FRESH MEADOW LANE

A Quick Look at Fresh Meadow Lane

Fresh Meadow Lane: A Brief Introduction

Fresh Meadow Lane as seen from 69th Ave^[1]

A view of PS 173Q from Fresh Meadow Lane^[2]

Fresh Meadow Lane between 69th and 68th Avenues is one of the most unique blocks in New York City. Beginning as a winding dirt road between farms in colonial times, the block has undergone constant change since. It was actually the most important road during colonial times—running from what today is Northern Boulevard to Jamaica. This changed when Utopia Parkway was built over most of what was Fresh Meadow Lane in the early 20th century.^[3] The block serves a unique purpose today; because of its proximity to three New York City public schools, it has very high foot traffic before and after school. In fact, for many years, sixth graders attending PS 173Q (The Fresh Meadows School), which is located across 68th Avenue on Fresh Meadow Lane, were permitted to go out to lunch on this block once a week. Besides those from PS 173Q, students from George J. Ryan MS 216 (three blocks away) and Francis Lewis High School (seven blocks away) all utilize this block. Due to this potential large market of consumers, the stores began to cater to the many different types of students in the area.

Until the 1970s, this section of Fresh Meadow Lane was a two-way street, and MTA bus routes ran here as opposed to on Utopia Parkway, as they do now. During the 1960s and 1970s, the block featured many different stores than it does today, including a kosher butcher shop, kosher delicatessen, “Sid’s Odd Shop,” and an Associated Supermarket, along with a Carvel ice cream shop, comic book store, and Mayfair Liquors (which has since relocated to Union Turnpike). One of the biggest attractions on the block was the Mayfair Theater, which began showing pornographic films in the 1970s.^[4]

Intersection with 69th Ave

Street Signs of Fresh Meadow Lane and 69th Ave^[5]

Louise, the crossing guard on this corner since 1969^[6]

In 1974, Lisa Guedj, a 7 year old girl, tripped in a pothole and was struck by a truck and killed while crossing the intersection of Fresh Meadow Lane and 69th Avenue. Following this accident, protests occurred and a four-way “Cyclops” light was installed, one of the few in New York City. ^[7] In fact, the girls' school, P.S. 173, had a "fire drill" during one of the protests and walked the children a block away to the intersection in order to join the protest. ^[8]

Although Fresh Meadow Lane has changed greatly throughout the years, one thing has remained constant. Because of the three schools in close proximity to this block, a NYPD Crossing Guard is assigned to this intersection. Whether you walked the block in 1969 or in 2009, you would see the beloved crossing guard Louise Chieffo. In her fifth year on the job when Lisa Guedj was killed, Louise remarked, "One of these days my head is going to roll right down the street."^[9] Thirty-five years later, this has yet to occur. School buses and cars honk at her as they drive down 69th Avenue; pedestrians yell down to say hello to her from the other end of the block. In fact, Louise mentioned that a teacher at PS 173 recently told her that on an online message board, a student of PS 173 decades ago asked whether Louise was still working on the corner. The answer is an emphatic yes. Since March 18, 1969, Louise has helped cross children on this corner day in and day out, in rain, snow, sleet and hail. In fact, she will be honored for her forty years of service at a ceremony at Police Plaza in June 2009.

1974 protest after Lisa Guedj's death^[10]

Louise herself is a third-generation immigrant. Her grandparents immigrated to America from Italy and Germany, settling in Brooklyn, where her parents were born. She has noticed many changes on Fresh Meadow Lane in her forty years of service on the corner of Fresh Meadow Lane and 69th Avenue. She points out Fu Long Food Product in particular, the store closest to her usual spot on the corner. Years ago, it was a “nice, sit-down luncheonette,” but today, it has evolved as a corner deli/small supermarket, with shelves of products taking up the area where the tables used to reside. What does Louise consider the biggest change to the area? When she began as a crossing guard, the area was predominately Jewish, but today, she remarked that whites are a minority of pedestrians on Fresh Meadow Lane. Instead, three main groups have moved to the forefront: East Asians, Indians, and Hispanics. This observation is reflected in the food choices on the block—kosher delis and luncheonettes have been replaced by Chinese and Afghan food (frequented by moviegoers at the Bombay Theater), and one of the delis on the block was owned by Hispanics as recently as 2007.

