PIZZA and More in South Philly

After the church dance or a movie at the Broadway theatre on Broad & Snyder, or Earl theatre, the Venice, Alahambra, Plaza, Colonial and more, me and a few friends headed to FIORE'S pizza for the largest pizza they made, 1/2 ea. of anchovies & pepperoni and a giant pitcher of root beer. That topped off the night.

There was a soda fountain almost every block where you can get an extra thick malted milk shake for 20¢, even at drug stores, and many where you can get a cheese steak and shake for 45¢.

Those days there was a cop on the beat and when he said move, WE MOVED.  Although we were duop guys and sang on the corner. It was all great fun but we respected authority. They were there for us and we rarely had to lock our doors.  In summer half the block would sleep on the pavement on really hot nights, no air conditioning and few fans.

Street lights, all gas. Yes we had the "old lamplighter of long long ago". He would light the lamps and go on. Then they managed to remote control them, I guess that lost some jobs...progress you know.

FRESH, FRESH, FRESH. Hucksters  through our streets, all day, every day. Vegetables, fish, fruit, eggs, you name it. A carousel for the kids, waffles and ice cream, Knife sharpening and umbrella repairs. Pushcarts of Italian water ice, Federal Pretzels. ice cream on almost every corner. These were men driven by a sense of responsibility to Family,. Independent and proud.

As a small boy my parents took me for evening walks through Passyunk Avenue, the longest crooked street in the world. I call it "the street of pushcarts".. There may very well have been a dozen pushcarts in each block, not sure. What did they offer? Steamed and raw clams, steamed mussels, hot dogs, waffles with icecream, corn on the cob and more than I can recall.  Along our route were furniture stores, clothing stores and restaurants.

Photographers in the 30s. Some stood on street corners and made portraits, some came through the street with a pony and dressed kids up like cowboys and in a matter of minutes you had a portrait on a painted pony. All before Polaroid.