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Posted: 17 Sep 2006 12:06
by John Michael
Dear Turbocxs - the former Harrows WAS the former King Kullen Supermarket. It was build by King Kullen and maintained by them until 1973 - my mother used to shop there. Later, after it closed, it then became Harrows. The 10 foot tower above used to read the King Kullen logo in red neon, right at the top. The remains of it could be seen for years under the Harrows logo name. You will notice a space directly center in the front where the now wood roof seems to cut into the center. That used to read in red neon King Kullen in block lettering. There were two (2) automatic doors on either side of the store, I believe that presently only one is left. In fact, it was here that I first heard of the Blue Jay Markets that I wrote about earlier. We had King Kullen Blue Jay Markets written on the automatic doors. King Kullen was located in what could be called a family crest with a ribbon flowing through the bottom of it that read Blue Jay. A Blue Jay bird logo was perched on this ribbon - centered. The S & H Green Stamps logo was centered on the glass of these doors as King Kullen used to give out S & H Green Stamps. In fact, tat S & H green Stamps logo appeared in every window of the store. Oh, how I wish I had the logo with me to show you. I have a copy of it at my parent's home but not with me. I believe that I also have a Blue Jay Markets logo somewhere at home. I guess I am in need of medication or something. I have no idea why I kept these things. So, you see, the auto parts store was the King Kullen. It was never a Finast. There was also an A & P Food Store across the circle in what is now a bargin store of some kind. I cannot recall its present name. There was also an A & P south of Main Street in Riverhead. A & P used to give out McDonald's Plaid Stamps. Next to the former King Kullen building was a little drug store which is now, if I also remember correctly, OTB. The drug store opened when King Kullen did. A few years after a Dunkin Donuts was built next to the former King Kullen, on the south side of the building, if I remember correctly. Later, King Kullen returned to Riverhead in its present location. That supermarket used to be a Hills Market until the mid 1970's. It is ironically that very same Hills Market that caused the demise of the Riverhead King Kullen back in 1973. Hills had a orane neon color logo like the Food Fair next to our favorite Billy Blakes. The Wal Mart that is present in the same location as the present King Kullen used to be a W. T. Grant Department store. In fact, the only original store in that whole shopping center is the Sergio's Pizza. The other buildings that you kindly note of were built much latter. In fact, the only thing I recall from the 1970's west of theBilly Blakes/Food Fair would be a gas station and Riverhead Raceway. Thanks for the trip down Rt. 58. Bu the way, it would be to photos of the former king Kullen that would interest me more. However: Beggers cannot be choosers or they become loosers." Perhaps, with all this excitment running through my veins over a former supermarket building I may be one.

Posted: 20 Sep 2006 21:18
by turbocsx
since i posted this, i have learned that the current king kullen site used to be a Hills supermarket. I can take pics of the auto parts store/old king kullen. across the street where the old a&p was is a TJ Maxx.

Posted: 17 Nov 2006 21:22
by turbocsx
ok, I just found out that the former Harrows location, now aid auto stores used to be a Safeway. I was told this by 2 people who have lived in riverhead all thier lives. So, I am not sure what the deal is. Is it possible the king kullen was a safeway 1st? I think they said that the current king kullen location used to be a hills. i'd love to get my hands on pics from those times.

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 02 Nov 2008 18:20
by steve-o
My apologies for my late entry into this thread, but I wanted to mention that I, too, recall Billy Blake's. There was one in Smithtown, just east of where Routes 25 and 25A merge (at the Bull statue). The building looked very much like the Suffolk Life building turbocsx photographed, down to the parallelogram-shaped sign that, if I recall correctly, was surrounded by marquee lights in addition to the bulbs spelling out "BILLY BLAKE". There was parking in the front and back, the front being the more "formal" entrance, but the back popular with people cutting through the store to the grocery section. I don't recall Billy Blake being substantially different in selection from Modell's, which, at the time, also combined a department store/discount store with a supermarket. Modell's might have been a bit more upscale (as it were); I don't remember Modell's letting people run their grocery carts through the store (!).

When I returned to Long Island from college in the early 80s, Billy Blake was gone and the Smithtown building served as an ad hoc (and, frankly, fairly sad) flea market for a couple of years. I've been away from Long Island for some two decades now, so I don't know exactly what's on that site. But a Google Maps view shows a large building with a green mansard roof/gables, oriented 90 degrees from the way Billy Blake was.