The Mayfair/Bombay Theater

View of the Mayfair Theater marquee in 1941^[11]

View of the Mayfair Theater interior in 1941^[12]

The Mayfair Theater opened on September 25, 1940 with a double-feature of “New Moon” and “Florian.“ ^[13] However, the Mayfair is best known for becoming a pornographic theater in the 1970s as a survival measure—it was a little known theater which struggled to make a profit. The theater stayed alive by showing XXX-rated movies until May 4, 1995 when the New York City government shut it down as part of a campaign to reduce transmission of the AIDS virus. ^[14] The theater had begun catering to homosexual males, and was shut down after undercover detectives observed more than 80 instances of “high-risk sex” among 140 men in 30 visits. The owners had previously been warned that it was against the law to allow sexual relations in the theater.^[15] Many residents were happy with the closing, especially due to the theater’s proximity to PS 173Q, less than a block away.^[16]

In March 1996, the theater reopened as the Bombay Theater, showing movies originating from India. Hafiz Rahman, the owner of the theater, remarked “hopefully sometime down the road we will be showing Chinese, Korean and Israeli movies,” but as of 2009, the theater has continued to show only “Bollywood” movies.^[17] Concession stands at the theater serve samosa, “an Indian pastry with vegetable filling,“ along with regular movie snacks, bringing a little India onto Fresh Meadow Lane.^[18]

View of the Bombay Theater interior in 2005^[19]

View of the Bombay Theater marquee in 2009^[20]

Reflecting the Immigrant Experience

Bakhter Halal Kababs^[21]

Today, Fresh Meadow Lane is a far cry from what it was in the 1970s. The kosher delicatessens have given way to Julie’s Deli and Fu Long Food Product, both owned by Asians (Although Julie’s Deli was owned by Hispanics in the mid-2000s). Associated Supermarket is now a tattoo parlor and Asian-owned "Kids Art" after-school center, amongst other stores; Carvel has been replaced by a Jack and Jill Nursery School. One of the holdovers on the block is Angelo and Al’s pizzeria, although in the late 1990s the pizzeria changed hands from its Italian owner to a Hispanic one. Angelo and Al’s is joined by a Chinese food restaurant and Bakhter Halal Kababs, an Afghan restaurant. Bakhter Halal Kababs actually first opened in a small space on Fresh Meadow Lane but due to high traffic, bought a larger parcel of land when a Chinese supermarket went out of business. The restaurant markets American food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries to attract school children, and also draws a large crowd on nights when a movie is playing in the Bombay Theater across the street. A barber shop doubling as a computer repair shop features shampoo with Hebrew writing in the window and is closed on Saturdays to observe the Jewish Sabbath.

Price list for New York to China/Hong Kong/Taiwan in A & Z Express window^[22]

A & Z Express^[23]

The newest addition to Fresh Meadow Lane is A & Z Express, entering the space opened up when Bakhter Halal Kababs expanded to a larger location. This store is one of the clearest instances of immigrant life on Fresh Meadow Lane—embodying the transnationalism of Asian immigrants. Transnationalism can be defined as “maintaining familial, economic, cultural, and political ties across international borders.”^[24] Although beginning with no signs in the window, now, there are signs in many different Asian dialects. There is now a banner displaying that Western Union money transfers are available, making it possible for immigrants to send money back to relatives in their home country. This intention is made clear by one sign in the window, a rate list for packages sent to and from New York, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. This transnationalism is only one of the many effects of immigration that can be seen on Fresh Meadow Lane, a block chock full of diversity.

