Who used to eat at Peggys and is old enough to remember buying a suit a Layfayettes and getting the shoes at Junior Bootery? Now we are talking 1960's here and maybe a little 70s before it went to a place where the bums took over. Anyone here over 50 like me?
I didn't get shoes at Junior Bootery, but my mommy did. All mine came from Buster Brown
Hey wait, you say "over 50" like it's a BAD thing???? I'm getting close, tell me what it's like
Concerning Metroplex plans to upgrade the Clinton Street South parking lot, I suggest that they consider improving the lot by adding at least a second layer of parking. I recall when the Broadway parking garage was first proposed, there were also plans to build a second parking garage on the Clinton Street side. With the new Hampton Hotel, the new Clinton Square project, the potential development of the old Foster Hotel, the county building and courthouse and the new downtown entertainment venues, another large parking facility west of the 400 Block would be a worthwhile goal. I remember when the two-hour lots on Clinton Street used to be reserved for shoppers (when there were no shoppers), and there was no long-term parking for downtown office workers such as myself and my staff. When Metroplex took over the two-hour lots, in a breath of sanity they allowed office workers to buy monthly parking permits in the two-hour lots. With the economic improvement in downtown, [and an increase] in both short-term and long-term parkers, the addition of a larger parking facility at the Clinton Street South lot appears to be in order. DAN ERTEL Schenectady
Who used to eat at Peggys and is old enough to remember buying a suit a Layfayettes and getting the shoes at Junior Bootery? Now we are talking 1960's here and maybe a little 70s before it went to a place where the bums took over. Anyone here over 50 like me?
YUP! My parents took me to Jr.Bootery when I was "younger". My brother got his clothes from Layfayettes and Bonds. I liked Wallace's, JoAn shop and Carl Company. Muslers was for those special occasions. I remember I couldn't wait for the Christmas season to see what was displayed in the Carl Company window. Downtown on a Thursday night was the place to be anytime of the year.
You know what I found so amusing at the June 19 Jazz on Jay in Schenectady? It was the day the local dignitaries turned out in droves to tout Schenectady’s rebirth, including the free concerts, like the one playing in the background. The “big boys” show up with cameras and news people, tell the talent to “keep it down” while they do their broadcast, then leave. Most never bothered to stay around to listen to the wonderful music presented by the April Marie Quintet. Those “boys” should practice what they preach. And many thanks to the musicians for playing so well, even under some trying circumstances. JOAN MONDA Rotterdam Junction
I had some interesting conversations with people who live in the city of Schenectady.
The first one was a woman who lives by The Plaza. She told me that her deceased dad use to collect old clocks and watches and that they are now in the process of selling them so they can pay their taxes. She said that there are more people who live in the city that are struggling to live there.
The second was a husband and wife with 2 young children who bought a home on Manhattan Street. They first told me that when they bought their house, they received a "grant" of $20,000 for renovations. I had no idea that the city was giving grants as an incentive for people to purchase homes. They went on to tell me how since the kids are out of school, there has been an increase in vandalism in their area. They said that it had always been a problem, but it has increased now that school is out for the summer.
A few community activists kibitzing government performance outside Schenectady City Hall after a meeting witnessed a new type of street hustling. Along comes a slightly boozed-up guy who looked to be in his late 20s. He says he's about to offer the sidewalk potential customers the ``bargain of a lifetime'' opening up a shopping bag after the sales pitch. The bag contained about a dozen or so blocks of Cracker Barrel cheese. He claimed he bought too much at a market, but the potential customer consensus was the cheese was stolen.
The hustler said he would accept any fair offer either for a single block of cheese or the entire batch. The sales pitch was collectively rejected, all three on the listening end complaining they were suffering from high cholesterol.
The meeting-goers said they had been targets of panhandlers near City Hall in the past, but the ``hot'' cheese offer was a new twist.
Perhaps if there were more jobs and less welfare recipients in Schenectady, the 20 somethings wouldn't be out there trying to sell 'cheese' to get money for their next 'fix'. Isn't that nice for the on lookers! Funny that the gazette wasn't there to take pictures of THAT!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Hey bumble. What do you think about a few of us getting together? We can shoot "Pictures the Gazette missed." I can only imagine it now...a guy half bent over, wearing his long jacket and fedora, pulling a cheese wheel out from under his jacket... "There's more where that came from, too..."
A new way for downtown Schenectady district studies how to encourage shopping
By ALAN WECHSLER, Business writer First published: Thursday, July 17, 2008
SCHENECTADY -- With what could be the region's largest PowerPoint demonstration, the new leader of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corp. introduced himself to the membership Wednesday morning and talked about all the good things going on downtown. But it wasn't until after the group's annual meeting that Executive Director James Salengo, who has been on the job for about two months, announced the DSIC will be working with consultants to change the way it spends its money.
