DessertsFast FoodMusic/Events/Other

***** BUNGALOW BAR–VS–GOOD HUMOR *****

Posted on April 19th, 2012 · Desserts Fast Food Music/Events/Other

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***** BUNGALOW BAR–VS–GOOD HUMOR *****

As a kid growing up in Brooklyn (1950s-1960s) at 811 Cortelyou Road Apt. 6M—two ice cream “trucks” Bungalow Bar and Good Humor competed on a daily basis for “us” kids’ business. When I think back on those days, I can’t believe that ice cream bars were 5 & 10 cents, pizza was 15 cents a slice, a small coke was a nickel, a hamburger was 20 cents, french fries were a dime, a haircut was 50 cents, for 50 cents you got to watch two movies and three-four cartoon shorts and a gallon of gasoline was going for 20 cents a gallon…I also remember my mother “buying” me and my brother an encyclopedia–one book every week for $1 until the set was completed from the local Waldbaum’s Supermarket. Crazy as it may sound to “youngters” out there- but every couple of blocks, there was a candy store, local market, bar, bakery, diner…back then most families only had 1- car, there were no shopping malls and kids either walked to school or rode the public bus which was 15 cents and the bus driver made change for you. There was no Starbucks-Costcos-Walmarts-Targets-Wendys—but there were plenty of Chock Full O’ Nuts, Nedicks, Ebingers. There were no soda machines that let you mix 100 different Coke flavors, but all of the candy stores had soda fountains and ice coolers which you stuck your hand into- and searched the freezing cold water for the bottle you wanted.

This one is open to everyone.

Tell Jeff Eats of days long past.

82 Comments to “***** BUNGALOW BAR–VS–GOOD HUMOR *****”

  1. BobbyD says...

    Does anybody recall the mouth watering pastrami at the last great deli in Brooklyn: Grabstein’s on Rockaway Pkwy in Canarsie.

  2. Sheldon Beck says...

    Just read your article and you hit the nail on the head with everything you said & appreciate your writing. Oh, and Yes a Coke was a Nickel, but don’t forget for a penny more you could have a cherry Coke…and if you felt rich that day, for quarter you would get your egg cream. 😊

  3. Stewart M Berger says...

    Grabsteins in Canarsie was a legendary place. Sadly as with most Jewish delis, they are long gone now

  4. Tom Curtin says...

    WOW….just found this web site.We we’re talking about bungalow bar and I forgot the shape of their trucks. Chocolate
    Pops my fave…PUBLIX chocolate YOGURT frozen is close.
    How about MEL O ROLL and those square cones to fit it.10cts
    Spinning the stools at the corner luncheonette.not a favorite
    with the owner!!STEINS, THEN KNEUKEMS “candy store” in
    Cambria Heights/ St.ALBANS QUEENS. A black and white
    soda. A FRAPPE (sundae without whipped cream ) 15 cnts.BUS TOKENS. 15 cnts. That “TSSSSHHH” sound of the
    bus doors opening.AIR CONDITIONED BUSSES….ER…NO!!!
    Those ice coolers at the candy store (outside) 5 cnts for a
    HIRES ROOT BEER OR A NEDICKS,and your frozen hand as
    you tried to get a COLD one down deep.
    The jukeboxes SEEBURG and WURLITZER. 78 rpm 5 songs
    For a qtr,or more. And when it got stuck and repeated the same words over and over the clerk had to come over and give the thing a GENTLE PUSH? What a laugh. And those oh so memorable songs, Little Cloud Johnny Wray,Ebb Tide And
    Johnny Mathis and Elvis oh!!!!

    ANDREW JACKSON H S. Class of 57. So long ago ….
    The NEWS and MIRROR. 2 cnts daily..The candy store got
    Hundreds of copies of each EVERY DAY.
    People used to ask why those businesses survived. CASH!!!!
    When the owners who lived behind and over the stores sent
    their kids off to college some asked how come Johnny doesn’t
    want to take over your dry cleaner???ARE YOU KIDDING????
    The kids were smart and the parents didn’t want them to work
    as hard,So DOCTOR LAWYER you name it.
    Speaking of doctors…back in the great 50’s your Grandparents lived to be sixty if they were lucky, and NEVER
    was the reason Unkle Murray died EVER DISCUSSED?
    Foolish?you bet. Now because these Doctors and the ones
    that came after changed all that, we can live longer and more
    healthy lives,because we know our history. Back then a Heart
    Attack could be a death sentence, now you have a BYPASS,
    Get on a treadmill and live to be 90.GOD WILLING.
    NOW air the medical staff can’t FIX something completely,
    they can do things that make your pain manageable , In this
    respect the GOOD OLD DAYS weren’t THAT GOOD AFTER ALL! Just my way of saying thanks for all the doctors do! !!

    Best of all THANKS for this sounding board that we can go
    back to times that were carefree and joyful,and THANKS to
    all the folks that respond to your writings.I am only sorry I did
    not see this YEARS AGO. Hope to hear from others.THANKS!!

  5. marty jewell says...

    Yeah, the ice cream wars. We sang… Bungalow Bar, tastes like tar. Wrap it up and there you are….. The Bungalow Bar driver we had on our block was a young guy. He’d let us hang off the sides of his truck (kids hanging off both sides) and he’d gun it into turns and our feet would fly out. Felt like he was doin’ 30mph but probably not. Still though, none of us kids ever fell off. Probably woulda killed us. That was in late 1950’s Bush Terminal, Brooklyn.

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