(c) Allan Zirlin
It’s not New York, it’s not a diner, it’s not an image of urban loneliness, but Allan Zirlin’s photograph of Segal’s Shoes at the corner Lawrence and Sawyer reminds me of Edward Hopper’s painting, Nighthawks. Zirlin shot this photograph out a car window sometime in the 1950s.
Zirlin’s been a Chicago street photographer since the early 1950s, but before that he was a native son of Albany Park. He graduated from Hibbard Elementary School in 1948, Von Steuben High School in January 1952.
Alan Zirlin in 1942, standing in front of his home on Bernard, by the footbridge at North Branch of the Chicago River
He lived at several addresses in Albany Park; back then it was common for families to move around within a neighborhood. His family lived with Allan’s grandparents on the 4900 block of Ridgeway; 4927 N. St. Louis, and 4952 N. Bernard by the river. (Update: In the mid-1950s, Bernice and Ned Singer (Ned Singer’s Sports) and their sons, Joel, Jeffrey, Neal, Rick and Bob, moved to the Zirlin’s family’s former home at 4952 N. Bernard. )
One of his memories I found amazing was that from his third-floor porch they could see the chutes dropping at Riverview and the Lindberg Beacon atop the Palmolive Building (later the Playboy Building).
Recollections of Albany Park
“Bonfire was our spot, with the Junior Achievement group upstairs above it. Each booth at Bonfire had those jukebox players. Kids hung out there after the movies. We also went to Terminal Inn and Wing Lee for Chinese food, Kushner’s deli on the north side of Lawrence, east of Kedzie, and S&L on the corner of Kedzie and Lawrence. Also we went for challah, bagels and bialys, and kaiser rolls to Kuznitsky’s Bakery–they were part of our family.
Every graduation class from Von had a lunch at Purity Restaurant, which was a Kosher deli on Lawrence near Kimball. We made speeches and teased each other.”
I asked Zirlin if he remembers any other businesses from Lawrence Avenue in its heyday. He remembers: Woolworth’s; Hurwitz Men’s Wear shop; Tots ‘n Teens; Community bakery (another branch was on Bryn Mawr); and the Karmelkorn shop next to the Terminal. Central Cigar store on Kimball and Lawrence; Steiner’s Tavern; Skokie Valley ice cream shop on Kimball north of Lawrence. Lester’s toy store on Lawrence, where Zirlin got comic books and toys, of course; Rudich’s soda fountain; A&P on Kedzie; Heinemann’s bakery; Knopov bakery; Kaplan bakery; Albany Park Masonic Temple north of the Ravenswood L (Brown Line) station; Sonny’s Pool Hall on Lawrence; Singer’s Drugs; and Rol-a-Way bowling alley on Pulaski north of Lawrence, where everyone from Von and Roosevelt went.
You can’t help noticing there were a lot of Jewish bakeries in Albany Park. Here’s an excerpt from an essay Zirlin wrote for the Skokie Public Library recalling the Jewish bakeries of Albany Park:
“Shortly after WWII ended, a baker named Kaufman came to Chicago and opened a small bakery on Kedzie Avenue just north of Lawrence. Bagels have never been the same since. Mr. Kaufman created a new kind of bagel, one without the bullet-proof skin, one that you could bite into with ease yet still had that satisfying al dente feel. He created the now-famous double-bagel, one bagel made from the dough normally used for two. And it had a twist, literally, not just a flat uninteresting appearance.” –quoted from Bagels, by Allan Zirlin
Kaufman’s bakery, now at 4905 Dempster in Skokie, still turns out my favorite bagels, though I miss the Kedzie Avenue experience on Sunday mornings.
Allan Zirlin in 1955, in front of the family Chevy. It was from the third floor of this apartment building that Allan could see Riverview and downtown Chicago
Thanks to Allan Zirlin, I’ll be able to do for Lawrence Avenue in Albany Park what I’ve done for Bryn Mawr in Hollywood Park. And, as I mentioned, Zirlin’s been taking photographs of Chicago street scenes since the 1950s. On Monday, I’ll share some of my favorites photographs of his. But you can check his work out now on his website.
