Friday, November 30, 2007

taking "orders" at steinbergs

hi.
 
anyone remember going down to Steinbergs on Verdun and richard street on a friday night or saturday morning and walking around the store asking the ladies if you could "take their order"???. This meant that you would carry or cart their groceries back to their house and lug them up a couple of flights of stairs in the middle of winter ....FOR A DIME!!!!!
 
jd..

28 comments:

johnmattatall MSN said...

Absolutly! I used to hang around there with my wagon. And your right, some buggers would drag you for like 5 blocks then give you a dime! If I remember 25 cents was normal.

wendythepool MSN said...

Hi, Yes I remember (can I take your order) at the A&P which is now IGA, I believe, and Steinbergs on Verdun between Melrose and Desmarchais. We used to lug the groceries on our little red wagons or sometimes tobogans in the winter. Also shoveling the walkways for next to nothing after a heavy snowfall. It was all good. We made a few extra bucks to spend at Johnny Snack Bar or where ever we wanted. Wendy

shirleyb-h MSN said...

John did you a very long time ago work for Bache Securities in the cage with Noel Bordeleau and Jim Bearisto who was cage manager and lived on Osborne below Verdun?

arbutus MSN said...

Yes I did that at Steinbergs and the Dominion Store on Banantyne. Delivered the Montreal Star and worked for Ben Shara the Pharmacist - Trenholme Pharmacy - Banantyne and Valiquette delivering on my bicycle summer and winter, 30 cents an hour plus tips --- nickles dimes and wow an odd quarter and quite often a very pleasant "Thank You "!!!! Oh I Remember It Well !!!!!!   Gary Mace ex 1045 Valiquette and 920 Moffat

winnie3ave MSN said...

Gary. I also delivered orders from Steinbergs, A&P, and Dominion store. I also delivered for Leduc Pharmacy on Church and Wellington. Also Curie's. Had 3 paper routes at the same time. Delivered the Gazette in the morning, The star after school (both routes on 5th Avenue), and The Gardian on 2nd Avenue on Thursday during lunch from school. If we wanted anything we did have to work for it, that's for sure.   Winston (835 3rd Avenue) Allison Vancouver, Washington

habsrule241 MSN said...

hi shirley BH..   i did not work for BAche Securities.. I did work for Sir George Williams University (now Concordia of course) and then McGill until moving to mississauga....   regards jd  

shirleyb-h MSN said...

Sorry Habsrule I didnt know there was another John I was asking JohnMattatall - I think that I worked with him at Bache ages ago.    

_____duck MSN said...

I took orders at both Steinbergs and Dominion. Usually made enough earlier in the day to get into the Nadatorium for the day and had enough to buy a hotdog, a five cent bag of Humpty Dumpty chips and a small Pepsi.   I remember there being tons of competition back in the sixties. I wonder if kids still do this.   Is Steinbergs and Dominion still there?

laurie MSN said...

I was a little bugger. I would go to the bathroom at Steinbergs (Willington & Willibrord) and borrow their empty coke bottles hanging around the employee's lunch room. ...up under my shirt or jacket, then walked out the store. I turned the corner and pulled out the empty bottles, then went back to Steinbergs to return their own bottles for I think it was .2 cents at the time.

habsrule241 MSN said...

hi duck..   you just made me remember those little bags of chips that were just crumbs in a clear plastic bag!!..   "glory days"

screwballrandy MSN said...

yea I do remember doing that...I lived at 5901 verdun ave right next door. to the steinbergs .The old T.V store was under us..I would show up there at like 8 am and leave at 5 at night and make 3 or 4 bucks 4 the whole day..  Now that is gone and they build a cop shop..LOL  would of saved me lots of walking time if the cop shop was closer back then  LMAO.....   I used to like watching all the people come and go..But like all good times go  but better time come..So to all the good people the remember that I lift my hat..   Randy Moss

jdt2grn MSN said...

I remenber those times well. Used to take "orders" all day Saturday ( best in the A.M) then would have enough to go to the Forum Sat night for a standing room ticket ( $1.20 I believe) a coke and of course a Foum "hot dog" plus the Verdun Ave bus ride up and back.  I believe I did it on about 2.25 for the whole night.  FANTASTIC  times and  memories.

habfan MSN said...

We had a huge toboggan, and when we had those brutal storms, we would go there, and theDominion on Bannantyne at Godin, and haul the groceries to the homes and up the stairs. It was more than a dime usually, but was well worth it. I can remember being about 11 years old and I made $20 in one day just before christmas. That was a lot of money then, and was a fortune to an 11yr old.     Mike

shirleyb-h MSN said...

We lived on Osborne and used to go to the Steinbergs over by Richard was it?? My son was about 6 or 7 and while I was in doing my groceries usually took at least an hour he was doing the order thing.  Because he was small for his age he usually got .25 per trip so he would make $1 or $2 while I was there. He had one of those long wooden wagons with the sides.   When he was a bit older he used to deliver for the grocery store on Verdun and Osborne - was it New Verdun? owned by brothers and the fact that he spoke both French and English helped.  By the way those bycycles with the metal cage on the front were seen all through the West End - I grew up near St. Antoine & Guy and our grocery stores - 4 within 2 blocks either on St James or St Antoine between Guy and Aqueduct had them.

karen MSN said...

Hi..i remember that...my sister and i use to take them at willabroad and wellinton...as soon as we made enough we both would go to the movies..at the savoy...we bring our wagon..lug boxes of grocies up three flights of stairs...for your right a dime....i also remember shoveling the belcony of a neighour,,..they owned the clothing store on wellington and church ave...it would take two little girls at least and hour...for 25 cent...we were rich...!!!

johnmelinvin2 MSN said...

