Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

In 1969 I was 16 years old. I landed a job as a stock boy at Woolworths five and ten cent store in Davis Square. We called it Woolies. Woolworths was where Starbucks is now. I started out doing the stock room duties and got promoted all the way up to luncheonette worker where my favorites were grilled cheese sandwiches and hotdogs.

The minimum wage back then was $1.60 an hour. I remember saving my money for a Craig stereo cassette deck and got the cassettes at Woolworths with my discount. I bought Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and Creedence Clearwater, and lots of Beatles. They also had a great pet section too. A friend of mine used to steal the baby turtles. There always seemed to be a canary or parakeet flying around the store. Here are some memories gathered on social media:

“I used to get to go there for lunch every Friday in the 5th and 6th grades instead of having to go home.”

“I used to get goldfish there all the time. They usually lasted a couple months tops.”

“My first job (‘67–‘69?) was the Central Sq. Woolworths as a cashier and worked other departments also, including the pet section. I enjoyed it!”

“Different balloons had a bunch of prices and you would pop one to see your price.”

“I remember popping the balloons to see if you won something.”

“I remember going downstairs and popping them, I think I won a sundae for a penny once.”

“I put the prices in the balloons a few times.”

If you remember going into Woolworths and seeing that sales lady with the very heavy makeup, that was Mary. She buzzed around from aisle to aisle reminding us to move along.

“Great place to shop, grab a hot dog or an ice cream, simple fun happiness what retailers are missing today! Miss those days and the old Davis Square.”

When I go to Davis Square, I still glance over at Starbucks and imagine Woolworths being there. Makes me want to sit in that photo booth and get those four little photographs. That was always fun. And I swear I can still taste those hotdogs on the toasted rolls – yum.

Try as they may, they’ll never destroy our old time Somerville memories with a wrecking ball.