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I lived at 3104 Kingsbridge, caddy corner from the Church of the Mediator. I remember most of the stores that lined 231st Street. On the northeast side: McGlynn’s grocery, Leitner’s candy store, the shoemaker where you sat in an enclosed booth to wait for your shoes to be ready, Kopf’s wallpaper store, The Little Shoppe where my mother bought our birthday gifts, Beth Hayes’ childrens clothing, the tavern DNK name, the drug store where my sisters and I bought our makeup, the fish store, and finally, the bank at 231 and Broadway. I recall less about the south side of 231, but still recall Henry’s delicatessen (best German potato salad); another candy store which I found less interesting that leitner’s on “my” side of 231st; a pizza place with fifteen cent slices that were served through a window; Mildred’s hat store (I loved looking at her window and doing jumping jacks at the mirrored posts outside on the way to and from St. John’s. Any time I looked out our kitchen window which looked out at 231st Street, I never saw anyone go into Mildred’s; I suspected it was a government front.) Farther down the street was Peter Reeves Irish groceries; then, the florist where we had our First Communion bouquets made (we returned to have the center white Communion rose replaced with a red carnation–for Confirmation which took place 3 days following Communion.) Then came the cigar store, and finally Horn and Hardhart’s where my mother bought fishcakes every Friday, per contemporary holy writ, along with White Mountain bread. Graduation and birthday cakes, including the one my father transported in dry ice to my August birthday in our summer place in Windham, always came from Shelvyn’s.
Going west on 231st St, from KB Avenue to Corlear Ave, I recall a drug store on the corner; then Riverdale Real Estate; the Victory Gardens where we spent many hours with the gardeners who grew vegetables there during and after the war. Farther down was the Chinese laundry where the only murder I recall took place; Lee, the proprietor was reportedly hatched to death. Across the street, as far as I can recall, was the side yard of the Church of the Mediator, with a beautiful fountain at the southwest corner of KBA and 231st.
Passing the fountain and heading south on KBA, one came to the most magical place of all–the Kingsbridge Library. There aren’t enough words to properly honor and thank the librarians, Ms Adomo and Ms. Martin who made visits there shapers of our lives and souls with the seriousness and care with which they filled their roles. the library shared a chain link fence with St. John’s Church which shared custodianship of my soul in those days. I can still recall the smell of the incense and the growl of the organ that signaled us to raise our young voices at several points throughout the Mass. So, yes, how privileged we were to be in Kingsbridge when it was indeed a village of the kind one reads about in English mystery novels. One where you knew everyone and which building they lived in, and where everything you needed was just a few steps away.
Thank you for providing this site for reliving a wonderful life!
I wanted to also share that the convent on Godwin Terrace was originally inhabited by the sisters of the Religious of Jesus and Mary who taught across the street at St. John’s Grammar School.
