Does any one know when the building was demolished?
Was there a restaurant in its place before the building was torn down?
Progress takes away a lot of memories.
Bob
Attachment: IMG_1363[1]
THANKS for stopping by, I do my best to acknowledge when someone leaves a comment,you do not have to be a member here & everyone is welcome. Ps: This site is monitored but not actively posting on a regular basis. Mostly these are stories & some photos saved from a defunct site known as Verdun Connections which was on MSN Groups initially then on a social network called Multiply.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Kosta's has gone
On Saturday Sept 27 I was in the Montreal area and made a special trip to drive through Verdun and the old neighborhood, which is Godin Ave. I was walking along Bannantyne taking pictures and came to Bannantyne and Godin and noticed the whole building on the corner was missing.
Does any one know when the building was demolished?
Was there a restaurant in its place before the building was torn down?
Progress takes away a lot of memories.
Bob
Does any one know when the building was demolished?
Was there a restaurant in its place before the building was torn down?
Progress takes away a lot of memories.
Bob
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43 comments:
i was there yesterday, i have pics maybe les will find them, or later i'll post there was a fire there, three times that block went on fire??? this time it really went on fire, they land filled it now for safety reasons few months ago they were building a condo building, i went to buy a condo then found out they had problems and no condo project. we live over the next street, my bro drives by everyday and keeps a eye on the place for me.
here you go, kostas was closed years ago, they built a new restaurant 2 blocks away didn't last, new owners took over, kostas is gone, but central pizza is open in the bronx, orignial owner still there making pizza.
Kostas....my,my..doesn't it bring back memories of early and late teens for some of us.......when you think back fifty years ago all the boys looked like "The Fonz" or "James Dean", and the girls tried to look like Bridget Bardot (without boobs) with that pale pink lipstick and black mascara....hahahaha...didn't we all think we were the cats meow back then.....and those cherry cokes and fries with gravy..not to mention a favorite song....one of my favorites was "My Special Angel" not sure today who sung it..due to old age and memory loss.........(smile) cookie
The day I noticed Kosta's was missing I wanted to take a look at the old place we lived at on Godin. They had renovated it and made the 4 flats into 2. I think they now call it a Maison de villle. The neighbor next door told me they now rent it for $2000 a month, for each unit. Since you live close by is this the going rate?
I worked at Bannatyne Pharmacy for many years. It was a couple of doors down from Kosta's (Dominion was in between) There are a lot of memories that went with the restaurant. YES those Cherry , and Vanilla, cokes.....and don't forget the Malts
remember the old man got a duplex in early 70's for 17k rented upstairs for 75 dollars a month. that was i think about one weeks pay for us back then, today you need 2 people working also a side job on weekends.
Hi Sam - I think it was Bobby Helms who sang "My Special Angel". Whenever I hear anything by Johnny Mathis, I immediately think back to my 'true love' during part of that same period...namely, your very cute brother, Wayne!! I think we were also listening to Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Everly Bros., and then the King himself, Elvis!!! Or maybe that was all later on.......after 50 years, they all seem to jumble together....lol. ~ judy in NB ~
Here you go Judy ...... (newfydog) the song was done by a few people , this one version from 1957 by Bobby Helm http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=ErGBUMiCV1s Even Bobby vinton took a shot at it too http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=nRhTbAVPiTU .............................................you can see others doing the same song on You Tube ......................... Hope you enjoy your song. HF&RV
The last time my wife and I went there (May 2004), it was a Fish and Chips restaurant being run by Jimmy Zemaitis; Jimmy and I went thru school together (St Thomas More and VCHS) so it was nice to see him -I hadn't seen him in years (since I stopped hanging around the Verdun Avenue Pool Hall)...I'm not living in Verdun any more so I can't vouch for the chronological order of events, but as far as I know, that restaurant was in operation at the time of the last fire. So it goes.
