It’s been years since I walked the streets of downtown
Rochester, New York, but I have checked out parts of it on Google Earth. At the corner of Main and Clinton many
changes have taken place, including Midtown Plaza having been replaced; I
wonder what happened to the “magical” Clock of the Nations. Across the street, the Sibley Building has
been enclosed by construction fencing, presuming some major changes there. The building held the Sibley, Lindsay and
Curr Company, a major department store back in the day. The big treat was to visit the toy department
on the fourth floor just before Christmas to see the tremendous display of
marvelous toys, dolls, electric trains, games, bicycles – all the goodies we
wrote Santa about. The elevator took us
up, or rather, the elevator operator took us up. He was responsible to make sure we were clear
of the doors he manually opened and closed, then worked the lever to take us
up, all the while singing out the floors we approached and the merchandise contained
therein; second floor, ladies dresses coats and hats; third floor, men’s and
boy’s clothes; fourth floor, housewares and toys. That was the one we waited anxiously to hear. And then the rush out the door to the
Christmas Wonderland! Great memory!
1 comment:
The age of the Department Store, sadly gone. I left my hometown 50 years ago and get back often, but it looks nothing like the wonderful place it was in the 1950s. I am writing the third of a series of children's books with a time and place setting of where I grew up. It's fun just to think about the old days.
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