Salengo spoke Wednesday at the GE Theatre at Proctors. The meeting brought several hundred members and city officials. His half-hour presentation was projected onto the theater's three-story-high iWerks screen, making it certainly one of the region's biggest slide shows, at least in terms of height.
Salengo's presentation reflected the many improvements that have taken place in the downtown area, from new facades at local restaurants to the success of such events as Show Me Schenectady Day, where Union College students came downtown to see the city outside the campus.
Schenectady has also seen a 40 percent increase in daytime visitor parking and a successful Restaurant Week in late January, he said.
After the meeting, Salengo said the group planned to rework a complicated formula that dictates how the organization spends money assessed from local businesses. Last year, the organization reported $215,000 in assessment revenue.
Salengo, who was with the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District before coming to Schenectady, said he'd like to see more money spent on marketing -- and on communicating with members.
"I think we can do a better job," he said.
A number of local businesses have criticized the way the DSIC is run, from the sudden firing last year of Executive Director Bob Buccieri to the way local businesses cannot elect members to the Board of Directors.
Lori Sendra, co-owner of Earthly Delights Natural Foods on Jay Street, said the DSIC needs to work more on generating foot traffic downtown and recruiting new stores. She said she had to take a full-time job outside the store because -- after eight years here -- business is down.
"The foot traffic after 2 p.m. is almost nonexistent," she said. "We have to have events to draw people here. And to draw people here we have to have commerce."
Kathleen Mirpuri, co-owner of the Jay Street import store Paisa Miser, suggested the DSIC should go after such businesses as a small supermarket, a Family Dollar, a Payless ShoeSource store or a specialized furniture store.
But at least one businessman was happy with downtown. Mark Pelkey, owner of Mohawk Valley Guitars, said he was thrilled to have his custom building and repair studio here.
"This whole area really reminds me of Greenwich Village," said the former New York City resident. "Only your feet don't stick to the pavement and it doesn't smell bad."
Alan Wechsler can be reached at 454-5469 or by e-mail at awechsler@times union.com.
I've been down there numerous times and it is expensive......I say hand out 'growth checks' to the folks who live in towns around the county to use downtown.......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
SCHENECTADY SummerNight, Art Night offer lively evening BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Doreen Stack and Ruth Dickson stood on the sidewalk in front of Proctors Friday night and looked on in amazement as more than 200 people flowed by them. It was their first glimpse of downtown in decades, they said, and certainly their first at night. Both were there to see Stack’s grandson perform in the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra as part of the combined events of Art Night and Schenectady County SummerNight. Before Friday night, Stack of Schenectady and Dickson of Rotterdam said they had no reason to go downtown. “There is nothing here,” Dickson said she had thought. Both women said the downtown they knew years ago, a place lined with shops, stores, movie theaters and eateries, a lively, bustling place of commerce and socialization, was long dead. So when they came Friday night, they were surprised by how downtown had changed. “It is a lot different,” Dickson said. Said Stack, “We thought it would be OK. We heard they had crowds.” They heard correctly. Summer-Night organizer Wendy Voelker said she expected the combined event to draw approximately 10,000 people. It was the third time the county sponsored its Summer-Night with Art Night. Voelker said the event costs approximately $22,000 to stage, all of which is reimbursed through rental fees and sponsorships. This year’s event featured six big bands and several smaller bands, 11 food vendors and three craft vendors. Community groups operated booths along Jay Street and the event offered an expanded Kids Korner, a space featuring puppets, Radio Disney, football and baseball tosses and the Paige School PTO. The PTO offered crafts and games throughout the night. Helping coordinate the event were more than 70 volunteers. “This is a big operation,” Voelker said. City police and EMS crews kept a highly visible presence. Police reported no incidents. Among this year’s new attractions was “Merdwin the Mediocre,” originally from England and now of Schenectady. The portly, purple-clad wizard, who looked like a cross between Santa Claus and Dumbledore of Harry Potter fame, caused young and old to marvel with parlor tricks and “frivolous fortune telling.” “This is my first tour of duty here,” Merdwin said, stroking his nearly white beard. “I do this for a living, everything from weddings to wakes.” He said with a smile that his name reflects “truth in advertising laws.” Before he disappeared, Merdwin said he enjoyed the event immensely. “There are lots of really lovely people and lots of beautiful children and lots of graciousness,” he said. A juggler on stilts performs Friday night during the Summer-Night festivities on State Street in Schenectady. BRUCE SQUIERS/ GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHER
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