More Photographs

A view of Fresh Meadow Lane in 1993^[25]

Mayfair Theater hosts rock concert in May 1975, despite community protests.^[26]

References

1. ↑ Daniel Bacharach
2. ↑ Daniel Bacharach
3. ↑ "Freshmeadows." Forgotten NY. 2 Mar. 2009 <http://www.forgotten-ny.com/NEIGHBORHOODS/freshmeadows/freshmeadows2.html>.
4. ↑ "Gotham Center Discussion Boards / Fresh Meadow Lane." Gotham Center for New York City History. 5 Mar. 2009 <http://www.gothamcenter.org/discussions/viewtopic.php?id=2262&p=1>.
5. ↑ Daniel Bacharach
6. ↑ Daniel Bacharach
7. ↑ "Gotham Center Discussion Boards / Fresh Meadow Lane." Gotham Center for New York City History. 5 Mar. 2009 <http://www.gothamcenter.org/discussions/viewtopic.php?id=2262&p=1>.
8. ↑ Sousa, Stan. "Fresh Meadow Death: 'No Parking'?" Long Island Press 27 Apr. 1974.
9. ↑ Sousa, Stan. "Fresh Meadow Death: 'No Parking'?" Long Island Press 27 Apr. 1974.
10. ↑ Sousa, Stan. "Fresh Meadow Death: 'No Parking'?" Long Island Press 27 Apr. 1974. Photo by Jack Kraut.
11. ↑ http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Queens%20Movie%20Theaters/Mayfair%20aka%20Bombay%20Theater%20Fresh%20Meadows/?action=view&current=VintageMayfairMarquee.jpg
12. ↑ http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Queens%20Movie%20Theaters/Mayfair%20aka%20Bombay%20Theater%20Fresh%20Meadows/?action=view&current=VintageMayfairInterior.jpg
13. ↑ "Bombay Theatre." Cinema Treasures. 4 Mar. 2009 <http://cinematreasures.org/theater/4029/>
14. ↑ Dunlap, David W. "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: FRESH MEADOWS; City Closes Porn Theater for Allowing Sex Among Patrons." The New York Times 7 May 1995. 3 Mar. 2009 <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=990CE0DA143FF934A35756C0A963958260&scp=6&sq=mayfair%20theater&st=cse>
15. ↑ Dunlap, David W. "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: FRESH MEADOWS; City Closes Porn Theater for Allowing Sex Among Patrons." The New York Times 7 May 1995. 3 Mar. 2009 <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=990CE0DA143FF934A35756C0A963958260&scp=6&sq=mayfair%20theater&st=cse>
16. ↑ Lii, Jane H. "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: FLUSING/FRESH MEADOWS; Delays Keep the Mayfair's Doors From Being Nailed Shut." The New York Times 27 Aug. 1995. 3 Mar. 2009 <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE5DC153DF934A1575BC0A963958260&sec=&spon=&scp=4&sq=mayfair%20theater&st=cse>
17. ↑ Lii, Jane H. "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: FRESH MEADOWS;Adult Theater Reborn as Indian Movie House." The New York Times 17 Mar. 1996. 3 Mar. 2009 <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B05EED71639F934A25750C0A960958260&scp=2&sq=mayfair%20theater&st=cse>
18. ↑ Lii, Jane H. "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: FRESH MEADOWS;Adult Theater Reborn as Indian Movie House." The New York Times 17 Mar. 1996. 3 Mar. 2009 <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B05EED71639F934A25750C0A960958260&scp=2&sq=mayfair%20theater&st=cse>
19. ↑ http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Queens%20Movie%20Theaters/Mayfair%20aka%20Bombay%20Theater%20Fresh%20Meadows/?action=view&current=IMG_0775.jpg
20. ↑ Daniel Bacharach
21. ↑ Daniel Bacharach
22. ↑ Daniel Bacharach
23. ↑ Daniel Bacharach
24. ↑ Foner, Nancy. From Ellis Island to JFK New York's Two Great Waves of Immigration. New York: Yale UP, 2002. 169-170
25. ↑ http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Queens%20Movie%20Theaters/Mayfair%20aka%20Bombay%20Theater%20Fresh%20Meadows/?action=view&current=MayfairXXX1993.jpg
26. ↑ "Trial Ordered In Theater's Damages Suit." Newsday [New York City] 10 Jan. 1975. Photo by Gerald S. Williams