Much of America remains in the dark when it comes to Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews, a tasty chocolate-covered confection that has satisfied the sweet tooth of millions of East Coasters for nearly a century. But, although they were quite popular during the 1970s, a radical packaging change almost spelled the demise of this decidedly tasty treat. … read more
Despite the best of intentions, not all toys that reach the marketplace are entirely safe. Take Click Clacks for example (also known as Clackers, Clack Balls, Kerbangers, etc). They seemed harmless enough – just a couple of acrylic spheres attached by a string – but history tells us that they were eventually deemed so dangerous, they were taken off the market. … read more
It’s hard to find a Long Islander from decades past who doesn’t remember shopping at Korvette’s. One of the first discount department stores to emerge from the 1950s, they are best remembered for their low prices and, perhaps surprisingly, their outstanding music departments. Once plentiful on the Island, they sadly never made it out of the 1970s. … read more
If you’re a kid from the 70s, surely you remember a little publication called Dynamite magazine? Sold in school classrooms around the country, Dynamite kept you abreast of all your favorite celebrities, and was filled with interesting stories, games, puzzles and other cool stuff. … read more
Back in 1973, the Mars candy company unveiled a new and sizable confection. The Marathon bar, packaged in a bright-red wrapper, was an instant hit and stayed in the candy aisle for the rest of the decade. Today, they reside in the extinct foods graveyard, but memories of this chewy treat remain in the minds of any former 70s kid. … read more
For youngsters not quite ready to tackle the pogo stick, but eager to get their own bouncy fix, the 1970s offered the Hoppity Hop. Consisting of a large rubber sphere with a handle (or head, depending on the model) affixed to the top, this was a coveted toy among the younger set – at least until your legs grew long enough for a Big Wheel. … read more
With so many historical places having disappeared on Long Island over the years, it’s always nice to report when one is still there. Such is the case with the Smithtown Theater. Now known as the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, this little theater has been entertaining locals for an astounding eighty years and counting. … read more
Parents didn’t buy their children Toughskins in the 70s because they were fashionable. Rather, these infamous Sears pants were constructed from the closest thing to Kryptonite the fashion world had ever created, a virtually-indestructible denim that could take some serious kid punishment and live to tell the tale. … read more
By the time the 1970s arrived, the Soviets had all but conceded the space race. Children of the new decade weren’t any less enamored by space though, especially anything astronaut-related. Take a powdered drink mix called Tang, for example. Once kids learned that “it’s what astronauts drank on the moon!” no more needed to be said. … read more
He is a superstar around the world, but Long Islanders have long embraced Billy Joel as one of their own. He emerged in the early 1970s and quickly established himself as one of the finest balladeers of a generation. A self-proclaimed piano man who always spoke to and for the working class, his music and storytelling are in a class all their own. … read more
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