Our first jobs

On April 30, 2020, in Latest News, by The Somerville Times

Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

I did a story a few years back about the first jobs of my baby boomer Somerville friends (those of us born roughly between 1946 and 1964).

In the first story, I mentioned that I worked at Lyndell’s Bakery as a baker’s helper and at Woolworth’s as a stock boy, graduating to the lunch counter. On those two jobs I got to eat my mistakes. Stuffing jelly donuts at Lyndell’s bought me one of my first guitars. Newcomers to the Ville may be scratching their heads when they read some of the following places, saying, “I never heard of that joint…” That’s because a lot of the establishments mentioned are now gone. If I said, “I’ll meet ya at Goodell” you’d know I meant Goodell Drug Store where Dunkin’ Donuts is at Powder House Park. If I said “Joe Izzy’s,” old timers would know. Yup, most of the places are history.

Friends worked at Loud’s Candy shop in Powder House Square for Mr. Melville who wore round glasses and a white apron. They made all kinds of delicious barley pops, fudge and other sweet treats. I can still smell that place. The Dunkin’ Donuts in Porter Square hired a lot of Somerville kids. Some also worked at the CVS in Porter Square before it moved across the parking lot. Some of my friends worked at FFC, Friendly Family Center and Osco Drug in Davis Square. It’s now Rite-Aid, though I still call it Osco.

A friend traveled all the way to Medford for her job at Child World toy store near Wellington Circle. La Contessa Italian Bakery, formerly in Davis Square for years, hired locals like Annette and Felix. A young lady told us that she spent her first paycheck on a leather coat at Cummings, also formerly in Davis. Star Market in Porter Square gave a lot of Somerville kids their first real jobs, my daughter included. Cleaning Khoury’s State Spa, formerly on lower Broadway, was a friend of mine’s first job.

Today, there are many new up-and-coming businesses in the building that used to house Ames Safety Envelope Company. Half of the crew that used to frequent The Embassy Lounge on Somerville Avenue worked at Ames as well as family and friends too.

A lot of my Somerville pals put in many years at Polaroid in Waltham. I miss the free film for my Polaroid Swinger camera. Some are now enjoying their Polaroid pensions. Did you work at McDonald’s back in 1975, when a Big Mac cost 65 cents? How about Mark’s Department Store? I think the wage was $2.85 an hour.

The Stop & Shop near Union Square and the one in Davis Square, along with the Dairy Queen on Cedar Street, hired us boomers. One of my fellow SHS class of ‘71 classmates worked at Friendly Ice Cream also on Cedar St. at the corner of Highland Ave. One of my buddies worked at Y-Not (Tony spelled backwards) Variety on Willow Avenue with the original owners, Tony and the other Tony.

Did you work at Kresge’s, where you could get sliced boiled ham for 89 cents a pound? Lots of Villens worked at the Somerville and Broadway theaters (I worked at the one in Davis). We worked at local parks as playground counselors making key chains and things out of plastic “gimp.”

Sal and many of my friends worked for Somerville’s Somerfest program setting up outdoor stages for bands and performers. The city gave many their first paying jobs. Royal White laundry on Cedar Street hired a few friends. Brigham’s in Davis Square and on Winter Hill were popular for getting Somerville kids off the streets. Would you like jimmies on that? Others worked next door at the Star Market formerly on Broadway. My pal John washed pots and pans in Somerville Hospital’s kitchen making $2.10 an hour.

Some of my friends worked at their Uncle Vinny’s restaurant on Broadway. Bob tells us, “I was a car shuttler for Belotti Oldsmobile. It was the best job because I got to drive all the new cars that came out.” A friend tells me he worked for the Neighborhood Youth Corps at the Trade High School one summer for 90 cents an hour.

And how many of my old friends worked for Mrs. B at Bradlees? A lot. Do you remember the Bradlees credit card? I think it was my first one. Quite a few Somerville “yutes” got their first taste of the work world at Lechmere Sales in Cambridge, where you pocket the difference!

If you had to pick the granddaddy of all Somerville employers, it would be none other than Somerville Lumber. I know at least 25 of my oldest friends who have fond memories of working there. For newcomers, Somerville Lumber was what Home Depot and Lowe’s is now, only better, with a real family feeling. Lots of Somerville kids worked at Somerville Lumber and made friends for life there. It was located where the Stop ‘n Shop is on McGrath Highway across from Foss Park. Comfort Pillow and MW Carr bear Davis Square were big Somerville employers which we will discuss at another time.

It was so exciting when we finally entered the work force. The friends we made at these jobs will stay in our memories forever. It was a great feeling to be able to buy our own clothes, record albums, go to the movies, and save up for that first car. I’ll never forget the look on my dad’s face when I came home wearing bell bottom pants and a suede fringe jacket … that I bought myself.

Please stay safe and follow all the COVID-19 guidelines and rules.

 

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