Test your knowledge of West Hartford history with this ‘Thursday Throwback,’ courtesy of the Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society.
By Ronni Newton
It’s Throwback Thursday (#tbt), and time to take a look back into West Hartford’s past to either stir up some memories, reflect on how much things have changed, or both. And if you have no idea, we love the photo captions, too!
Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
It was somewhat obvious what last week’s image (at right and in larger size below) was – but not where it was.
“Could this be the grocery store that was where CVS is now in Elmwood?” commented “Anne,” who was the first to weigh in with a guess.
Rob Rowlson was the next to comment, and got it right: “That’s the intersection of Prospect Avenue and the Boulevard. Currently home to a medical care center, CVS, couple of small restaurants among others. Formerly this also was the site of West Coast Video.”
“Grocery store was located on the corner of Boulevard and Prospect Ave. It was a Shop Rite Store and at one time called Motts. CVS is there now,” added Giovanni Seccareccia.
In case the other landmarks don’t help you don’t help you recognize the intersection, this one likely will: “Right across the street from the Spigot!” wrote Michael Kirven.
One reader thought this was Sunset Triangle, where the Farmington Avenue Stop & Shop is located today, but many of those who posted their comments on Facebook knew immediately where this was.
“That’s Motts Shopright at the corner of Boulevard and Prospect,” wrote Lisa Petersen.
John Maloney had a good reason to recognize this scene: “Easy one for me! … Lisa is correct about the Motts Shoprite.I rented the house next door to it and this pic looks like it was taken from the driveway of that same house at 1050 Boulevard!”
West Hartford’s current ShopRite store, located at the intersection of Kane Street and Prospect Avenue, is owned by the Joseph family. Dianne Rechel knew where this store was, but correctly said it wasn’t owned by the Joseph family. Mary Beth Hamilton said it was owned by the Mott’s, which would explain the name!
“You beat me to it! I second that: corner of Boulevard and Prospect. You can see the Boulevard continue into Hartford in the middle of the picture,” agreed Rui Ferreira
“Yup! Mott’s Shop-Rite Supermarket, 1960s,” commented Joy Ferguson, the first to guess (correctly) the time period the photo was taken.
Patti Sheehan Albee thought that after Mott’s ShopRite this store became King’s, but Jennifer Nolan Asadow, Janet Murray Pierce, and Dianne Rechel thought King’s was at Prospect and Kane. King’s became Edwards Food Warehouse and is now the location of the ShopRite owned by the Joseph family.
David Dyson had a fun memory: “This was Mott’s on the corner of Boulevard and Prospect, view looking slightly NE toward West Boulevard in Hartford. We grew up just around the corner at 18 Lockwood Terrace. I remember the game my brother Bill and I used to play – Beat the Motts clock. Our living room clock would start chiming for 9 p.m. and we would race out the door to see if he could make it to Motts before they closed for the night. More often than not we would make it! My other brother Ray ruled out that the VW van was ours. Anyone else remember George the guy who bagged the groceries?”
David and his brother Ray thought the photo was taken in 1964, based on the 1962 Chevy in the photo. Pretty close – it was 1966.
Ellyn Mansfield had another firsthand memory: “My daughter learned to ride her bike in this parking lot when Blue Laws were in effect.”
Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
We’ll give you an easy photo (at right and in larger size below) for this week.
Although the location may be easy to figure out, what about the other details …
Where was this?
What year was the photo taken?
When did Lord & Taylor open?
When did the store close?
What else has occupied the space?
Please share your memories below.
Thank you to the Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society for providing us with the images. They are always looking for new images to add to the collection. Visit their website at www.noahwebsterhouse.org for more information about membership and programs.
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Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
Mott’s ShopRite was located at the corner of Boulevard and Prospect Avenue. Courtesy Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society
Bishop’s Corner. Built in the mid-late fifties. This was one of the first New York stores to open a satellite location. (Very pre-mall!) My mother told me how her friend, who was one of the first buyers, had said that they filled the store with beautiful, lovely women’s suits, silk blouses, cashmere sweaters, cocktail dresses etc for the West Hartford Women. Within a year they changed the mix a little, it seemed the matrons of West Hartford were all wearing very expensive, lacy and delicate underwear under their suburban togs and that their negligees were definitely NOT of the flannel variety. Who would have thought?
Definitely Bishop’s Corner. I’d say this picture is circa 1960. Lord & Taylor was next to SS Pierce and Woolworth in the same shopping plaza. Later on, there was a Lafayette Electronics store at the end of the mall. Downstairs there was a barber and some other smaller businesses. Directly across North Main St. was a First National supermarket and then later a Friendly’s an S&H Greenstamps redemption center, as well as a liquor store. Moving to the lot just north of First National, in the 1950’s there was a little grazing field where sheep would roam. That’s one of my oldest memories of the area.
Looking at the Lord and Taylor store from the corner where Noodles and Company is now. Design and look of the store was almost the same as the one in Bala Cynwyd PA outside of philly. Store closed in 1982 I think. Recall buying my off to college supplies there as they were closing down. It was then a Caldor. Then Another food markets Ames? Before it closed and then they tore down the regularly unused parking garage in the back lot.
Lord & Taylor. My mom worked in the office and I got a job during the summers at the scarf and needlepoint counter. Mr. Katz, a math teacher from KP Jr High worked a second job in the shoe dept.