if the theater fell into disrepair or just wasn’t popular enough to keep doing what it was doing. The next blip on the historical radar is when Harold J. Shore renovates the venue and re-opens in May of 1934 as the “New American Theater.”

Second Fire, Catholic Legion of Decency list, and the Oxford Theater
It is short lived however, and ends up under new ownership and re-opens again on October 11, 1935 as the Keith Theater. Keith’s was a popular spot for years to come showcasing a double feature with a cartoon intermission for the price of admission: a whopping 25 cents. Popcorn and candy? Are you sitting? 5 cents. I think I feel lightheaded.

On November 13, 1946 a 2-alarm fire caused by faulty wiring causes damage to not only Keith’s Theater, but many of the other tenants, which history lists as Keith’s Spa, the American Bowling Alleys, Martin’s Market, Pacheco’s Package Store, Melvin Press, and Pimental’s Pool Parlor. After repair, the theater opens as the “New Keith.”

In 1959, the Catholic Church had heavy influence in the area. Some of you dinosaurs may recall, the archaic Blue Laws, like the one that didn’t allow businesses to be open on Sunday.

Well, the church at this time had what was called Catholic Legion of Decency list. They knew what was best for you and banned those movies that they though would make little Johnny grow hairy palms. Curiously, some Disney Movies made the list, like “The Hound Who Thought He Was a Racoon.” “Porgy and Bess,” a 1959 musical based on a George Gershwin opera was another that made the list and was banned from being featured at the Bijou. People complained and the banned was lifted.

A second fire, suspected to be arson, occurs two decades later in 1965 forcing to the theater to close. We have a musical chairs theme…but with businesses! The theater would not return to showing films until 1972 when it re-opened as the Oxford Cinema under Weber Torres. In 1980 it was sold to Bijou Realty.

The Bijou Theater as we remember it!
The Bijou as most of us remember it, was opened after Dan Shea bought it in 1984. When Shea first opened he focused on independent and foreign films, as well as a few plays. Inside, there were hand-painted murals on a leatherette background featuring morning glories and stage walls had red velour – pretty posh!

Shea got out of the theater business in 1990 when Evie Baum and an unknown partner took over.

They showcased, cherry-picked popular movies like Repo Man, Ghost, Silence of the Lambs, Wedding Singer, Under the Stairs, and even a few plays. A particular favorite of “townies” was the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

While the theater was an old-fashioned venue, the 20 speaker Dolby Digital Surround Sound System reminded you that it was certainly updated. They had genuine ambitions to make the Bijou a success story and a premier entertainment destination – which it was for almost 15 years.

Sadly, on May 9, 2004, the doors closed and stayed closed up to today. An inability for one screen to generate enough was cited as the reason for closing.

The last time I heard anything about the Bijou was when it was listed as “For Sale” in 2009: $375,000 would get you the theater, 3 store fronts abutting Main Street and the 15 studio apartments.

R.I.P. Bijou Theater (1984-2004)

Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases the buildings, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Instead of a building, it may be a TV show, personality, or commercial that no one longer exists. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

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Fourth Street; Thomas Knowles & Company
Once upon a time, before Purchase Street was named so, it was called 4th Street. It was primarily residential, had a rather large park with gardens and was lined with elm trees. As more and more revenue from Whaling entered the city, business “sprawl” spread north. The first three streets were primarily service streets – businesses that served whaling, i.e. coopers, carpenters, wrights, smithies, customs, the Seamen’s Bethel, Mariner’s home, brothels, etc. The first available street for residents to go shopping or be entertained at was Fourth Street and Purchase Street – East of Union Street- was born circa 1834.

One of the very first dry goods stores on Purchase Street to open was artist William Bradford’s at 16 Purchase Street in 1845. Another merchant, who saw the great potential of Purchase Street was one Thomas Knowles (1803-1877). He and his brother, John Pepper formed a partnership in 1835, T.& J.P. Knowles producing clothing.

Their cousin Joseph Knowles entered the picture and they opened a store on the Northwest Corner of Union and Purchase Street called Thomas Knowles & Company in 1844 – likely the very first establishment to sell dry goods on the street. In addition to dry goods, they sold groceries, provisions and were also agents for over a dozen whaling vessels.

The buildings of note by the 1860s were Liberty Hall, the granite North Congregational Church, the Cummings Building and the Wing’s Building – which was the precursor to Wing’s Department Store and Wing’s Court. More and more businesses popped up on Purchase Street and it became the premier shopping destination.

New Bedford Dry Goods Company
Back to Thomas Knowles & Company – they operated their store with their sons until 1894. Here there is a lacuna in the timeline of the building’s history. When it appears next, it’s New Bedford Dry Goods headed by president Asa A. Mills, which opened to wholesalers on October 8, 1898 with a sales force of 20 people. This store claims to be the site of the very first escalator in the country – in spite of the fact that the Guinness Book of World Records lists Coney Island as having the first.

