l Remember it looked like a red barn, it may have been called the Red Barn. There was another location in Lybrook. Those were the days of open mikes, folk music & comics.

During the 1950's, the Bethpage businesses on the east-side of Hicksville road, just north of Hempstead Tpke were (from north to south) A barber shop (Ralph was one of the barbers), then a dry-cleaners, then Food Fair, then (Herbies) candy store, then Rexall drug store, and lastly, the Strauss Store (automotive/bicycles). Across Hicksville Road from these stores and bordering Hempstead Tpke. was "Mal-Pierce" Pontiac dealership...

I lived north of Hempstead Tpke. between Hicksville road and Stewart Ave., 1951 started school at the "Plainedge elementary school"(later named John H. West school) then moved to the newly built "Northedge School" in 1954.

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I remember going to the Strauss Auto store to buy reflectors for my bicycle. Wasn't there a barber shop next to "Food Fair". (Is that what was on the tall sign in the shopping center?) I could barely reach the rings on the merry-go-round at Nunleys. Yes, Wetson's was the first fast-food store in our area. We played tag on the foundation of Mid Island Hospital. There was an abandoned structure in front of the drive-in theatre. We called it the crematorium when we would crawl around in it. A bg adventure was going for a hike down the Long Island Motor Parkway. We ended up near what is now the picnic area, next to the golf course. I caddied at the golf course for about 3-4 years. The caddy master, Pete Nistad, taught us the proper way to do the job. Most Sundays I did 3 loops. 2 doubles and a single. Walking home with $21 bucks made me feel like a millionaire. lol

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Penn Fruit and TSS stores

Great memories, really enjoyed reading what others wrote.  My folks built our home in Deer Park in 1956 and shortly thereafter would take me to what we called Jolly Rogers amusement park for me to celebrate their anniversary each year.  Boy was I lucky! I looked forward to it for years thereafter.  I found a few pictures dad took of me and mom there in the late 50's with Food Fair, Sinclair, and Strauss Store, and will see if I can post them here. Never went to Coney Island or Palisades Amusement Park but did also love Freedom Land, the 64 Worlds Fair, Atlantic City, Asbury Park, and a whole host of places for kids spread across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Darn, I don't know how to attach pictures from my laptop (Image url?), don't know what that means.  I'm not trained at all this computer stuff. Oh well, I tried.    

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Jolly Roger 1950-1970's

Nunley's (later called Smiley's) Happyland was an amusement park in the hamlet of Bethpage on Long Island, New York, located at the intersection of Hempstead Turnpike (Route 24) and Hicksville Road (Route 107). It operated from 1951 through 1977 or 1978.

Happyland was established by William Nunley, a third-generation amusement park entrepreneur, who already operated facilities in Baldwin, in Queens (in Broad Channel and Rockaway Beach), and in Westchester County (in Yonkers), N.Y

My first hamburger & fries greatest memories, thanks to Wetson's
of Bethpage right next to Jolly Rogers.

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I was there when Herb was there too (and Eric), until Gene bought the store.

Does anyone remember the name of the wine and cheese bar on NE corner of hemp tpke? Was at end of strip stores that included house of billiards. Had 2 floors and usually a guy plugging guitar and singing downstairs, real 70's. Can see the place but cant recall the name.

It was Nunley's happy land Jolly Roger's was the restaurant next door great food. Smiley's came later.

The Best Corned Beef!

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I went to Plainedge School in 1955 in 5th grade.

It's a very different world today.

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I lived on Oakdale Avenue from 1951-1959.  I played on the Potter's team in the early 50's.  I went to the annex (4th grade) in 1951-52, then on to "The Plainedge School" (renamed John H West School) for 5th and 6th grade.  We would often go to Nunley's Happyland and to Jolly Roger's next store.  As someone mentioned, you could just eat the condiments and not buy anything.

Across Hempstead Turnpike was Mal Pierce Pontiac - I purchased my first "real" car there in 1968.  Across from that, on Hicksville Road, was the Food Fair shopping center, which contained a cleaner, Herbie's Candy Store, (maybe) a drug store and auto parts store.  

On the intersection of Stewart Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike was Five Corners Bar.  Behind it was an empty lot, which would eventually become a bowling alley.  Next to Five Corner's was Roy's Diner, which would also sponsor a team in the Plainedge Little League.

East on Hempstead Turnpike was Zorn's farm (still there) and, next to it, Nicholson's Farm.  Across the street was the Hempstead Turnpike Drivein.   We would often walk in and sit on a long in the back of the property and watch movies for free.  It was build above a crematorium, which we would often explore during the day.  The Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway was built over that in the early 60s.

My father worked for The Nunley's for many many years.   He mostly ran the Merry go round in Baldwin & in Bethpage. But he also worked earlier on in Rockaway play land.  I keep searching for pictures of him that may have been caught by riders or their parents over the years, but so far, no luck. But I have hours & hours, & Miles & miles in the saddles of those old Merry go Round horses.

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Yes, Foodtown did open in that location in 1980, I worked for them. I think Jolly Roger as we all called it closed in 1978 or 79. But by then the amusement part was called Smileys Happyland and the restaurant was called Robin Hood.

