Brockton, Remember When?

Clifton
Came across that site also when I was looking for Kings info. Some interesting info. Having grown up on the East Side, I was pretty familiar with Mammoth Mart A paragraph on that site mentions that the first store was in Framingham ' I had no idea there were so many stores.

"In March 1956, the first “Mammoth Mart” (originally Mammoth Mills) was opened in a 51,000 square foot former foundry building in Framingham, Massachusetts. Robert Drew-Bear, in his book Mass Merchandising, describes the opening day scene, where there happened to be a “…very heavy snowfall. As a matter of fact, even the large searchlights were buried by the storm. Nevertheless, the buying public came to the store opening and a new era was born for Max Coffman and Mammoth Mart”.

Another paragraph mentions that Sam Walton visited Coffman (MM founder from Quincy) to compare notes before Wal Mart took off.

Pretty good stuff. You brought to mind something I have not seen for a long time - searchlights. I remember "chasing" them when I was younger. My father would put us in the car and off we'd drive to find them. My parents were children during WWII but my mother described seeing searchlights during blackouts. It was fascinating to me when Dad discovered their origin, always at some type of retail opening, but I also remember being slightly scared of them after hearing the WWII stories. It's funny - many of my "remember when" memories are focused around stores which used to be a big part of life. It is sad that so many of them are gone, limiting us in our choices. Though I also make purchases online, I do not like the cost of shipping or returns, nor can I try on clothes or shoes. Slightly off topic, Kmart in Braintree is closing and Sears at South Shore Plaza is leasing one of its floors to Primark, an Irish retailer that has a multi-story location in Downtown Crossing. They offer good prices, but I am unsure of their quality. Kmart's space will split into a Nordstrom Rack, and Sacks Fifth Avenue - much higher price points, here. I wonder what this means for Kmart and Sears in Brockton? Can we afford the loss of more stores?

Ok, this really old, sometime around 1948-1952. Who's old enough to remember when th Springfield YMCA had a gymnastics team that traveled the state putting on a gymnastic show, the high light of the night was when the team was painted in silver "paint" and performed in the dark with only a single spotlight on them? This was performed at the Brockton Y.

I really doubt there is anybody else who would remember that--- but than again you never know.

A bit too early for me but it sounds like a great show. Too bad there aren't shows like that traveling around these days performing in small, accessible venues.
Speaking of the "Y", anyone remember the small lunch counter in the basement on the library side. They made great hamburgers!! There was an outside staircase leading down to the door below ground level.

Here's another thing I remember from around 1948 ( I know this is all too old for most of you young kids) but their was a small poultry business, I think eggs, hens for Sunday dinner. Between the end of Vaughn Ct. and Montello St.,in Campello. At Easter time they would take day old chicks, dip them in food coloring so they were multi colors, and had them for sale in Ben's 5 & 10 store window. All the liberal do-gooders would go nuts now a days.

I certainly remember the dyed chicks in the store window.

Does anyone remember Pat's Good Food on the East Side? It was located on the corner of Howland and Centre Streets. I believe the building is still there and looks very similar to the appearance back in the 60's and 70's when it was a popular and cheap diner type of restaurant. My favorite was the veal and pasta which was served in a large bowl or the fried clams. Great place with 4 to 6 stools at a counter and 8 to 10 booths.

BC, I remember Pat's. I wonder what caused them to close? Great home cooking in a clean place!! I remember going there in the 80's.

It really was a great place They had good servings at very reasonable prices. They would put 3 or 4 veal cutlets on the bowl of spaghetti!!! Loved it!! Not sure why they closed. Maybe the people running it retired or moved away. I always wondered if the owners lived in the big Victorian house to the left. Also, it's possible the customers who appreciated that type of home style cooking moved away.

It is winter. I remember being forced to wear only dresses to school in our fine elementary system. It was so cold and we all walked back then. Our mothers gave us snow pants for under the dresses. No privacy was granted back then; we had to strip the snow pants off in the hall and put them on again at the end of the day. Many a girls' undies were on display for all to see during this process. Now why would boys be able to dress warmly and we girls had to freeze? Many of us wore little socks with our dresses as tights were not always available.