Tuesday, November 07, 2006

BARRY'S SNACKBAR

Double Click on this picture to enlarge the text.

The car parked out front belongs to either Billy Gallant or Robin Clay.








This is one Barry's Signs , the picture was taken at the reunion.








This is Bernice Doirion standing by the BBQ steak sign. This was in the back room at Barry's.
Barry had installed a BBQ pit in the restaurant and every night about 10 he would light the charcoal, and use an electric hairdryer to fan the coals.
Most of the Steaks were sold late at night to guys on their way home. I don't think any restaurant was licensed at this time. Barry would throw on a big T Bone, a load of Fries and onions , put it on a wooden plate with a slice of Montreal Rye Bread.
Then ask if you wanted a drink of pop. He would then place a big glass of Rye on the table.






I think this is a girl named Francis








Charlie Lank Dancing






Charlie and Friends, I think it is Gordie MacCallum, waiting for their Steak. The Rye Bread is already on the table.





Blaine richard, Betty Moore, Barry And Charlie Mackinnon




Inside shot of the back section at night, Bernie Doirion




Barry And Blaine Richard clowning around.





A kids party at Barry's, help me with the names.





The back yard at Barry's, this is the old sign , used before it was called Barry's Restaurant








Barry's Snackbar opened in 1947. Barry opened at 7pm and stayed open untill 2am..
Anyone who was ever there will remember all the articles he had hanging on the walls, there wasn't much Barry didn't sell.
Late at night it could be quite rough but Barry was always up for any trouble. I don't think anyone could pass by without stopping in.
The front of barry's was a great place to hang around as there was always action.
Ray Bertram and Billy gallant had a great routine that they would pull on strangers.
when a car pulled up and the driver would walk up to the door, the guys would strat to argue and begin to fight. There timing was perfect, one would throw a punch and narrowly miss the other as he made the sound of a fist hitting, much better than any movie fight. The person would enter Barry's and tell him about the fight and then go back out and they are best friends.
Ruby & Vic Hudson ran an antique shop next to Barry's and would buy almost anything. The roads at this time we quite rough it was not uncommon for a hub cap to fall off a car driving by. We would chase it, catch it before it stopped rolling and run into see Mrs Hudson, sell it for a quarter and by the time the car got turned around she would have it hanging on her wall with a price tag of $1.00.
It is difficult to express in words how much Barry's meant to us as we grew up.
I doubt that there were very many nights that I didn't stop in on the way home. When I'd be walking home from Ch'town I would walk by home and up to Barry's for a Pepsi and chat. Every new car I bought I would stop by Barry's first ( wait till Dad fell asleep so he wouldn't see). As I said before, the night I bought the Hearse I took it to Barry's and he and Myron Ling checked it out.
Velle Bugden said to me last week, if the guys were looking for me they would always go to Barry's first.
My nephew Kevin, who lived with us would lay awake waiting for me to come home and run down stairs to see if I brought any burgers and fries. If not I'd give him some money and he'd run up to Barry's and buy them.
One night a group of teens from Central Royalty were parked in front of Barry's in an old beater, it was cold and they had the engine running. One of the guys came and collapsed on the floor, carbon monoxide . Barry ran outside and hauled the other 5 in and lay them on the floor. Saved them all.





This picture was taken when Parkdale School was still operating, what a great time we had there.
At our school most kids had nick names. They were good names all relevant to the character of the person, eg: Pex, Little Ears, Rugged Knees, Pucker, Monl, Bull, Crow, Duck, Mouse, and many more.
As i stated earlier Barry's opened at 7 pm, but when Rock & Roll hit and Barry got a Jukebox he made an adjustment.
He began to open at 10am to 10:30 am which happened to be recess time.
The teens would run up the street to Barry's , someone would drop a nickle in the Jukebox, and start jiving. The little kids (Me) would also run up and watch them, WOW.
This was shortlived as Millar Macfadygen put a stop to leaving the school property, so Barry stayed in bed.










