Mario, If memory serves me right, the only "free" parking, was at the "mauls", as you call them. I've always "hated" the malls, over downtown, any day. For years, I shopped in Deal, because Pix Shoes, formerly of Main st., here had a store over there and a boutique called the "French Connection" next door where I bought chic blazers, sweaters and trousers, when I was in my "corporate" phase of my life.
I also shopped in Spring Lake, because they had a discount shoe store there! By now, you should guess I had a "foot" fetish! I did "schlepp" up to Woodbridge Center, with the kids to shop at Ohrbach's and Stern's, because THEY were in that "I don't want to look like everybody else" phase! I hate those kids now, (laughing)! All the hoops they had me jumping through and developing a giant ulcer doing it! The Varsity Jackets, (4), I bought for them, majorette boots for my daughter who was in the band front, from Kislin's in Red Bank and all of the Pop Warner gear I HAD to pay for, Track and Turf shoes from Bob Kislin's in Ocean Twp. I'm shit poor, because of it, but as I've said before, I raised 5 good kids. I spent money like water, back then, but we were in Church every Sunday and Midnight Mass, every Christmas and Easter. Now, I'm a CME Catholic, Christmas, Mother's Day and Easter! I was a big fan of Bamberger's too! Where I got the patience of being a Mother, I'll never know and the pets, the kids just had to have, became MY pets to water, feed and medicate! The Press did a piece on Bobby Braun, former basketball player from 1981. I was at that game in Princeton, with my 5 kids, husband and kids we had with us from Asbury Park, like I had nothing to do! My Darren was a Senior, Glenn was at Stockton and we had advanced tickets. People still talk about those days 27 years ago, about a team that was supposed to lose, won 85-65! You had to be there! --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > For me, the most persuasive comments about parking (on both sides of the > issue) are below, following my opining. > > I grew up hearing over and over again that a major reason for the demise of > small town shopping centers was the free and ample parking available at the > then-new outdoor malls. I think that received wisdom is now called a meme. > > And then came the even newer enclosed malls, now referred to by some as > "Mauls" and "air-conditioned hell." > > Nostalgia: Fond memories of being taken by the hand as a kid, especially at > Christmas time, to Bloomfield Center, "downtown" Nutley and Belleville; and > Newark where Bamberger's Thanksgiving/Christmas Parade was predominantly > Bam's employees before it was gobbled up by Macy's Inc. No promotions for > movies, schlock TV, twink idols, or kitschy Disney. Red and Green lighted > decorations were draped across our main streets with abandon, and no one worried that > some drivers might confuse them with the traffic lights. Sigh. > > When all that disappeared in NJ, my preference was NYC where you could still > brave the elements and experience what remained of the Grand Old Department > Stores like B. Altman's where long-time clerks knew their merchandise. > > > ("City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, In the air there's a feeling of Christmas, > And on every street corner you hear Silver bells, silver bells As the > shoppers rush home with their treasures, Hear the snow crunch....") > > > But I digress. That was Then, This is Now. > > So, I'm still weighing the strong points below. > > As a footnote, I still remember admiring the ad hoc entrepreneurship by > Oceanport's property owners near Monmouth Race Track. You could park on their > lawns, even flower beds, for a few bucks more or less, depending on how close > they were to the main gate. I started to calculate how many cars would fit on > my property on my "Street of Dreams" in Asbury Park. > > ============================ > In a message dated 11/17/2008 12:10:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > Give people every reason to come to AP. > > We aren't popular enough yet to start challenging their decision to come > with parking meters. > > > In a message dated 11/17/2008 3:20:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > I learned a long time ago NEVER to be the lowest bidder. What are you > saying about yourself? > > > In a message dated 11/17/2008 11:44:06 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > 1. Let People Pay for parking. > a) they pay for food. > b) they pay for drinks. > c) they tip > d) they have a good time > e) they feel safe, or they wouldn't come > f) they feel they have value for their money > > > > **************Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie news & > more!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212774565x1200812037/aol?redir=htt > p://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000001) > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/