Hi Judy, you and wayne and johnny mathis lp's..hahahaha....but when wayne returned from the navy, suddenly he was a johnny cash fan!! He loves all music, probably because he slept next to the living room on 3rd avenue when the adults were partying and blasting their tony bennett/frank sinatra songs and dancing in that small piece of living room while he slept through it all..(smile) ... He thinks it's awesome that your on VerdunConnections and John Allison(Winnie) and Gary's wife and to hear all the news , as he doesn't have a computor.I tell him all the names on here that he would remember from the old days. Too bad we couldn't locate David Bowes,Johnny Zawada,Gail Vokey,Pauline Piche..Harvey Bates to see how they are doing. Maybe one day these folks will connect too. later aligator, cookie
This is all that remains of Kosta's.
Attachment: trip 001.jpg
Geeez not only Kosta's but the old grocery store too, eh?
thanks Les.....that was the one I remember well . cookie
Hi Sam - ..... and don't forget Pauline's (Pony's) older sister Irene....and Barbara Squires and Mary Fisher. I think Heather has kept it touch with a couple of them....I really should call her someday and get all the latest news from her. She'd be so thrilled to know about you and Wayne and how we've managed 'to connect'. Ciao - ~ judy in NB ~
It looks so unusual without the old building there.
Hey Judy.... I also wonder where Pauline (Pony) and Irene Piche are these days,and Mary Fisher.....maybe someone on VC knows.....let me know if you hear anything about these ladies. Talked to Wayne yesterday and said "hello" for you....he kicks himself for not having a computor and missing all these people on VC. ciao baby, cookie
Used to go to that drugstore to buy my parents smokes, Ambories (spelling???) cleaning store next store too. Kid name was Eddie A
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> From: wmckiern@hotmail.com
> To: VerdunConnections@groups.msn.com
> Subject: Re: Kosta's has gone
> Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:08:35 -0700
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> New Message on Verdun Connections
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> From: Willie
> Message 6 in Discussion
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> I worked at Bannatyne Pharmacy for many years. It was a couple of doors down from Kosta's (Dominion was in between) There are a lot of memories that went with the restaurant. YES those Cherry , and Vanilla, cokes.....and don't forget the Malts
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Hi Remember Eddie's brown metalflake Vega wagon..stuffed I think a 427 or 327 in it.. One of a kind. Also did a nice paint job on a Vette that was converted into a wagon. Just in time for the annual car show at Bonaventure. Vette came out of paint and almost straight into show..another one of a kind. Lad
My parents also sent me to the pharmacy for their smokes - they were a couple of cents cheaper than Kostas. Adam's shoe repair was downstairs and between Ambrose dry cleaners and the pharmacy. Ron
hey-lad yep remember the vega, also butch's new vette, did all that body work in the lane behind his mom's ambrose drycleanning. i helped after school, my job doing the prep taping before the paint. he had the skills, also met zekes from him another skill with engines. met lots of muscle car owners in that lane, as a young verduner i had the door open to venture into that business, yet i decided the construction business its a addiction to always own a nice car or truck, going to car and truck shows meeting people, this year was a very busy year for me no time. i learned many didn't go to car shows due to the cost of gas, many owners are on pension, fixed incomes, so its hard for them spennding 60 to 100 dollars just to drive there. buddy i know has lots of storage space left, because some sold there toys.
Hi Metalman Zeke's have not heard that name in a while..he a had a good reputation.If you went to him you knew you got your money's worth. Do you remember the yellow chevelle maybe a 70 or 69..very plain looking but had a 396 in it? A sleeper but a mover....forgot who owned it but nice.. Lad
hey-lad one fellow i forgot his name, learned from ambrose, later started up shop near the verdun pool hall. he loved the vettes. lots of car fanatics in verdun for sure, fellow just rented a car garage in a laneway started up a shop. lots of lane mechanics back then, remeber those canadian tire tornado tires, 40 dollars each, smoke them on the streets of verdun. happydays in verdun, the french end of verdun had crazy muscle cars, draggin down wellington st.
