Citizen Action

[Towntalk]

iwasthere:

As an educator, you may find these two web sites useful.


This for historic audio clips.

http://www.archive.org/details/oldtimeradio

This for a wealth of books that are free to download.

http://www.archive.org/details/texts


I always worked the graveyard shift and nothing really exciting ever happened. I do recall when the New Park Burlesque burnt down and recall watching the teletype machines send out the news about the murder of Bobby Kennedy.

[iwasthere]

towntalk you should write short stories on this forum about your twenty-two years at thevindy.

[Towntalk]

After 22 years at the Vindicator I sure do, and as for the Bull Moose I have a large collection of material on him. When I lived on the East Side we went to the same church, and I got to know him quite well.

As for other colorful folks, I saw them come and go like the big splash the old Vince DeNero made on Market Street and of course good old Sandy Naples, and Frank R. Franko.

[iwasthere]

towntalk i bet you have some interesting stories about place aka vindicator's reporters and ole man bullmoose

[Towntalk]

On West Boardman in the State Theater building. It was a favorite watering hole for Vindicator employees and of course Bull Moose Hanni.

[iwasthere]

towntalk where was the backstage lounge located?

[Towntalk]

You've got that right.

As for the Fiesta Lounge, I was in there only once during lunch break with a couple of people from work and don't recall a piano player.

For many of the folks at work, the most popular spot was The Backstage Lounge.

[iwasthere]

the subs were the demise of downtown stores towntalk do you remember a blind piano player that used to play at the Fiesta Lounge on hazel? i used to go to Fiesta Lounge to go to hear him play. I wonder what ever happen to him?

[Towntalk]

I believe that the store you're referring to was on North Phelps and was owned by Ralph Rendano. His sons own New York Music.

The store I worked at was on East Federal, a few doors west of the Regent Theater.

During the 1960's Urban Renewal all the stores on the East End were closed and torn down.

Some of the stores moved up to the west end ... Crown Jewelry ... Hughs Provisions and Ralph went into business for himself.

When New York Music moved to Boardman, he went with them and closed his downtown store.

[Towntalk]

Harold Klivan and his uncle were great folks to work for.

Learned a lot about jewelry from Nate (the Uncle).

Also met a lot of interesting people. One that comes to mind was Jimmy Pinto a comedian that played the Park Berlesque. He would come into the store every time he played Youngstown and would tell us about the good old days when he played on the bill with folks like Red Skelton.

[iwasthere]

towntalk i do remember seeing the sign for your jewelry store when i started to shop downtown as an upcoming young adult in the early 1980's.

[Towntalk]

Klivan Jewelry at their Rendano Jewelry branch on East Federal.

[iwasthere]

towntalk what store did you work for in the downtown? rushgal i heard your pinko commie gossip frd is waiting for the word to move into his apt but he has to wait until the present day tennant signs paper for her new home in austintown that canbe anyday now that is the gossip on the downtown streets as of this hour.

[Towntalk]

iwasthere:

When I worked downtown, the first thing I did every morning before our store opened was to sweep the doorway, sidewalk and curb in front of the store. There was no arguments ... just pride in our business and respect for our customers.

During the day, if one of our workers saw a mess outside we didn't wait for someone to complain, we just got out there with a broom and cleaned it up, and in the winter the sidewalks were cleaned and salted (the whole sidewalk and not just a path.)

Our company had three downtown stores, one on the Square and two on East Federal and all three had the same policy.

[Rushblvd]

lowdown of downtown gossip, I'm there. 2-things--yes I love adult beverages so I will seek out the sweeper in hopes that he will talk to me and buy me a beverage and I love the gossip...The businesses should always make sure the sidewalks are swept in front of there building it makes it look nice..Do not --I REPEAT DO NOT wait for the city to come do it--they are not coming so just do it...iwasthere just to let you in on a secret--my pinko ommie neighbor has not been around..Have you seen him?