Mermaid Theater

My favorite childhood movie was “The 7 Foys”. I saw it at the Mermaid Theatre. The candy store next door is where I would have my egg creams and pretzel rods. An ice cream cone was 10 cents and 2 cents more for sprinkles. I spent time sitting at the table there looking through and buying used comic books.

We moved when I was in 5th grade, but my dad owned the small jewelry/watch repair shop on the other side of the theatre.

Hubba Hubba and Meyers were where my sister and I would have lunch all by ourselves like grownups. (grin)

Regarding the history of the Mermaid Theatre.
My father Murray Philip Roth was born around 1925. When he was a teenager, his job at the Mermaid Theatre was to run the projector, change the movie titles on the marquee as well as the light bulbs. He also would place a large block of ice in front of a large fan in the rear of the theatre. The banner outside the theatre read air-cooled inside.
Across the street on the corner stood the luncheonette named the HUBA HUBA. Above the HUBA HUBA was a walk up apartment building. My mother Blanche Strauss would sit on the 2nd floor fire escape watching my father change the marquee titles when he noticed her time and again and had a vision of his future with her. My mother was 17 and they married and had three sons, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren. My father and mother told us this story from time to time. My father had eight brothers and three sisters and my mother had one sister and one brother. I remember when the luncheonette,theatre and a corner drugs store were still in operation. I am fifty seven and both my parents have pasted on. I also remember the city bus stop in front of the Huba Huba..My dad also told me when he was a kid Nathans hot dog was a nickel including the drink. I also remember when we walked to the beach there was a place on the way that sold fresh jelly-apples on 26th street.

I have left email asking the people who run this site to help me contact you directly or to send you my email address. This may not happen until I’m back in NY on Sunday as my outgoing email isn’t working from here. Also just spoke with my mother who remembers you and your father and told me about a boat ride sponsored perhaps by a NY theater owners group where she, her sisters and your family met. I’m hoping there are pictures of the theaters themselves to add to this site. Have just spoken with one of my cousins as well since I wrote the above and we’re hoping we can get you all together so that we can eavesdrop on your reminiscences.

Yes, “heljes”, I’d often heard the name Mr. Drogin when my mother and aunts talked about Grandpa and their theaters! I’m on vacation in Washington DC ‘til Sunday but when I get back to my mother’s (Harriet) I’d like to get in touch with you privately by e-mail. Don’t post your real email address here (too public). I’ll see if I can find a way for us to email privately. BTW, “Suskelah” is what my grandfather, who lived with us while we were growing up, called me. Well, it was more like “Suskelah, sit strait, you’ll get a hunchback…” I can’t wait to hear what you remember! Am very excited!

The Horwitz' lived next door to the Mermaid, above Sinrod’s Tuxedo shop. In addition to screening movies, they would occassionally book live acts. I remember when Jazz great, saxophonist Zoot Sims played there.

In March of 1964 there is a 600 seat motion picture theater located at 2812 Mermaid Avenue (address on the c/o). In August of 1965 there is a 590 seat Church located at 2812 Mermaid Avenue.

A search of this address shows the following:
Coney Island Cathedral
Bishop Waylyn Hobbes
2816 Mermaid Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11224
I would assume that this former theater is now a Church.

the mermaid was unjustly called a ‘dump
it was a small cozy movie theatre
mostly featured was revival films
or abbot and costello, ma and pa kettle
i remember one rainy april saturday afternoon-there was a john wayne double feature –'sands of iowa jima; and 'they were expendable.'
the place was packed
the candy counter sold bonomos chocolate turkish taffy
the only one who did
these working class kids did not realize john wayne was a n extreme rightwinger and an antisemite who opposed everything that made life tolerable for those naive youths who idolized him
but in the eisenhower 50s who was class conscious

albert peckman

The Mermaid Theatre’s address was 2816 Mermaid Ave..