396 came out in the 67 Chevell Steve
Yes & mustard came on hotdogs......... but hotdogs were around a lot longer than'67 ......as was the BB396.............hahahahahah hf&rv
Mtalman do you remember there were two weird looking cars,covered in felt ,.one was a blue or green Toronado,....and I think the other was a Caddy......I got to see a lot of the Wellington Street 'Rods' in those mid 60's , since they all congragated around Norman's French Fry joint on Wellington Btwn: Gordon & Galt,...i lived just upstairs on the 2nd floor ,right next to Normans'..................... saw all the people & cars doing the Wellington Street thing........fun stuff in those days..........................................HF&RV
Les Holy cow I forgot about those two...good one....there was also a VW Beetle covered in astroturf remember that one? Lad
Les A&W on Church was a good place to cruise too..then down Wellington...nice looking waitresses..... The arches in LaSalle not bad but the manager tried to toss us out..something about someone doing burnouts in his parking lot....???? Lad
lad: Say it isn't so...........Burnouts ......Blasphemy I Remember trying to drink those milkshakes & eat those hamburgers ,after 'enhancing' my appetite..............hahahahah I took this shot in the old Mon-Mart parking lot........Dave at the wheel...checking the rearview,as the car filled up with smoking rubber.................hahahahaha HF&RV
Les Nice picture...can hear and smell it now....Les did Dave live in LaSalle...I knew a Dave who drove a Z28 but a 70 .This Dave in the pic looks familar what's his last name if you can. Lad
Your right 'lad: Dave had this '67 Camaro, then he had a '70 Z28 (red I think) I was in it plenty of times ,He a;lso had about 70 -72 Nova SS ,.....if I remember that rightly: Dave was a cousin of Roddy Diamonds,.............but Dave's last name was Walmsley. There was another guy names Bruce McPherson who owned a few nice cars including a Boss 302.which was totaled on Champlain Blvd......(but that 's alonger story)....one of his tricks when he worked at the Fina Station (around 35th & Centrale) was to take the old (& I mean old) tow truck an early 50's model Chev & wrap the tow cable around the inground Hoist in the first bay & then get in & slowly let out the clutch until the Tow Truck looked like it was doing a wheelie & trying to escape the confines of the Garage hahahahahah ,...... hf&rv
Les Thanks for the name...right it was red was gonna say orange color....man I remember seeing him burning out in the 70,what a car..always smiled and laughed after...too much..this thing was fast.... Remember the Fina station you are talking about too..never saw the tow truck though..wish I did now..you ever remember seeing a green nova with gold flake hi-lights..and was written on the side at the bottom of fender...Pat's Nova.. another nice one 396 I think he lived in LaSalle.Worked with him in Point.gave me a ride one day..never forget that one too.. Lad
Hi :lad, That '70 Z28 was a 396, 4Speed,, & yes it could go:................................ and it handled well too!! there were several relatively fast cars around Lasalle inthose days...........and many a trip to Napierville was done in all of them................not too mention some trips to the Saxony Lounge in NYState.............always an interresting trip back in some of these muscle cars of the day.............Yikes, I'm still alive.hahahahahah HF&RV
Les The Sax...good one went there one night and the guy who drove us down and lets say a disagreement with one of the guys and left me and a buddy there..we thought he was out in front..turns out he was....at home....real nice...made it home next morning...friend gave us lift..slept in her car while she and her friend took a room...aahh good times...nothing like waking up with the window open just a bit and Mr. Sun poking in....especially after the night before... Fastest car I think I have ever been in..guy on south shore wanted to sell me his Hemi Cuda...went for a test drive(he drove) down a 2 lane road.Automatic and he down shifts at around 95-100 thats the last number I could see from the passenger seat and then says watch this..good thing this guy raced,because he puts in back in drive after he makes the u-turn and hammered it..man talk about taking off.. I already had my Challenger but if I could and now should have I would have tried to buy it. I think he wanted 12,000 for it...imagine that one..he had some spare parts for it too.Lost a parking battle to the hydro pole he told me..not much but a new panel.. This thing was a "Monster"...only one other then that,was the one going to be my first car.. Remember Keating Ford..they had a 390 4speed Mustang..1200.00 thats right 1200. Never a big Mustang fan but at the time figured might be o.k. O.K. until my mother heard about it... Memories Lad
My brother Peter (Lazure) had a Dodge charger with a 426 hemi ? in it ...That moved!!!! also other nice cars corvettes, pontiac convertable, cadillacs, lol today driving a 78 el Camino in West Chazy NY...