The one-story building and its basement consisted of a modest 15,000 sq. ft., but its popularity by 1915 meant a ten-fold expansion: they increased their workforce to 300 and took over adjacent buildings to the tune of 150,000 sq. ft. By 1918 it opened to the public, needed an elevator because it expanded upward, and even added a roof garden. New Bedford Dry Goods aka the Star Store became the shopping destination.

Slew of Factoids – Credit plates, carillons, pneumatic tubes
Coincidentally, a lady named Mary Dorothy Cox was selling candies out of the New Bedford Dry Goods Store in 1925.

It had a deli, clothing department, jewelry, cosmetics, pet center, and more. In 1952, Star Store jumped on the bandwagon of “merchant cards”, the precursor to credit cards with a metal card called a “credit plate.” Sometime in the 1960s they built a carillon, which was an automatic music “machine” that consisted of bells that were struck electronically. Star Store’s carillon was a favorite around Christmas time when it belted out Carols and popular Christmas tunes.

A “first” claim for Star Store was that it was the first store in the country to utilize pneumatic tubes which used small containers to send bills and receipts. While it was surely used for practical reasons, it had a real promotional value in drawing in local children.

Musical businesses
Star Store was purchased in 1969 by Boston department store Gorin’s, who intended to keep it as it was. In 1976, a 300-year-old, archaic Blue Law stated that business had to be closed on Sunday. Star Store bucked the law as did Kresge’s further downtown Purchase Street and Golub’s Furniture.

In 1983, Almy bought the Star Store from Gorin’s and opened another Star Store in Fairhaven in the old King’s Department Store where Shaw’s Supermarket is/was now in Berdon Plaza. King’s Department store had a run as a Zaire’s and Ames as well.

Almy’s was purchased by Stop & Shop in 1985 who held a liquidation sale (at the New Bedford site) before closing the doors permanently on January 12, 1985. In November, it re-opened as Stuart’s employing 175 people. Continuing the theme of musical businesses Stuart’s closed its doors in 1987, and moved to the North End. The building was officially vacant and began to deteriorate to the point that the facade was falling onto the sidewalks and street and the city had to erect a covered walkway. Thieves began to strip the building of its copper flashing.

The building was supposed to be the Bristol Hotel, but never materialized. 1989 Hotel Properties paid a little more than $2 million for the building and planned on spending $8 million to turn it into a 117 room hotel. Didn’t happen. In 1990 it was to be turned into a Sheraton hotel that included 14,000 sq ft of retail space…didn’t happen. In 1992 Building was foreclosed on by New England Federal Savings Bank as the owners filed for bankruptcy.

In 1995 the city took over as $700,000 was owed in back taxes and handed control over to the New Bedford Redevelopment Authority. With the influence of Senator Mark Montigny, Governor Paul Cellucci granted the city $32 million in 1998 to renovate a three block area with $16.6 million dollars set aside for the Star Store building. A deal was struck between the city and Sakonnet Properties Inc. who would give the city the Coffin Building which was actually two buildings adjacent to the Star Store. The city in turn forgave $376,000 in back taxes and footed the $500,000 bill to repair the facade.

The rest as they say – is history.

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Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases, the buildings, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Instead of a building, it may be a TV show, personality, or commercial that no one longer exists. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

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Memories of 85 Huttleston Avenue
Having grown up a gypsy, I’ve lived in New Bedford (no less than 7 different locations), Fairhaven (4 different addresses), Rochester, and Acushnet. That only covers Massachusetts and not the other states and countries I’ve lived in. The benefit of living in multiple locations is I can wax nostalgic over a variety of places. When I first moved to Fairhaven, I was perhaps 14 years old if memory serves me correctly. What is top of the food pyramid for a 14-year-old? Yeah, you guessed it: pizza.

So it was only natural to seek out who had the best pizza around. Having moved to Fairhaven from New Bedford, that meant going over the bridge and down Route 6. Destiny dictated that as I was staring out the window I saw a sign – I swear there was a golden aura shimmering around the sign – stating Barbero’s Italian Restaurant at 85 Huttleston Avenue.

I kid you not when I say that I am now salivating. I feel like I should race into the kitchen, dig through all the drawers and see if I have enough coupons for a FREE pizza. I bet you somewhere in my attic of packed away things, there’s a Barbero’s coupon. Remember those green cut-outs on each pizza box? 10 coupons gets you a golden ticket.

