Vanderbilt Ave, June 1960

That's Hercules' Vanderbilt Diner on the corner in the center of the frame (the stairs up to the el landed right in front of the door), folllowed by the florist, the glazer, Sal Maggiore's Bakery, one (or two) blanks, Raeder's Dry Cleaners, and the Prudential Savings Bank (under the turret at the next corner (Clinton)). All of the back doors came out in the service alley on Vanderbilt, that is just behind the two-car garage that's just off of the center of the frame. I used to split wood, and carry up "clinkers & ashes" in that alley, for Sal Maggiore, and did a bunch of repairs for Raeder's. I had a thousand breakfasts and lunches at Hercules' Vanderbilt. They had the same coffee urn there from when I was 6, in 1958, until the mid 90's when it finally closed. It's a Chase branch these days.....I can remember the lines to get into the place when the Navy Yard was open....They had a steam cabinet in the front by the window and must have sold a dozen, each, of brisket, or pastrami, heroes every weekday.... It was cheap, and the portions were generous.....Coffee came, not in a plastic, or styrofoam, cups, but, rather, a real "container" with heavy lid.... So many memories of getting take-out eggs, potatoes, toast & coffee "to go"...and walking the delicious-smelling bag back down Myrtle to 437...where we'd eat them, seated at the sewing machines, while waiting for the steam to come up in the almost-daylight of Winter morning's on Myrtle Avenue.....