I sometimes talk on this blog about Leonardo's, the brick-oven pizza place that used to be on Court Street, near First Place. But I've never had a picture to post. Here it is, on a snowy day in, I don't know, the late '90s. There's a Dunkin' Donuts there now. How I hate it.
Some sort of parade (Halloween?) down Court Street in, I'm guessing, the 1980s. That must be the first incarnation of Casa Rosa in the background. The building's been salmon pink as long as I've known it, and that's 16 years.
I'm reaching way back here to a place only few people living still remember. A long time ago, there used to be an ice cream parlor on Court Street, near Baltic, called Ebel's. It was one of three beloved ice cream joints on Court, one of them called Swede's, near Carroll Street. In 1964, the New York Times referred to it as "a candy store with a good reputation." Every old South Brooklyn kid who recalls it describes it as a popular hangout of its day. This photo is from Ebel's earliest days. Jeez. What a place. I'd hang out there, too. I'd never leave.
I wish we still had ice cream parlors like that in the neighborhood. Baskin Robbins is terrible. I miss Peter's Ice Cream on Atlantic Ave, that's what I grew up with.
ReplyDeleteMy mom worked at Carl Ebel's ice cream parlor in Brooklyn, when she was a teenager.She took me there when I was a young boy,after her employment there, because she had to show me she could still put together a wonderful ice cream soda.The picture is exactly how I remember sitting at the counter at Ebel's.Mom shared many wonderful memories of her early experiences there.Evelyn passed away 8 years ago;she would have been 86 this year, so her Ebel's days go back about 70 years or so, and my visit to Ebel's was probably in 1955.
ReplyDeleteMy maiden name is Gail Ebel. I was born to my parents at St.Catherine's Hospital in Brooklyn.. At the time they lived in the third floor apartment at 228 Court Street along with my older brother, Bruce Ebel. The ice cream parlor was originally owned by my grandfather, Charlie Ebel and I remember working there from the time I was nine.I remember some of the families in the neighborhood - it was a typical south Brooklyn neighborhood of Italians and Irish. There were the Walshes; seven children, I think. There was Mary Jane, Jimmy, Elizabeth, Maureen, Michael(?), etal. I also remember the McMann's - Bobby and Charlie. Are you all still there?
ReplyDeleteI don't remember Evelyn. I am seventy, and my brother would have been seventy-five this year. Bruce passed away in 2007. The waitresses I remember are Helen, Flo, Winnie, washing dishes. I remember Harry, the horse. I'm not quite sure how he got that moniker.
I don't remember what year my Dad sold the "store" to the the funeral parlor next door, Cusamano & Russo (sorry if I got the spelling wrong).
I hope more people respond this article.
Honestly,sorry, but I have doubts that the picture is the Ebel's on Court Street. It appears there are stairs in the left rear. The stairs to the basement, and the apartments were on the right side looking in from the street, and were clearly out of sight from the ice cream parlor.
Bill, I wish I could remember your mom, Evelyn Evans. I married in 1968 and moved to the west coast where my husband was stationed during the Nam war. What years did mom work there?
Oh, so many wonderful memories.
I remember Ebels! Such fond memories of grilled cheese sandwiches and egg creams! I used to live on Butler Street between Court and Smith.
ReplyDeleteMY COUSIN GUS WAS KILLED IN EBEL'S DINER IN THE 1960'S . IT WAS A VERY TOUGH
ReplyDeleteTIME FOR BROOKLYN GANGS BACK THN.