From time to time, “06880” readers mention Thompson’s or Colgan’s. Those were the 2 names — at different times — for the business on the corner of the Post Road (then called State Street) and Taylor Place.
It was an old-fashioned, community drugstore. There was “luncheonette” service, and a soda fountain (handy for Staples High students; they could walk over after school, from nearby Riverside Avenue). Paperback books were sold from revolving metal racks. You don’t see places like that anymore — not in Westport, anyway.
Today, Thompson’s/Colgan’s is Tiffany. [Insert your own comment here.]
Across Taylor Place was Muriel’s. Designed like one of the trolleys that passed right by it, Muriel’s was an old-fashioned, community diner. It burned to the ground in a 1970s fire.
This photo was taken a couple of decades earlier. It’s hard to tell the season — early spring? late fall? — and I don’t know what brought so many people (with American flags) downtown.
It seems like a special day. But every day, really, was special at the downtown drugstore, and Muriel’s.
Dan, you forgot to mention is was “Ship’s” or more properly “The Ship’s Lantern” with sandwiches know as “The S.T.O.M.P.” or the “Mom.” Circa the seventies.
Yeah, and a dozen oysters on the half shell was six dollars….the best around.
I believe this photo was courtesy of Bubba Barton from a Memorial Day parade in the 1950s that you wrote about a while back.
I’m 95% certain that location was Thompson’s by 1963 when we moved to Westport.
It is a great photo.
Thanks, Dan. I needed a touch of nostalgia today, the day after T-Day. I remember Colgan’s (circa 1952) as the place where I bought my first condoms. The diner Muriel’s? We remember it as “Jack’s.” It had a pinball machine that, if the player carefully lifted the front legs up off the floor an inch or two, the steel ball would roll back up the incline, and come back down binging-banging, and racking up more points to earn a free game.
The smaller building in the middle of this view was the World Affairs Center for a time. Perhaps these people are listening to a speaker talking about civil rights or one of our wars.
My Mom ran the lunch counter in the late 50s thru the mid 60s I worked the counter on Sunday mornings. Dr. Thompson worked with Dr.salk in the mid 40s thru mid 50s
When that picture was taken I believe it was The Club Grill better known as Jack’s diner. Run by the Papageorge family of Fairfield. Jack’s favorite remark: “they open up the street so often they need to put a zipper on it” Jack was Lee Papageorge’s Uncle
Yes, Mike, my friends and I knew it as Jack’s Diner, and my friends and I would go there after school. I adored Jack, Lee and his sister Fufi. Later, after high schoorl I worked at the Westport Bank & Trust and Lena Van and I would have lunch there. On Friday’s they had a hot Turkey Sandwich on a roll and a cup of homemade chicken soup that I loved. When I was younger, I used to ride my bicycle to Colgan’s Drugstore and get a dutch apple ice cream.
Linda Holt
Hmm. I also thought it was Muriel’s Mike. Where was Muriel’s then? I remember the Pickle Barrel and Helen’s on the Post Road near Izzo’s. . I have some terrific pictures of the hurricane of 1955 and the flooding of Main Street and the diner. I will have to look and see if there is a name.
BACK IN THE 60’S YOU COULD ALWAYS COUNT ON A GROUP OF LAWYERS HAVING LUNCH AT THE CLUB GRILL . . .ED GARLICK, STEVE TATE, COLIN “BEN” GUNN, NED DIMES, ED CAPASSE., WAKIE ON OCCASION, AND ON RARE OCCASION EDDIE GARLICK WOULD BRING HARRY SHERWOOD.. AS BEN GUNN;S ASSISTANT I ALSO WAS PRIVILEGED TO JOIN THE GROUP. OH WHAT A TIME IT WAS . .
I also believe it was a Memorial Day Parade
I don’t think so. Leaves are too barren, and people dressed too warmly, for late May.
I remember this scene very well but not this exact picture. So many good memories. It does look like a parade. We did block the traffic on the Post Road in those times and the parades ended up in Taylor Place. The trees look like fall and the clothes like the 1950’s to me. I am racking my brain to remember…did we ever have a Veteran’s Day parade? Could it be a few years later and have been connected to President Kennedy’s death? A dignitary in town, the end of the Korean war? Hopefully someone will remember.
I guess Jack’s turned into Muriel’s….it was def Muriel’s for some years. The fountain at Thompson’s served real cherry Cokes….had that old wood counter…..
I remember Mrs. Colgan and her daughter Patty.
I think Mrs. Colgan ran the drug store.
It definitely looks parade-ish, with all those flags….Nice photo!
Fabulous photo!! Also, the pet shop on Taylor’s Place in the 60s…anyone remember that shop with all of the walls lined with fish tanks? Almost like walking into an aquarium.