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 03 Nov 2008 13:47
by Jeffrey55
The idea of Modell's having a grocery section seemed bizarre. I had completely forgotten that Modell's was ever more than a sporting goods store, but now that you mention it, I recall when it was White-Modell's, having merged with White's Department Stores back in the 70s. There was a huge one in Yorktown Heights, NY, which today is divided into four or five stores.

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 04 Nov 2008 12:33
by maynesG
God I am Old!
I remember Models and Great Eastern Mills Stores! Models had a store on Rote 17 and Essex Street in Lodi N.J.. It did a tremendous grocery business. Its main competition was the Finast on Essex street in Hackensack and the original Pathmark on the same street in Hackensack. A&P opened a store in the same lot,pathmark across the street
in Lodi on 17 and Acme a new store in town that killed it. Is it connected to the sporting goods store ofthe same name?
Also I remember as a small kid going to Great Eastern Mills with my parents on Route 46 in New Jersey. I can!t remember if it was in Little Ferry in tyhe store that became Valley Fair or out in totowa. I know for sure that their was one on Grand Avenue-Tonelle Avenue in Ridefield Park or North Bergen? In the middle of the shoping center parking lot was a home with a lawn and driveway the owner refused to sell and stayed.
Can any body help me with this?
Thanks Gerry

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 04 Nov 2008 13:41
by Jeffrey55
I can't help you with New Jersey, but as a kid I also went shopping at Great Eastern Mills -- later shortened to Great Eastern -- on Long Island, and possibly in Queens and/or Brooklyn, though I remember them being in Jersey too. It was one of a number of smaller regional discount chains in the 60s that I can recall, including Floyd Bennett Stores (later Floyd's), Times Square Stores (later TSS), Mays, and Bargain Town USA. Great Eastern and TSS were probably the most successful in terms of expansion and staying power, though all ultimately folded. Try Googling the names; I know I've seen 70s-era TV commercials for these stores posted on You Tube.

As for Modell's, according to a post I read elsewhere, it was originally started as a sporting goods store, then began expanding into a full-line discount store (including food) in the 60s. Eventually it merged with White's Department Stores and the whole thing went under, but the original founding family resumed control and refocused on sporting goods, which is where "Gotta Go to Mo's" remains today.

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 23 Jan 2009 12:46
by jafo074
Woo Hoo! My first posting and it's a reply. I remember there was another Billy Blake store in Setauket on 347. In it's lifetime, the store was a bazaar called Old Towne Village (kind of like the Big Flea on 25 in Smithtown that another poster had mentioned), after that I am told it was an indoor roller rink, then a Photon-laser tag arena, a Caldors' and as of at least 2003, was a Kohls.

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 24 Jan 2009 19:24
by RoleModel
steve-o wrote:When I returned to Long Island from college in the early 80s, Billy Blake was gone and the Smithtown building served as an ad hoc (and, frankly, fairly sad) flea market for a couple of years. I've been away from Long Island for some two decades now, so I don't know exactly what's on that site. But a Google Maps view shows a large building with a green mansard roof/gables, oriented 90 degrees from the way Billy Blake was.
It's a Stop & Shop now.

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 07 Mar 2009 20:48
by Nutball Gazette
steve-o wrote:My apologies for my late entry into this thread, but I wanted to mention that I, too, recall Billy Blake's. There was one in Smithtown, just east of where Routes 25 and 25A merge (at the Bull statue). The building looked very much like the Suffolk Life building turbocsx photographed, down to the parallelogram-shaped sign that, if I recall correctly, was surrounded by marquee lights in addition to the bulbs spelling out "BILLY BLAKE". There was parking in the front and back, the front being the more "formal" entrance, but the back popular with people cutting through the store to the grocery section. I don't recall Billy Blake being substantially different in selection from Modell's, which, at the time, also combined a department store/discount store with a supermarket. Modell's might have been a bit more upscale (as it were); I don't remember Modell's letting people run their grocery carts through the store (!).

