My name is Ben Bonafede and I was born
in Columbus Hospital and I grew up on Ridge Street near Park Ave.
I went to Sacred Heart School which was a block away on Ridge St.
After that I went to Broadway Jr. High School and then on to Barringer
High in the first year the new high school opened, i graduated 1967.
When i went to Sacred Heart School I remember when I was in the
3rd or 4th grade around 1958/1959 and i used to walk home, there
was a luncheonette on the corner of Park Ave. and Ridge St. called
the BLUE AND WHITE. I remember passing by the luncheonette and outside
the store there was always a group of about 4 or 5 guys harmonizing,
which today is called DOO WOP. That has stayed in my mind. I often
think about those days and how i used to spend a lot of time at
the Melody Record Shop on Broadway.
I used to always admire the shirts and clothes in the window of
Swank Men's Shop on Bloomfield Ave. I always loved when my mother
would take me to the Ferrara Pastry Shop on Bloomfield Ave between
Ridge St and Clifton Ave.
Every summer we would go buy lemon ice at TING-A-LINGS and also
buy italian hot dogs at Dickey Dee's. Everyday I would go with my
father to Calandra's for fresh italian bread.
Right now I live at the Jersey shore area but we still come to
Newark for the St. Gerard Feast and follow the procession. I have
been going to the St. Gerard Feast for as long as i can remember.
My parents always took me there and the first thing I wanted was
the zeppoles.
I remember going downtown with my mother shopping at Bambergers,
Kleins and always stopping at either Woolworth's or McCrorys for
lunch and I also remember that McCrorys downtown used to sell CHARLOTTE
ROUSSE. Oh how I loved eating those when I was a kid.
There is so much I remember about growing up in North Newark and
I will always remember those days.
Newark is always in my heart.
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