On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

Somerville Avenue has been spectacularly refurbished, businesses are thriving and the Green Line is coming.

When we look back 10, 20 and even 30 years, we remember a different Union Square.

(First, let me pass on an interesting fact about how Union Square got it’s name: during the Civil War, there was a Union army recruiting station in the square. Thanks to Tom Champion for that tidbit of information.)

As we drive through the recently re-opened Somerville Ave into Union Square, we say things like, “that’s where the Hotel used to be.” “That’s where  Cardillo’s Drug store was.” “I remember Butchie standing at that corner all the time.” If you’re from Union Square, you know about Butchie, even though he made his way all over the ‘Ville. He was a Somerville celebrity of sorts.

You could go into Kennedy’s for containers of  fresh butter and peanut butter that were in huge wooden barrels. We are pretty sure Brigham’s came along and replaced Kennedy’s.

There was a gas station where Ricky’s Flower Mart is and an Arco Station where Speedy Muffler is now. You could see bottles of milk keeping cold on the window ledges of the Union Square Hotel. In the winter, the kids used to try to knock the bottles off with snowballs.

The hotel’s address was 45-50 Union Square and it was the top two floors above the storefronts between Stone Ave and Warren St. It burned down  in 1976, and lots of locals recall watching that blaze.

I remember when the old Police Station on Bow Street, in it’s dilapidated state, served as a veterans club for awhile. I was so happy that they finally preserved that great old building, even if they did make condo’s out of it. There was a 5 and 10 in the Square with a soda fountain.

You could burst a balloon that had the price of your sundae inside. Frank Tomeo of Reliable Meat was the best butcher around according to many Union Square patrons. We must also mention St. Joseph’s church because so many people remember Father Kelly and Father Jennings.

In the 80’s I enjoyed going to Roma bakery (across from Bradlees…now Target) and getting warm loaves of Italian bread. When that “hot bread” sign was flashing, it was heaven.  We would eat one loaf on the way home in the car.

There was a platform in the middle of the square that the cop used to stand on and direct traffic.

Don’t forget Jaspers rock club which is now Choices. I used to play there with my band The Tools on Friday, and be back there sweeping and cleaning on Saturday for extra money. The manager would come by and say,” Hey Jim you guys rocked last night, by the way, the restroom needs cleaning!”

A friend recalls paying $125 a month including utilities, to live in that brick building on the corner of Laurel and Summer. I actually had two different friends that lived there.

My mother’s family used to live on Dane Street It is now an empty lot. I used to drive by the vacant space and tell my kids that their grandma used to live there. There also used to be a little barber shop on the bridge that goes past St. Joseph’s Church on Washington Street.

And how about all those  radiators at across from Dunkies! Remember when the city would open the fire hydrants and flood Lincoln Park for ice skating? Some kids recall walking all the way there with their skates on!

How about Virginia’s vanilla cokes and the soda fountain at Cardillo’s?

There are so many more fun memories of Union Square, that I will have to do another entire article to get them all in. Keep an eye out for that! Thanks again to all my facebook friends for their input.