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This was definitely the way it was.  I used to sit at a friends house facing the drive-in on Normandy Drive and watched the Incredible Shrinking Man.  Those were the good old days!!!  Watching a movie for free.

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I used to work in Bethpage movie theater

as an usher. That was in 1968. 

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I am pretty sure that Northedge opened in '54 or '55.  I went there for kindergarten in 1955-56 with Miss Kasendorf as my teacher.

When I worked there in the 1970s we used to chase the kids that ate the sauerkraut.

Check out this link - it's a blast from the past especially growing up in Plainedge.

www.flickr.com/photos/gregchris/sets/show/

Posted on www.flickr.com/photos/gregchris/

I attended kindergarten New Grace Annex in Plainedge, 1961.  Soon left for Toronto.

I remember Jolly Rogers fondly.  Such great memories.  I can even rememebr going to Pergament to get a haircut before a friend's 1st grade b-day party at Jolly Rogers back in the early 70's.  Memories...

I did . By the batting range

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   We would go to the crematorium and look for skeletons or
anything else that was ghoulish.   It was intimidating to go down
into it.   Didn't the expressway also take away the Stark farm
off Boundary Avenue? 

Those House that had speakers in there back yards and views of the movie screen were on West Zoranne Drive but only on the west side of the block.

I know becuase I grew up on West Zoranne Drive on the East side of the street.
But it was already gone before I moved to Plainede in the summer of 1961, from a hurricane or large storm I heard. It's now a sump off the Seafrod Oysterbay Expressway.

Just keep post about the old days... when I stand in that spot now there is not a trace the place was ever there.

Hey what about Wetson's hamburger chain that existed from 1959 to 1975. At its peak, Wetson's had approximately 70 locations in the greater New York metropolitan area. The chain was known for its signature burger the "Big W" and 15-cent burgers, 10-cent fries.



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On Hempstead Tpk. there was a drive-in theater east of New Island Hospital. 

I heard that houses with back yards facing the drive -in had the privilege of having a speaker,  and being able to sit in the back yard and watch the movies.

Can anyone verify this?

I went there in 1951 & 1952, 2nd & 3rd grade. There was 2 classrooms. The main floor and a basement one. To keep me out of trouble the teacher assigned me to ring the bell when play time and lunch was over.

A "Miles" Shoe Store was across from Wetsons & Jolly Rogers (Nunleys) LA4 5Y

Jolly Rogers used to have free saurkraut and other condiments - sometimes we would go and eat just that free! Nunleys (later Smileys) used to have those old 'flip card' viewers which were I think 2 cents and you turned the crank to watch a 'movie'. I remember the old Gulf station across Hicksville road and S&R electronics where you went to buy the tubes for your TV sets and, of course, the Pea**** lounge where I bought my first drinks at 16 with phoney proof. What was the name of that auto parts store on the NE corner? I bought a hood ornament, a swan, that lit up there for my 66 chevy there.

In 1950 my sister attended the 1 room school house that eventually became the administration building. They erected a fancy brick building on that site that at some point was sold to Blackman Plumbing supplies, I think. In 1952 or 53 I was in kindergarten John H West, the first elementary school in the district. Did anybody else attend some classes at the little church on the east side of Hicksville Rd somewhere between Wyngate Dr and Queens Ave? This was probably in 1958 before Northedge was completed. I am not sure what year Southedge was built but do remember it being the Senior/Junior High for a few years. After graduating Northedge in 1959 we were the first 7th grade class that attended the new (and present) High School. Being the shops hadn't been completed yet we had to walk over the Southedge for a few classes. Living at the northerly edge of the district we were always taken to school on buses. Do you remember "Dottie" the driver that helped us celebrate the last day of school, one year, by swerving down Hicksville Rd on the way home?

think so-I know that it was near Brothers 3 pools

Hey there. older than dirt, you sound like you've been around longer than me!  But I bet you don't remember Friendly Frost- that was near the movie theater and they sold fertilizer. I loved going there and getting a ride in the wheel barrel my dad would use to get his gardening supplies. 

 Other little league teams were sponsored by Roy's Diner and Potters.  There could be more from the mid 1950's though.  We played on three fields; two at the present John H. West School, and the Potters Field, which was located off the south side of Hempstead Tpk., between Hicksville Road and Stewart Avenue. Roy's Diner, located on Hempstead Tpk. in the same area, was still there in the mid 1960's, but closed sometime after. Potters disappeared also. 

I played on the Jolly Rogers little league team in 1956,
and Nunleys also sponsored a team that season. 

Wasn't it a Pontiac car dealer? 

Car dealership across from Nunleys was Mal Pierce Pontiac. You have to be older than dirt to remember that. LOL Supermarket diagonally across was Food Fair with a Strauss auto parts store on the corner. It is now Singletons Restaurant where the Class of 1964 will be having their 45th reunion in 2 weeks.

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Mal Pierce was the dealers, my dad bought a brand new 2 Pontiac Lemans!

Now, what about the shoe store in between there?? 

Sorry to disagree but I remember it as Nunley's ( I worked across the road from it)  somewhere around 67-69 the name changed to Smileys.   And Wetson's had the best fries.

Triva: who was the car dealer on the north west side of the that intersection?