Far Rockaway downtown shopping center - mid point at Beach 20th Street circa 1974. At the time this photograph was taken Central Avenue remained at 50 feet wide - with metered parking on both sides of the street. Utility poles and electric wires as well as overgrown trees marred the general appearance of the small commercial district. An uninterrupted flow of business establishments lined both the east and west sides and the newly erected shopping center which replaced the old train yards can be seen in the background. At the time this picture was taken, this was an extremely popular and busy area.
 

I have always enjoyed spending money! I have probably spent hundreds of thousands of dollars during my lifetime - on things I needed and probably a whole lot more on things I didn't need. Spending money is fun! Now, I am not talking about spending on rent or car repairs or doctor bills or other foolish things like that. I am talking about the pure enjoyment of going into a retail store and walking out with something, anything just to commemorate the event. I have never been much for window shopping. If I can't hold in my hands something I just bought, can't bring it home to park it in some pivotal spot where it can sit and collect dust, I have not fulfilled my mission.

During the early part of my life, I spent my parent's money. I got an allowance. In the beginning, I "got" just for being me. Later on, I was expected to perform certain household chores for the money I was given. Of course, I will not even mention the times when I pulled apart the sofa looking for loose change or "found" that superfluous dollar bill that just happened to "pop out" of the pocket of my dad's trousers - the very ones I was carting off to the local dry cleaners. Once I got older and became gainfully employed, I spent my own money. I have to admit it was a lot more fun to spend mom and dad's money - to me their currency was a never ending supply and only when I myself began to work did I truly appreciate just how difficult it was to "make a buck." But that being said, it really didn't curtail my desire to spend spend spend. It just meant that I could spend less because I no longer had access to that seemingly bottomless pit.

Growing up in Far Rockaway, my first spending took place on a one-block strip of stores we referred to as "the village" or "downtown." Specifically, a commercial block which ran north to south, between Mott and Cornaga Avenues. The wonderment of that area. You could buy just about anything - at least anything a kid could desire. And the storekeepers were nice and friendly. I guess children were appreciated back then, at least I know I was. I knew just about every store on that block, and most of the sales help on a first-name basis. I spent hours walking the aisles of the W. T. Grant and F. W. Woolworth stores. Ate in Pickwick, the Central Deli and the Chinese Palace. Got lost in imaginary worlds in the RKO Columbia and Strand theaters. Bought my shoes at Florsheim Red Cross and Thom McAn, clothing at Meyers boys' shop as well as a few others - I apologize for I no longer remember some of the store names - we are talking about a period of some half century ago.

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