This is my First Principal, we were terrified of him , he was a big man and carried a strap.
But as in all schools there was always a few guys who liked to get strapped. The Principal would line the guys up in the hall , get them to hold out their hands and strap them. But he did something else that was ahead of it's time, a move picked up by the WWF. As the strap made contact with the hand he would stomp his foot on the floor making a loud noise which added to the fear for us little kids.
Mr MacFadygen was a great man and was well liked by the students, he was a great poet.


12 Comments:

At 8:31 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Carl

Read your blog last night and it brought memories of my younger days growing up in Parkdale. It was great to see the pics of Barry's and the pickle plant. I will ask mom if she has any old pics. It was great to hear from you. Keep up the great work.

Ernie

 
At 4:29 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

finally found your blog site, very nice, would you like a photo of the top notch called kelly, you know who i mean,mother, TONY

 
At 8:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Pex, I don't know if you remember me, but I remember you and your friends. I have been reading your blog with much interest and delight. I too ,grew up in Parkdale ( a few years younger than you) but remember vividly Barry's Snack Bar, as my father would sent me down there quite frequently for french fries and ciggs.The picture of the birthday party at Barry's - is the Arsenault twins who lived in the Hickox house across the street. (Roeena Hickox) and the little girl on the left at the back is my sister Cathy. I also went to the little school in parkdale and Frank Costello was the principal. and we got the strap too as well as the cod liver oil pills every day at recess. (yuck).Remember Mrs. Ross, she taught me in Gr. 4 and 5. (Richard and Marylynn's mother). She was 25 years ahead of her time.I am a teacher now (25 years) married to Lynanne Jonhson, remember Joe Sampson, he married Lane ,my wife's sister.Alvin Johnson ( Home hardware is their brother and he is a good friend of your brother Ernie.I have 4 kids, all grown up and the first is getting married this summer.My e-mail is pjlove@edu.pe.ca. great blog, looking forward to more . Peter Love ( ps - my aunt betty took that picture of you in the old pharmacy)

 
At 12:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thoroughly enjoyed reading and reliving memories of Parkdale and did recognise quite a few kids in the pictures. This was quite an undertaking and I've sent it as far as New Jersey so appreciate the work put into this.

Am looking for pictures and will be asking others for same. Thanks
Lois (McGee) MacMillan

 
At 2:02 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow it was great to see all the pictures of Barry's. These pictures were all taken before my time but in later years my mother worked at Barry's. I so remember Barry,Betty and my best friend Alan their son. We spent many fun hours running up and down from their home upstairs. I also remember all the great teens that hung out there,they were all so nice to Alan and I.I believe my mother worked there for about 8 yrs. She worked there right up til the time of Barry's death I think it was around 1971 or 72.Anyways great blog!!

 
At 1:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Pex; Great Pics;The picture of the Volkswagen in front of Barry,s could be mine .....Doug MacEwen

 
At 8:57 AM, Blogger Stephen W Moore said...

Hi Peter, I remember your Dad and his Radio / TV store. My Dad bought the 1st TV (B&W) to be used in a restaurant from your Dad. Hope you are all doing well. Steve Moore.

 
At 9:04 AM, Blogger Stephen W Moore said...

Bernice Doirion, I painted the "Steak Picture" as a birthday gift for Dad. It was my 1st and last attempt at "Fine Art." Steve Moore.

 
At 9:06 AM, Blogger Stephen W Moore said...

Thanks to You All for remembering Dad's Snack Bar. Steve Moore.

 
At 9:28 AM, Blogger Stephen W Moore said...

Dad died 8.23.72. Our daughter ( middle child of our 3 ) WAS BORN EXACTLY 1 YEAR TO THE DAY AND HOUR OF dAD'S PASSING. sTEVE mOORE.

 
At 10:43 AM, Blogger Stephen W Moore said...

The shop beside the Snack Bar is my Nana Moore's Bakery, The Cake Box.

 
At 10:46 AM, Blogger Stephen W Moore said...

The VW belonged to Doug McEwan. Great R^R
Band and friend of Dad's.

 

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