Credits: Thanks, Allan, for permission to publish your photographs, and for bringing old Albany Park back to life for me.
My brother-in law used to do the books for Kaufman on Kedzie near the Alba theater/Bowl.
During the 40s, Berger Shoes on Lawrence used to have one of those x-ray machines that showed how your foot fitted the shoe. They used to allow my brother and me to keep playing with it while shopping for new shoes. There were many dress shops like 3-Sisters or .B Nathens.The first laudramat after WWll also on Kedzie south of Lawrence. The Terminal Inn Chineese food on the 2nd floor on Lawrence and Christiana. The Adrimal Theater on Lawrence near Crawford (Now an Adult x-rated theater). Steinway Drug Store on Lawrence and Kedzie. Let’s not forget the big wood red streetcars that ran from Broadway & Lawrence (near the Uptown and Rivera) all the way out to Milwaukee Woods and Wayland Pool. I wished we could choose our dreams like the latest record hits on a 5 cent Juke Box.
And not forget the old red Steetcars up and down Kedzie. Standing at Kedzie and Ainslie and watching one approach from the north coming south, it appeared the front end of the streetcar was swaying left and the back end to the right. We just called it “swing and sway with the CTA.”
And who at Von would forget Bob Beatty and his ice cream wagon always parked by the curb on Kimball outside the south entrance. There’s even a photo of Von in my yearbook with him in the background. And what was the name of that little store on Kimball across from Von and at the south end of the bridge?
My mom and grandmother used to shop a B. Nathan’s all the time.
At the Terminal there was this one older guy taking tickets that looked like Otto Preminger and would never believe that I was under 12 when I went with my parents to the show. I was taller than most 12-year olds and he always gave us the ojo malo (bad eye) every time.
I remember hot fudge sundaes at Lester’s. Shopping at Harriet’s Variety Store. And the hot dog place just off the south side of Lawrence (and Monticello?) where they served hot dogs on french bread. Also Cooper and Cooper accross from the el station on Kedzie. There was also a hobby shop on the north side of Lawrence where I one bought ‘mars attack cards’
el station on kimball
Old station or new station? The old one had a good newstand with candy. Was it Maury’s Hot Dogs you’re thinking of? Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment
More pictures can be found on Facebook under my name.
I often walked along Lawrence east to Kedzie when I attended Our Lady of Mercy grade school in the mid-60s. At that time there were still poultry shops that sold live birds. Talk about getting fresh chicken. But, I always felt bad about the birds.
There was one live poultry store on Kedzie near the “L” station where my grandmother shopped. To say it was gross is an understatement, but that’s the way it was back then.
I remember a coffee shop on Kimball across from the Ravenswood L, I think it was the Huddle House?
i could see the chutes from my bedroom window at lawrence and clarendon, too!!!
There was a comment recently about social athletic clubs being a ” vibrant” outlet for teens in the 50′s & earlly 60′s. But this was not the case for those adolescents excluded from these popular cliques with all their unique apparel and inter-teen status. If you were judged not to be cool enough to be voted in—-it hurt those in question at a most vulnerable time in their emotional /psychological development. Many guys and gals in these ” clubs ” were good kids in lots of ways and may have been relatively socially mature—-but the need to be noticed and looked up to and number one was too great. In the process those not in the social—teen mainstream felt bad for a long time. Dr. Larry
Thanks for stopping by to share your insights. As someone who grew up when the clubs were already gone, I didn’t really fully understand that this outlet wasn’t available to everyone. I think you do bring up some good points about those who were left out. It was perhaps more competitive in nature than I realized.
thanks frances–for including my comment. charlene’s bro—Larry Joel
I can tell you a lot about Albany Park and Lawrence Ave. particularly. My father, Max Fine opened two Kosher meat markets on Lawrence Ave. first near Bernard St. on the south side of the street and later moved to 3550 W. Lawrence. (The one one near Bernard St. was next door to Lastick’s Furriers.)