I remember the Nadatorium..I use to walk to the Nadatorium on hot hot days  from Crawfordpark and my parents use to tell me to be careful when walking pass the Douglas hospital . When one of us went upstairs on the Nat ,we use to throw down bags of chips to our friends ..If i remember right, they use to have toasted hotdogs and they were ever so so so good..Can not remember the name of the bags of chips tho..Think it started with an L.. 

les__f MSN said...

hi John,........I think the 5cent bags of chips were Laurentian or Laurentide something like that,...........& your right ,although a Steamie is good,..those 'Toasted Hotdogs' & the Nat,.were great,.Remember Westons made the special 'Toasted Buns'...an ordinary Hotdog Bun,with sides cut flat,to better fir in the Grill................Yup I can almost taste them,,,,,,  A simpler time,.but nonetheless fun,........... and the mystic of the 'Dougie' was everpresent ,.almost every time you'd go by the place,you couldn't help but think of the trapped people inside,...........                                                                                                                HF&RV

oshayne MSN said...

your right les it was one of those names..i'm thinking laurentide but i may be getting it mixed up with the beer...     anyone remember the bag of chip crumbs they sold for a penny...???   i also did 'orders' at the steinbergs on verdun ave as well as the a&p on bannantyne...    anyone 'caddy' at the lasalle golf course???....lug a friggin bag around for 18 holes and get a quarter...

kungfu MSN said...

I think we all must have done it , I remember for sure , we used to take our COASTER and with one knee in it and other foot hitting the pavement ride down to corner of fifth and VErdun , steinbergs , good dough , sometimes a quarter, I also remember delivering grocieries from A & P , corner maybe Manning ???   and Bannentine (sp) with horse and wagon , geez what great memories .  jim  p.s. I think the skate boards are similar to our old coasters , except ours were more useable hahaha jim

claroleca2 MSN said...

Les, you can still buy those buns. Wonder Bread makes them.  I have some in the freezer.  We like them the better than the regular hot dog buns.  I forgot about toasting them though. Remember the flat-iron type of appliance that the buns were toasted in?  I think my parents also buttered and toasted them (hamburger buns too) in a cast iron frying pan.   Carole

les__f MSN said...

Hi claroleca2  ( Carole),.......  I was thinking of those flat grill / iron type of thing ,.everyone had one,.they were usually used for Grill Cheese Sandwichs, and the metal inside the grill could be 'flipped' over & used to makwe 'Waffles'............Remember that,.........Your right those Flat Irons would be perfect for 'toasted hot dogs' ........  Weston's had a store out here ( Victoria BC) that actually sold those buns too,.....but I have never ever seen anyone have them out here,..the store was closed a few years back,..........            & I think everyone also used 'cast iron ' frying pans to cook everything in those days.......................                                 Thanks for the memory prompt............................hf&rv

stephenfredmond MSN said...

Les I still got my grill.Therewas also a grill for sandwiches it would almost cut the sandwich in half. Steve

shirleyb-h MSN said...

My mother had one of those Tostess grills we made grilled cheese and toasted hot dogs on them.  Last summer I found those hot dog buns here in Calgary to make toasted hot dogs mostly I make steamies by boiling the weiners and sitting a collander on top and I fold a tea towel over the buns so that they steam.   I bought a Panini press and looked a quite a few varieties before choosing a Breville because he had that flat surface so you could make grilled cheese or toasted hot dogs.

claroleca2 MSN said...

I use a cast iron fry pan quite often.  Non-stick frying pans can be toxic (especially to my parrotlets). We used to go to a cottage in the Laurentians. We had a woodstove for heating purposes in early spring. My mother made the best toast on it. She would clean the top of the stove then just lay the bread right on it. Then put butter/marg on when it's done.  Honest to goodness, the best toast ever!  I'm going to keep my eye open at garage sales in the spring for one of those flat grill things. Didn't they stick though ?    Claroleca (Carole)            

kungfu MSN said...

Hi CArol, I have a cabin way up in northern Quebec, we have a wood stove and your right, best toast in the world, as a matter of fact we bring a roll of wax paper to clean the top and then put the bread on to toast , it is amazing . I remember having a wood stove at 253 3rd ave. Verdun , above Grover,s way back when , and we also used to make toast that way ,  I am so lucky , still have the opportunity to eat succccculent toast. hang tough Jimmy

les__f MSN said...

I would bet more than a few of us ,have had to make toast the old fashion way,.( with a coathanger).................or Remember those old flip downm toasters,.you had to get used to liking burnt toast ,.cause we'd always forget to flip over the bread....................hahahahahah                        HF&RV

shirleyb-h MSN said...

I am still looking for the cast iron or whatever they were made of stove lids to make toast - if anyone knows where I could get one please do tell.   My father would open a hanger and bend it until it sort of looked like a W with a long handle and he would put the toast on that and lower it over the coals - bring it up and flip it and boy was that great with home made jam buttered first of course - but my granny used to take the bread wrapper when they were wax of course and rub the top of the stove then she would make us toast right on that ring.  NOW alas I have not been able to find one of those rings that you had to have a special lifter to remove in order to add more coal to the stove so I improvise - I have a gas stove and I have a hanger and I sometimes make toast that way especially if it is sliced Italian bread.

claroleca2 MSN said...

Hi Jimmy, lucky you to have an old wood stove!  I can taste the toast right now. I think toasting it in a cast iron fry pan may do the trick. Saturday morning I'll be making eggs in one fry pan & toast in the other.  I remember the smell of the coffee being perked on the woodstove too. It smelled sooo good, wasn't allowed to have any then though!   I also have an old flip toaster, just because It brings back memories, I don't use it though, (picked it up at a garage sale).   Have a great snowy day, that's what it's doing here!   Carole