Broadway Stroll the Summer of ‘69
by Mary Flanagan, Associate Real Estate Broker & lifelong Saratogian
2019 marks Roohan Realty’s 50th year in business! We would like to take you back to 1969 and share what downtown Saratoga Springs, NY looked like 50 years ago. We’ve been having a great time reading old newspapers and hope you enjoy seeing the historic Roohan Realty connections as much as we do. Community involvement and public service have been ingrained in our business from the very beginning – a commitment that continues today.
We will take a walk down the west side of Broadway:
- starting at the Community Theater (Roohan Realty Office) at 519 Browadway
- making our way down to Washington Street (Starbuck’s), and crossing there
- and returning down the east side of Broadway
Major fires have destroyed some of the buildings, and the rise in vibrant investments to our Broadway landscape have brought new buildings where it was not fiscally prudent to repair. Others were marvelously refurbished and renovated to current building codes. Today, we have a bustling downtown with shops, restaurants, hotels and lots of people.
In 1969, doctors, dentists, attorneys, were all in practice along Broadway, and although the latter some remain, all the doctors and dentists have moved off Broadway. The magnificent Grand Union and the United States Hotels were long gone, leaving blocks of Broadway open for new businesses. A scattered few remain in town, although their location may have changed; they are noted with *.
517-519 | Community Theater |
513 | Dr. Taub, optometrist |
511 | Dr. Cumming, optometrist |
509 | Temple Sinai* |
505 | Dr. Isenberg, Dr. Moore Dr. Rockwell, MD |
Cross Walton Street
497 | The Windsor – rooming house |
495 | Dr. Friedsen, MD |
493 | Dr. Harrington, MD |
491 | Tom Thum Bookstore |
489 | Howard Cline Real Estate |
487 | Dr. McGovern, MD |
475-485 | Post Office* |
Cross Church Street
473 | The Adirondack Trust Co.* |
465 | WJ Burke & Sons, Funeral Directors* (the Funeral Home@ 628 North Broadway)* |
461 | Glickmans Men’s & Boy’s Shop |
459 | Lou’s Luncheonette |
455 | Tarantino’s Insurance Agency |
453 | Baldy’s Newsroom |
449 | Globe Supply |
447 | Rate TV and Radio Service |
445 | G&G Restaurant |
437-443 | Office Building |
Pedestrian Mall
429 | Apartment Building |
425 |
Mr. Jack’s His N Hers |
423 | The Saratoga Inn, Law Offices of Carroll and Amyot |
417 | Dr Feynman, MD |
415 | New Worden Inn Motel |
Cross Division Street
389 | Red Barn |
387 | The Office |
383 | Niagara Mohawk Power Co. |
373-379 | The Perry Building |
379 | Red Carpet Liquor |
377 | Apartment Building entrance |
375 | Daniel on Broadway, beauty shop |
371 | Schrades Florist* |
369 | Spa Realty |
363-365 | Adelphi Hotel * |
361 | Adelphi Grill |
355 | Gondola Restaurant |
353 | Rip Van Dam Hotel |
At Washington Street – Cross Broadway
To our right towards Spring Street is:
328 | The House of Gee |
348 | Wells Pharmacy |
348-358 | Shackleford Building |
350 | D’Andrea’s Restaurant * |
354 | Park Apartments |
356 | Roxy Cleaners |
358 | Chamber of Commerce* |
360 | The Stroup Building Van Voast & Leonard Insurance Dr. Roohan & Dr. Behrmann, dentists |
Cross Phila Street
366 | State Bank of Albany |
368 | Office Building Law offices of Grey and Snyder* James O’Brien, attorney Nichols & Collins, attorneys |
372-376 | The Arcade Building* The Huddle Hut Patricia’s Gift Shop 3 floors of office space |
378 | Prudential Life Insurance Richard Mullaney, attorney* |
380 | Silverhart Associates |
382 | Berkowitz Jewelry Store |
384 | The Boyle Building Dr. Leo Boyle, optometrist Aaron Brenner, attorney John Simone, attorney |
386 | Saratoga Gift Shop |
388-394 | JJ Newberry Co. |
396 | Community Store |
398 | Maggi’s |
400 | American Finance Co. |
402 | MacFinn Drug Co. |
404 | N. Fox* |
408-412 | Starbuck’s Department Store |
424-426 | Waterbury Building |
426 | Triangle Shoe Store |
430-436 | Walbridge Building |
430 | Squires East |
432 | Carey’s Gift Shop |
436 | Saratoga Men’s Shop |
Cross Caroline Street
438 | Rowe Shoes |
442 | McGirr’s Specialty Shop |
444 | Office Building Law Office of King, Duval & Murphy * Dr. McGirr, dentist |
446 | Endicott Johnson Shoe Store |
448-452 |
Clark’s Discount Department Store |
456 | Covkins Little Folks Shop |
458 | Fern Tavern |
462 | Erlanger’s Fashions |
464 | Western Auto |
466-468 | Breslaw’s Furniture |
470 | Raymond’s Bootery & Boutique |
472 | 472 Menges & Curtis* |
Cross Lake Avenue
474-478 | City Hall City Offices Law Offices of: Brackett, Eddy & Dorsey*; Sheridan P. & David Wait; David & John Burke; George & Tuck; Leary, Fullerton, Ford & Aussicker; Carusone & Carusone* |
480-484 | Collamer Building |
480 | Helprin Brothers Pharmacy |
482-484 | National Auto |
486 | Martin’s TV and Radio Service |
488 | George Pierce Insurance Agency |
490 | Mabbett Co. clothing and shoes |
492 | Farmers Hardware Co |
494 | Finch Pruyn Sales, appliances |
496 | Presbyterian Church |
504-518 | Algonquin Building* |
510 | Standard Furniture Store |
510 ½ | entrance for apartments |
514 | Fashion Shop of Saratoga |
Corner of Grove Street
Across the street from the Community Theater. But to continue across Grove Street in 1969, there was no City Center or Hotel:
522 | Kiley’s Gas Station |
526 | Hotel Brooklyn |
530 | American Legion Home |
534 | Hotel Lincoln |
540 | Dr. Comstock, MD |
554 | Saratoga Emergency Corp |
Now at the corner of East Van Dam Street, because the Arterial (Route 50) had not been built.
To those who remember, I hope you enjoyed memory lane.
For those who do not remember, let me add a few highlights, most of the drug stores had soda fountains and there was nothing like an ice cream soda.
On Thursday nights, the stores stayed open until 9:00 PM and it was a great spot to shop or people watch (the mall had not been built yet.)

The arterial highway (Route 50) being built in 1969
The Adelphi Grill was open all night for people to grab a sandwich, and they had the best pastrami sandwiches.
Lou’s Luncheonette (Compton’s) would be open for you to grab breakfast at any time.
Glickman’s Men and Boys Shop eventually sold girl’s clothes, as did Saratoga Men’s Shop.
McGirr’s sold all the Catholic School uniforms.
Starbuck’s Department Store carried everything and had a money slide (like the ones at the drive through windows at the bank – long before the banks did).
N. Fox sold more than jewelry – they had small appliances. But more importantly, they sold records, which gave us the opportunity to have quite a collection.
The Community Theater was always a fun treat and had the best candy selection. (Side note: Roohan Realty has a good candy selection too but we’ve added a large fruit bowl for those who are more health conscious.)
Enjoy your summer!
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