No, Not Sbarro's

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 5:43pm

First they came for Howard Johnson's and now they've come for Sbarro's. I don't even recognize Times Square anymore.

Where am I supposed to get my greasy Italian food?

It looks like they are going to tear down that entire building across from TKTS. Will it be a hotel, a multi-level Duane Reade, the world's largest Burger King or a combination Victoria's Secret/Russell Stover Shop?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 5:57pm

I don't consider either of those to be huge losses. Sort of like when they closed the Times Square Roy Rogers.

[John Adams]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 6:06pm

Michael Scott's favorite pizza joint. "...and I'm gonna go get me a New York slice!"
A New York Slice

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 6:25pm

I think the Howard Johnson's closing was a tremendous loss as an icon of the theatre district. It maintained its retro look up until the end, an artifact of the past. I went there on its last day with a heavy heart, and said goodbye to the cashier who had been there many years.

They made wonderful ice-cream sodas and a delicious ice-cream cake roll.

I still remember the happy day I had lunch there and then rounded the corner to see Ben Franklin in Paris at the Lunt-Fontanne.

As for Sbarro's, I can't say I have either affection or fond memories of the place.

Updated On: 6/10/13 at 06:25 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 7:27pm

"They made wonderful ice-cream sodas and a delicious ice-cream cake roll."

see also, "heavy heart"

I kid. I was surprised to see Sbarro's shuttered. I guess people could head on over to Guy Fier's "House of Glop" for about three times the price?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 8:07pm

New York has lost so much over the years it isn't funny.

The biggest loss here is what is behind the sign. It is the old Mayfair theater. It is the only surviving movie palace in all of Times Square. A beautiful Art Deco gem that housed many a movie epic in the 1960's.This the true loss .

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 8:15pm

Mr. Roxy, I thought there was a theater, but there was so much junk in front of it, I couldn't tell.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 8:32pm

It was also known as the De Mille . I remember a beautiful lounge they had where I spent many intermissions of those epics

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 8:49pm

At least we have the Times Square Visitors Center.

History
Built in 1925, the Embassy Theatre was designed as an exclusive high society motion picture house run by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
It made history by being the only theatre in the United States managed and staffed solely by women, under the direction of Gloria Gould Bishop. In 1929, the Embassy sparked a national trend when it became the first newsreel theatre in America.
Link

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 9:43pm

Thomas lamb designed it. In addition, he designed the Capitol, Rivoli & the Mark Strand which later became the Warner. He also designed the Mark Hellinger which started as Warners Hollywood. The entrance now used to be the side entrance. The main entrance used to be around the corner next to the Duane Reade

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 8:06am

For a minute I got a bit alarmed that "The Forgotten Immortals of Times Square" were being torn down but they are one block south. If you haven't seen the website I recommend it as it shows some interesting things you have probably passed a million times when walking around.

The website is active and new locations being posted regularly.
The map is located at top - click "archives/map"

Still sad to see something we are all used to seeing replaced but the only thing constant is change.


The Forgotten Immortals of Times Square

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 9:34am

Brian, thank you for posting. I had never seen that before. I'm going to take a look at that building because I appreciate the work that went into making those old buildings so original. I love walking around the city and looking at all the craftsmanship on the brownstones. Gone are the days when they put up a building with character.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:03am

It maintained its retro look up until the end, an artifact of the past.

LOL "Retro" is a creative way of putting it. I ate there shortly before they closed and yes, it was clear it hadn't been updated for a few decades and "artifact" would be an apt description of the quality of food and cleanliness. Unfortunately, I didn't have the benefit of nostalgia to mask the reality.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:27am

I always associated the Howard Johnson's in Times Square with the movie FAME, and the scene where the creepy "movie producer" picks up Coco and then takes her up to his apartment and makes her take off her top.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:46am

I'm still getting over when they came for the Gaiety.

[Luscious]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:57am

Ahhhh... The Gaiety. Now there was a movie palace!


Oh wait... I'm thinking of The Adonis.



I remember a beautiful lounge they had where I spent many intermissions of those epics.

Updated On: 6/11/13 at 10:57 AM

[Smaxie]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 2:05pm

>For a minute I got a bit alarmed that "The Forgotten Immortals of Times Square" were being torn down but they are one block south.<

That building is also coming down.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 2:11pm

As for the Embassy/DeMille/Mayfair, another undistinguished building will be going up in its place, clad in more of those Blade Runner-type LED screens.

Updated On: 6/11/13 at 02:11 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 2:46pm

I remember when they were selling off the interior fixtures of Howard Johnson's. The news interviewed a few people and there was one man there that said "I'm hoping they will sell me an H and an O."

[Kad]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 4:07pm

It's so sad, this closing down of old corporate chains so they can be replaced by newer corporate chains. A demise of uniquely New York institutions that can be found across the country!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 5:52pm

Right? The Sbarro's at my office opened in 2001 and closed in 2012. There really isn't anything notable about this news.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 6:05pm

It's more about the building being torn down. Although this Sbarros has become a Times Square institution.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 6:14pm

Who stops there aside from tourists who don't want to wander outside of the area?

[Jane2]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 6:27pm

Isn't that enough?

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/11/13 at 6:49pm

"Unfortunately, I didn't have the benefit of nostalgia to mask the reality."

Unfortunately, to be able to feel nostalgia, one first has to be able to feel.

And since we're wandering down the theatre district's memory lane, the automat, not far fom HoJo's, holds a store of wonderful memories as well.