Had to take over the store at 3550 when my father became seriously ill in August 1945. I was attending Valparaiso University at the time having graduated from Von Steuben in January 1945, Also graduated from Volta school in 1941 so I have lived a lifetime here in Albany Park.
Ran that store until 1953 selling it as a going business to Eddie Hobfall, who ran it for another 15 years at least.
I still live in Albany Park. Graduated from Northwestern University bachelors degree 1950 and MBA 1956.
Knew a great many of the business owners in the area during those years when the area was really thriving
BobFine
Bob, what a resource you are! I will send you a direct email.
Thank you for the wonderful memories. I lived in Albany Park in the 60′s. Remember Mutt & Jeff hot dogs on Kedzie? We also used to go to the fish store and the S&L restaurant on week-ends.
Wendy, thanks for writing. I never went to Mutt and Jeff’s but of course have heard about it. Which fish store?
@Dr Powitz-all you said is so true–I was a poor “shiksa” girl growing up in a dysfunctional family that was not well accepted in school boy does your childhood affect your adulthood!!-but I was lucky to overcome all insecurities and become successful in spite of–or because of the isolation I felt as a young girl and teenager–still can look at all comments and pictures here that evoke memories both good & bad–but you tend to remember more good!
@Larry Powitz—any relation to Charlene Powitz-went to school at Peterson & Von with her?
I lived on Troy/Lawrence 1955 – 1970. Great inner city and safe neighborhood. Mutt & Jeffs, Little Millie and Louie candy store Ainslie and Kedzie, Bru-Dens clothing, Huddle House, Fat Boys and Maury’s, Deborah Boys club, Shalom Temple by Hibbard
Steve, thanks for stopping by. I’m keeping a list of the area businesses, thanks for contributing.
Mentioning the Kosher meat markets brought back memories of the sawdust on the floor. During the war years, my dad used to complain that the butcher had a lead thumb that added to the weight registered on the scales. Wolf’s funiture on the 4700 block of Kezie.
They sold wood lawn furniture during the summer, before aluminum furniture was made.
The Ainslie Garage on the corner across from Singer’s Drug store that burnt down in the late ’40s. For a short time in 1946, a C0-0P was opened with a group of small shops under one roof and in the window a do-nut making machine. The Sinclare gasoline station next to stiner’s tavern. Lincoln Ice company on Carmen & Kedzie. Herman’s small grocery store on Troy and Lawrence. The newspaper stands at Kedzie and Lawrence. Few people had shopping carts and lugged their groceries home in 3 cent shopping bags that never seemed to wear out. There were a few beat cops, but never heard of robberies or home breaak-ins, yet just a window or screen door with a nickel hook kept unwanted people from gaining entry. Al the games kids played that needed no equipment, like kick the can,or hide and seek. I love your site, because it always brings back good memories when the future looked a far way, like the 1950s! We all had nicknames, and our mother’s could be heard calling us in for dinner a block away.
Jerry, the smell of sawdust on a wood floor is a very distinct smell that brings back a flood of memories for me. It’s a smell you no longer encounter in everyday life. My grandfather owned a small hardware town in a very small town in southwestern Pennsylvania. We visited once, sometimes twice a year, every year of my life until I went away to college. So, I learned to think of that smell as belonging to his store and it brings back pleasant memories. Years later I entered a hardware warehouse and immediately recognized the smell and was told it was the smell of sawdust.
So many wonderful images in your recollection here. Other people who grew up in Albany Park during the late 40s and 50s have said the same thing about nicknames: everyone had one. I’m wondering, and I’m sure someone can tell me answer this question, whether the habit of creating nicknames for everyone crossed over from the Yiddish language or was just an urban neighborhood characteristic, not particularly tied to any specific culture or language.
Always loved Sinclair gas stations because of their logo. Something so appealing about the image of a dinosaur for a kid. Lincoln Ice Company used a distinct lettering and remember seeing their trucks. If I remember correctly the background was gold and the lettering was outlined in blue.
Thanks as always for visiting.