Mary’s Memories

I had lunch at Isaac’s Way today (in a party of seven) and I happened to see on the Menu Cover the notice of wanting memories of 73 Carleton Street. The only one I remember is The Imperial, it was owned by the Wilbys, and I may have been to Mei’s once or twice.

My memories of 73 Carleton Street go back to the 1950′s. It was a favourite spot to stop into after a movie at the Gaiety downtown on Queen Street or after skating at the York Arena, for a pineapple sundae or maybe a milkshake. Every Friday (winter of ’55-’56) on our lunch hour my friend Mavis, who worked at Household Finance (over Zellers), and myself who worked further up Queen Street at Herby’s Music Store, would go there for lunch. We usually ordered a hot pork sandwich, and of course ended up with a sundae for dessert. Unfortunately we had begun to put on a few extra pounds by the end of the winter! I think it was just a cold weather thing, when we seemed to need more nourishment. But they were “some good” as we say here in the Maritimes. There were juke boxes in some of the booths, and I seem to remember a Nickelodeon too at the end of the soda fountain. I believe the young people today are missing a lot, those “Happy Days” times were great.

Of course in those days there were no Pizza parlours as we know them today, or the burger places either. Really tasty hot dogs and hamburgers were served up at Tart’s lunch on Carleton Street though, where the Library is now. In the summer Blighty’s on the Regent Street wharf served up fish and chips (yummy!) as well.

Anyway, those are a few of the memories I have of this address. I think it is great that the building is still there today.

They have done a very nice job of restoring and renovating it.

Sincerely, Mary O’Neill