This was THE spot for Italian food in Fairhaven for the longest time, especially pizza. I vaguely remember the variety of toppings, but remembering there being a lot to choose from. Barbero’s always loaded their pies with generous amounts of toppings. I didn’t like thin pizza anywhere else and don’t like it today. I have NOT ordered and eaten a plain cheese pizza since.

This was my brother Mike’s favorite place to eat whenever he would get a break from military duty. He would fly in from wherever he was living in the world at that time, and within a few hours, the words “Let’s go to Barbero’s!” would be on his lips.

I have a vague recollection of the mini-golf course next door and reader Janet Gouveia Rusinsoki who worked there for 3 decades, stated that Barbero’s also owned the golf course, which was placed there in the 1960s. Batting cages were also added in the early 1990s, but were eventually razed to make way for a parking lot.

Barbero’s was such a landmark, that if you needed to give anyone directions, you could say “Go past Barbero’s and take that left.” or “Turn right at the lights after Barbero’s.” Barbero’s was brilliantly located near my house – which led to teenage entrapment while walking home.

Sadly, the Fairhaven Barbero’s closed their doors on March 15, 1998.

Margaret’s Variety; Corner of County and Linden Streets
Our more knowledgeable readers will know that the Fairhaven location wasn’t the only location. There were seven or eight “Barbero’s” depending on how one counts, from New Bedford, Fairhaven and Dartmouth, to Dennisport, Falmouth, Marion – even a sub shop on Union Street (the early 1970s), and a concession stand at Lincoln Park for 8 years at one point.

Barbero’s had humble beginnings with three variety stores throughout New Bedford. The third variety store, “Margaret’s Variety” was named after Joseph Barbero Sr.’s wife Margaret. This variety store opened in 1951 and was on the corner of County and 58 Linden Street, which is Linden House of Pizza & More now.

When I lived on 868 County Street next door to Kinyon Campbell, I went to this spot often, and as long as I can recall it was always a sub and pizza shop, changing names over the years. Margaret’s Variety sold fresh baked bread from Tom Marcucci’s Bakery of Fall River. It was Tom that suggested they sell pizza – which they did for 5 whopping cents a slice. The pizza was so popular and demand so great that Tom suggested they begin to make it themselves. The rest is history!

Margaret’s Variety was converted into a small restaurant and began to sell that famous mouth-watering pizza, soft-serve ice cream, and soda from a fountain. Eventually, Joe and Margaret’s sons Joe, Ray, and Bob ran the business until the early 1960s. This establishment in turn also became so popular that they expanded and opened a second Barbero’s in 1958, which was the one in Fairhaven that I began the article with. The third Barbero’s was opened, coincidentally at the old A&W’s in Dartmouth at 868 State Road.

I need a Barbero’s pizza in my life…STAT!

If you want to peruse a ton of great old photos of Barbero’s there is a “Remembering Barbero’s” Facebook! I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to Nina Barbero for most of the information and all the photos in this article. Without her generosity, this article would have been another boring write-up with a photo of a Barbero’s coupon.

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Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases the buildings may still exist, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

Before Big-Box stores and hypermarkets Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target there were smaller department stores. Believe it or not, the concept of a department store – being able to go to one location and find a wide variety of goods – started in the early 1700s. There were no shopping carts and one was not free to roam the store. When you arrived you let a representative know what you needed and he would go into the facility and pick your order.

The concept of being able to browse the aisles yourself and do it with a shopping cart was started in Dartmouth with Martin Chase’s Ann & Hope in 1953. Sam Walton who founded Wal-Mart and Harry Cunningham who founded KMart got their ideas from visiting the flagship Ann & Hope facility.

Since we already covered local favorite Arlan’s Department Store, we’ll discuss the four other iconic department stores. Special thanks to Spinner Publications for their generosity in allowing us to share all the photos within the article.

C.F. Wing’s Department Store
Wing’s department store is named after whaler and “merchant prince” of New Bedford, Charles F. Wing, born here in 1851. In 1874 he opened a little shop in a wooden building at 774 Purchase Street next door to The Pour Farm. He did well enough to have that building razed and replaced in 1887 with the current building today. It was a popular destination until it closed in 1985. Yes, Wing’s Court is named after the same fellow.

Kresge Co. 5 and 10
Kresge’s “five and dime” was started by department store mogul Sebastian S. Kresge. The Pennsylvania native opened his first store in Memphis, Tennessee in 1897. The New Bedford store sat on the corner of William and Purchase Streets, where Rite-Aid is today. By 1924 his business was worth $100 million dollars and he had opened over a hundred stores. In 1962 he opened his first new department store that you may have heard of – KMart. Hence, the “K” in KMart!

W.T. Grant
The Grant family opened their first store in Lynn, MA in 1906. W.T. Grant opened the fifth in the chain at the Hastings Building in 1910. He also opened up a location on Acushnet Avenue in 1932 that was open until 1966. The W.T. Grant that was at 860 Purchase Street closed in January 1975.

