I was born and raised in Brownsville. First at 38 Herzl Street (corner Pitkin, just 3 blocks away – and then when I was 17 we moved to Legion Street at Dumont (above the pool hall) also 3 blocks from the Pitkin. It was the place I got my news as well as culture growing up.
Ah, memories – I wrote about it in my collection of stories “Remembering Brownsville/Mayn Shtetele Bronsvil”. When you look at the grandeur in full detail and remember the crowded conditions in which we lived (in my case 7 people in 3 very tiny rooms), it’s amazing.
If you do get over to the Ptikin, could you snap a shot of 38 Herzl Street which is now the New Cibao Grocery?
I live in Baltimore these days and am physically handicapped so even a trip is pretty problematic.
And as I stare further, isn’t that niche in the front where the organ stood??? It used to magically come up from below and then descend and there used to be a sign “Henrietta at the Organ” if memory serves me.
Now all that’s missing to share with my kid is the grand staircase and lobby. Or maybe the ladies lounge outer area.
Got them and thanks. But are you sure these are the Pitkin interiors ??? I remember a darker ambience with stars and floating clouds — of course it’s been over 5 decades since I was last there. And these are fully lit sans atmospherics.
Got them and thanks. But are you sure these are the Pitkin interiors ??? I remember a darker ambience with stars and floating clouds — of course it’s been over 5 decades since I was last there. And these are fully lit sans atmospherics.
The Loew’s Palace was located on Strauss Street cnorner East New York Avenue amd usually showed movies a week or so after the Loew’s Pitkin at a lower ticket price. It was less fancy and had a very tough dyed blonde matron named Sally, who kept a tight reign on neighborhood kids.
The Hopkinson on Hopkinson Avenue, between Pitkin and Sutter Avenues, did become a movie house, and after WWII specialized in foreign films including Russian, German, Italian and French (re-runs of pre-war classics, as well as showing those films that were in vogue at the artsy-fartsy NY art cinemas.
The Stadium on Chester – off Pitkin and Sutter – showed lots of B pictures — Charlie Chans and the like.
The Sutter, near the IRT Sutter Ave. Rutland Rd. elevated, also showed lots of B pictures.
They all featured special kiddie line-ups for Saturday afternoon.
The fun for a kid was to somehow be able to stay for at least an hour or two after they “kicked the kids out” at 5 or 5:30. It was a challenge. One trick was to change your seat around 4 oclock and line up with an adult in the adult section and get them to say you were with them. That way you got to see the main feature one more time for free and killed time until dinner was ready at home.
Does anyone have any pictures of the Loew’s Pitkin Interior???
I was born and raised in Brownsville. First at 38 Herzl Street (corner Pitkin, just 3 blocks away – and then when I was 17 we moved to Legion Street at Dumont (above the pool hall) also 3 blocks from the Pitkin. It was the place I got my news as well as culture growing up.
Ah, memories – I wrote about it in my collection of stories “Remembering Brownsville/Mayn Shtetele Bronsvil”. When you look at the grandeur in full detail and remember the crowded conditions in which we lived (in my case 7 people in 3 very tiny rooms), it’s amazing.
If you do get over to the Ptikin, could you snap a shot of 38 Herzl Street which is now the New Cibao Grocery?
I live in Baltimore these days and am physically handicapped so even a trip is pretty problematic.
Sylvia
And as I stare further, isn’t that niche in the front where the organ stood??? It used to magically come up from below and then descend and there used to be a sign “Henrietta at the Organ” if memory serves me.
Now all that’s missing to share with my kid is the grand staircase and lobby. Or maybe the ladies lounge outer area.
Heartfelt thanks,
Sylvia
Got them and thanks. But are you sure these are the Pitkin interiors ??? I remember a darker ambience with stars and floating clouds — of course it’s been over 5 decades since I was last there. And these are fully lit sans atmospherics.
Sylvia
Got them and thanks. But are you sure these are the Pitkin interiors ??? I remember a darker ambience with stars and floating clouds — of course it’s been over 5 decades since I was last there. And these are fully lit sans atmospherics.
Sylvia
oops – there’s only one “m” in charm.net
Sylvia Schildt
I get exteriors at this post, not interiors — got another date? Can you e-mail me a photo at ?
Also interested in pitures of Loew’s Pitkin ephemera – such as announcements, ads, beauty contest materials, etc.
Sylvia Schildt
The Loew’s Palace was located on Strauss Street cnorner East New York Avenue amd usually showed movies a week or so after the Loew’s Pitkin at a lower ticket price. It was less fancy and had a very tough dyed blonde matron named Sally, who kept a tight reign on neighborhood kids.
The Hopkinson on Hopkinson Avenue, between Pitkin and Sutter Avenues, did become a movie house, and after WWII specialized in foreign films including Russian, German, Italian and French (re-runs of pre-war classics, as well as showing those films that were in vogue at the artsy-fartsy NY art cinemas.
The Stadium on Chester – off Pitkin and Sutter – showed lots of B pictures — Charlie Chans and the like.
The Sutter, near the IRT Sutter Ave. Rutland Rd. elevated, also showed lots of B pictures.
They all featured special kiddie line-ups for Saturday afternoon.
The fun for a kid was to somehow be able to stay for at least an hour or two after they “kicked the kids out” at 5 or 5:30. It was a challenge. One trick was to change your seat around 4 oclock and line up with an adult in the adult section and get them to say you were with them. That way you got to see the main feature one more time for free and killed time until dinner was ready at home.
Does anyone have any pictures of the Loew’s Pitkin Interior???
sylvia schildt