Photo Gallery: 63rd Drive
 Now here's a store even returning World War II
veterans could remember. I'm speculating of course, but I figure
that this baby goes all the way back to when these art deco stores
were built, probably under the threatening WW II storm clouds.
Of all the stores in the neighborhood, this one is probably the
longest running. The huge Duane Reade drugstore next door was
the site of McCrory's, a Woolworth type five and dime variety
store, all the years of my youth. What better place to stick
a Woolworth type than right directly across the Drive as the
crow flies, from an honest to goodness Woolworths. Today, both
are long gone and the Woolworth corporation goes by the curious
name of Venator, its sole worthy asset being either Foot Locker
or Athletes Foot; I forget which. Why don't they just buy up
the one they don't own so nobody has to wonder?Anyhow, through all the years of my 30's, the ex-McCrory's-Soon to be Duane Reade, was a Lechters Housewares. Lechters apparently does better inside malls than outside on sidewalks. Now the Rego Park-Forest Hills corridor, long the province of mom and pop pharmacies, is a battle field between Duane Reade, Rite Aid and CVS. |