Hi What colour was it? Any chance there are pictures around. I had some but one day or should I say night...late too I moved out of a batchelor apt in LaSalle.. Did I mention late at night??anyway grabbed the wrong box with the photos in it and ended up with the junk box.So all the memories on file were gone.. Funny thing was watcing the cops face when he saw a mattress walking down Verdun Ave.These two guys carrying it looked odd..moving quick too..haha Lad
Hi Les My husband Willie Shubat is from LaSalle (4th Ave) and I was showing him the picture of the burn out at the Mon-Mart. He recognized Dave Walmsley right away. He, Tony Frainetti and Bruce McPherson use to drive to school together in that car. Louise Gibson
That car was responsible for many of us 'not' going to school......hahahaha Dave would sneek it out of the garage at his house,while his Mom was at work or something ,& it would be driven around all day,hahahahaha It was origianlly his Dad's car ,and was always going to be his when he got his license,.He used to practice with it ,a little aahead of time...... Does your husband Remember Bruce's Boss 302, it was beautiful until late one night,on Champlain Blvd. A strange story which I won't go into detail here . HF&RV
Yes, Willie remembers hearing of something on Champlain Blvd through some mutual friends, Tony Frainetti, Brian Lasoursa, but no details.
Ahh Yes Brian Lasoursa........Remember him well,as being a Verdun student,having to assimilate in Lasalle school system,he tried to show me 'How things were going to be done' in this new school.................it did'nt work & he found out how things would done in in this 'new school'..........hahahahhah I did have the support of a John Ma----- ( I'm sorry I can't recall his last name right now,..but he was a tough guy ,who didn't allow the 'bully' tactics that a Brian LaSoursa tried to weild,....Neither did I put up with his antics.....but it was all High School & no big deal.........Didn't Brian La -- 's Dad drive a taxi for Lafleuer Cabs in thse days ?? I think that's how it went . How about Barney Vinet ( I think that was his name ) His family owned the Lafleur Hot Dog Joints..in those days at least....and we had our cars hanging out at some of these Lasalle places......... HF&RV
About Brian being the new kid in the school I am not sure because he came from the Bronx and I new him since grade one and went through the school system together. Unless he left and then returned. Yes Brian's dad drove a cab for Lafleur. There was a new person, Steve Jalbert, who thought he was tough. The 'support' that you mention could it be John Scuda or John Maccelli (sp). Sounds like we went to the same school at the same time. I am wondering if I know you, what is your actual name/lived? I lived at 299 4th avenue. Yes I know Barney Vinet, we were in the same class. Willie Shubat
Brian and Margaret are great friends of ours that is Tony Frainetti Joe Vette and Allen Meyers who just bought my 08 dyna lowrider we miss Willie Shubatt and Louise Gibson why isn't he calling anymore.?..and just caught up with Steve Jalbert after 28 years he just came back from Cuba rides a hog too
Where's Willie Shubatt your friends are looking for him such as Tony Frainetti Joe Vette Brian lasorssa Steve Jalbert Allan Meyers etc
What was the name og the fish & chip store at the corner of Godin and Banantyne?? Thanks
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