When I returned to Long Island from college in the early 80s, Billy Blake was gone and the Smithtown building served as an ad hoc (and, frankly, fairly sad) flea market for a couple of years. I've been away from Long Island for some two decades now, so I don't know exactly what's on that site. But a Google Maps view shows a large building with a green mansard roof/gables, oriented 90 degrees from the way Billy Blake was.
That Billy Blake was actually in East Setauket, Just west of Old Town Road. That location is now a Kohls. Oops I saw jafo074 has that corrected. I was not aware of a Billy Blakes in Smithtown.

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 07 Mar 2009 20:50
by Nutball Gazette
Jeffrey55 wrote:I can't help you with New Jersey, but as a kid I also went shopping at Great Eastern Mills -- later shortened to Great Eastern -- on Long Island, and possibly in Queens and/or Brooklyn, though I remember them being in Jersey too. It was one of a number of smaller regional discount chains in the 60s that I can recall, including Floyd Bennett Stores (later Floyd's), Times Square Stores (later TSS), Mays, and Bargain Town USA. Great Eastern and TSS were probably the most successful in terms of expansion and staying power, though all ultimately folded. Try Googling the names; I know I've seen 70s-era TV commercials for these stores posted on You Tube.

As for Modell's, according to a post I read elsewhere, it was originally started as a sporting goods store, then began expanding into a full-line discount store (including food) in the 60s. Eventually it merged with White's Department Stores and the whole thing went under, but the original founding family resumed control and refocused on sporting goods, which is where "Gotta Go to Mo's" remains today.
There was a Floyd Bennets in Patchauge on Rt 112 and Sunrise Highway (27). That was back in the early 60s.

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 19 Mar 2009 06:43
by catnapped
Nutball Gazette wrote:
Jeffrey55 wrote:
As for Modell's, according to a post I read elsewhere, it was originally started as a sporting goods store, then began expanding into a full-line discount store (including food) in the 60s. Eventually it merged with White's Department Stores and the whole thing went under, but the original founding family resumed control and refocused on sporting goods, which is where "Gotta Go to Mo's" remains today.
There was a Floyd Bennets in Patchauge on Rt 112 and Sunrise Highway (27). That was back in the early 60s.
That would be the building here: http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&F ... &encType=1

From what I understand, during various parts of it's lifetime, it was Floyd Bennett, Great Eastern, Modell's, and Home Depot. Home Depot moved out sometime last year, supposedly due to the fact that the building was falling apart and not up to code (and which HD was paying fines to keep it open). Raymour and Flannigan (the furniture store) has dibs on the property and either plans on demolishing the old structure or remodeling it (more likely the former than the latter).

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 22 Mar 2009 01:30
by RoleModel
catnapped wrote: Raymour and Flannigan (the furniture store) has dibs on the property and either plans on demolishing the old structure or remodeling it (more likely the former than the latter).
http://www.rf-realestate.com/siteplans/ ... _10-08.pdf

Looks like they'll demolish it completely and make a mini-strip mall.

Re:

Posted: 18 Jan 2010 20:12
by BOHACKIAN
turbocsx wrote:ok, I just found out that the former Harrows location, now aid auto stores used to be a Safeway. I was told this by 2 people who have lived in riverhead all thier lives. So, I am not sure what the deal is. Is it possible the king kullen was a safeway 1st? I think they said that the current king kullen location used to be a hills. i'd love to get my hands on pics from those times.
YES DEF A SAFEWAY AS SEEN IN THIS 1956 DATED PHOTOGRAPH. DON'T REMEMBER IT EVER BEING A KING KULLEN. THEN AGAIN I HARDLY REMEMBER AN A&P WHERE TJ MAXX IS NOW. I DO REMEMBER A SUPER X DRUG STORE NEXT TO TJ MAXX MAYBE WHEN IT WAS AN A&P?

Image

Re: New York area: Billy Blake? Food Parade?

Posted: 21 Jan 2010 03:17
by RoleModel
catnapped wrote:
Nutball Gazette wrote:
Jeffrey55 wrote: From what I understand, during various parts of it's lifetime, it was Floyd Bennett, Great Eastern, Modell's, and Home Depot. Home Depot moved out sometime last year, supposedly due to the fact that the building was falling apart and not up to code (and which HD was paying fines to keep it open). Raymour and Flannigan (the furniture store) has dibs on the property and either plans on demolishing the old structure or remodeling it (more likely the former than the latter).
I heard Stop & Shop might be going there as well recently.