Thomas’ Department Store
Thomas’ Department Store was located at the Thomas Building on the corner of Rivet and Bolton streets where Fernando’s Restaurant was until recently. The Thomas family immigrated to the city from Lebanon in the 1890s and the department store was owned Joseph Thomas. For those who think the named sounds familiar, that’s because Joseph Thomas’ grandson is Joseph Thomas, founder of Spinner Publications.

Decisions, Decisions!

Here is another installment in our Who Remembers? series. You can browse previous articles by using the search bar on the right. These articles are strolls down memory lane. In some cases the buildings, but new businesses have replaced them. In other instances, the buildings or even the properties have been razed. Instead of a building, it may be a TV show, personality, or commercial that no one longer exists. Either way, it can’t stop us from taking the Memory Lane stroll!

As always we would rather this be a discussion. No one knows this area better than those who grew up here! Please, leave constructive criticism, feedback, and corrections. We’d love to hear your anecdotes. Please share!

Just mentioning the words York Steakhouse evokes not only memories, but I swear I can smell a mouth-watering sirloin being grilled. Like Sunbeam Bread, driving by the building and through the aroma stopped all conversation in its tracks. The chain’s North Dartmouth location was a special treat growing up. I always felt like I must have done something good to deserve a dinner there. There also wasn’t a lot of arm twisting when it came to convincing my mom to take the family there!

If you lived under a rock, you have never heard of the national chain owned by cereal makers General Mills and served steak and potatoes like nobody’s business. Started some time in the 1970s, York Steakhouse was incredibly popular until the majority were shut down by 1989 when General Mills sold, leaving only a handful of independently run and owned restaurants. They were positioned strategically within a strip mall or within eye-sight of a shopping mall – as was the case with the North Dartmouth location.

When you arrived the symbols, plaques on the walls with images of what was available, iron chandeliers, and the battlements made you feel like a king, queen, prince or princess. You would queue, stare at all the plaques – making it even more difficult to make a choice; “I’ll have the Sirloin Strip with…no, I’ll have the Sirloin Tips…um…I mean, I’ll have the Ribe-Eye…oh crud.”

After making the difficult choice, you got a tray and headed into the “cafeteria serving section” where you could pick things a-la-carte, like salad, utensils, dessert (flaming cherries Jubilee anyone?), butter, sour cream, soup and drinks. Then one would tell your order to the cashier, he/she would ring you up and give you a little plastic sign and you would head into the dining room – with salivary glands exploding. Do you remember the coding system of the signs? Look at the end of the article to see if you are right!

I’m unsure whether the case is either that I never ate a bad meal their or it was the entire experience that made everything taste better than it was. As of 2011, only one city in America has a York Steakhouse, so if you want to relive the experience, you’ll have to head to Columbus, Ohio near the Westland Mall.

Meal Options:

1. – 8 oz. Sirloin Strip Steak, Baked Potato, Roll, Salad
2. – Sirloin Tips on Skewer, Baked Potato, Roll, Salad
3. – 8 oz. Chopped Sirloin, Baked Potato, Roll, Salad
4. – 4 oz. Chopped Sirloin Sandwich, Steak Fries
5. (Lunch Item Only) – 6 oz. Chopped Sirloin, Steak Fries, Roll, Salad
6. (Lunch Item Only) – 4 oz. Rib-Eye Steak, Baked Potato, Roll, Salad
7. – Chef’s Salad

Serving Sign Codes:

Red=Rare
White=Medium
Brown=Well
2 Red tags stacked=Very Rare
White and Red stacked=Med Rare
White and Brown Stacked=Med Well
2 Brown tags stacked=Very Well

Did you work at York Steakhouse? Do you recall the “kitchen french” that was used to call out the orders? Here are a few I uncovered during my research.

• Tre Tre Cinya=Very Rare (Cinya is pronounced Sin-yaw)
• Tre Cinya=Rare
• Lay Tre Cinya=Medium Rare
• Cinya=Medium
• Lay Beonque=Medium Well (Beonque is pronounced Bee-on-kwee)
• Beouque=Well
• Tre Beonque=Very Well

I also found these interesting anecdotal codes:

“Check the ice” meant there was an attractive female, “CTI deux fois” meant two attractive girls back-to-back, and “Check the iced tea” was for attractive men.

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Photo Guide
1. Ad showing items and prices from decades ago. Visit by Snoopy too!
2. “Everything a store should be!”
3. “Capitol Theatre” today
4. The castle like appearance that drew kids.
5. Vintage photo of a child world.
6. Creative toy display from the 1960s.
7. Holly Hobby!
8. Peter Panda on skates!