By Gary Martin
Gary B. Martin is an illustrator and animator who has lived on the Upper West Side for more than 30 years. His illustrations appear in the Rag on Sundays, chronicling life in the neighborhood, New York City, and the Universe. See them all here. For a broader range of Gary’s work, including animations and other motion graphics, please visit www.martoons.com
Listen to Rag Radio’s interview with Gary Martin — HERE.
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I miss Pizza Town 78th and Broadway on the corner I frequented that spot. Still have the menu. Where did they disappear to?
I miss that whole block they tore down and turned into the most boring block in the neighborhood.
We went there alllll the time when we went to PS 87
My favorite sandwich!
Agree. There was one in my hometown in NJ where we went all the time. So good. Kind of like Jersey Mike’s but even better. And better prices. There was one I believe at 97 and Broadway that I went to frequently until it closed.
Very different than Subway – Blimpie is much better. The smell of the Subway bread is awful and Subway’s meat is much more processed.
I love that in a town where you can eat anything and everything at any hour of the day, the place Gary yearns for most is Blimpie’s!
And many of us, as well, I’ll bet. Might be a lesson here for all the new wannabe purveyors of hoity-toity (and increasingly expensive) haute cuisine.
As is often the case with Gary’s snapshot cartoons, there is deeper meaning here than one man missing one sandwich.
Um, Rosebud, anyone?
Is Subway so different from Blimpie’s? What about the million bodegas making subs?
And they used to dress the Blimpie Best sandwich with Italian dressing which the shredded lettuce held onto, and soaked into the bread. I miss that sandwich. No other “Italian sub” comes close.
Blimpie’s used to have capocollo which made all the difference. Jersey Mike’s uses it and they’re the closest you’ll get to the old Blimpie’s.
So simple and so good. Love this one, Gary.
thank you anne.
I miss Blimpie’s too! As a kid, used to go to the one on 86th and Broadway, as a special treat. Over the years have tried to re-create their Italian-style hero, to no avail!
Plenty of Blimpies on Long Island if you ever get out there !.
Correct, They were on the South West Corner with a corner entrance.
Just North of 999 Bookstore in the same building along Broadway.
Whoa. When was that? I remember the Blompie on 98 and Broadway.
that was my go-to Blimpie.
I never went to Blimpie’s but I totally get missing an old favorite.
Blimpie is gone and Subway survives. There is no justice!
And there aren’t many (any?) of those, either. Are there *any* Subways (of the sandwich type) left on the UWS?
Yeah. The one on Broadway, by the 93rd entrance to the 96th street stop. I really like the Subway on 89th and Amsterdam, connected to Little Caesars as well.
Me too, Gary. I loved Blimbie.
Blimpies Best sandwich was my fav!
Please resurrect Webbers (sp.)!!!
And Arthur treachers fish and chips…my mom would shop and my dad would alternate between all the tasty foods in the neighborhood…greys papaya, kfc was there as well I believe.
on Broadway around the corner from Gray’s Papaya
or was it Job Lot?
Canal Jeans
Unique Boutique
It was Webers. Job Lot was Church Street downtown, near Chambers.
i don’t know that one.
I miss Laytner’s Linen and Things, I miss Liberty House, I miss all the Love Stores AND Pricewise Discount. I miss Charivari only because I loved that name.
I miss Laytner:s too. And Murder Ink/ Ivy’s book store.
I was juuuust thinking about Murder Ink yesterday. I loved it there so much. I miss Shakespeare and. Co too, when it was on like 81st
and Gracious Home…..
And Woolworths and buster brown and danskin and than Burger king and that candy shop on Broadway and 81st?
Oh Gracious Home! Loved so much in that store, and most of it was unaffordable, at least for me. But what about the P&G Bar on the corner of 73rd and Amsterdam? Wonderful neon and a great bar.
Forgot about Blimpie!
I miss Century 21, when will something fill that space.
The best ever was when CLEOPATRA changed its large signage to AT OUR PLACE. Both now gone.
Three on w72. I REALLY miss Fine & Schapiro. Pastrami Queen could not compare to it. And I miss the UPS store. And Aroma, which was open till 11. Great salads and coffee.
Eclair!
There are approximately 91 Blimpie restaurants remaining in the United States
There is one Blimpie by Journal Square in Jersey City if anyone has a craving down bad!
Teachers, Williams Chicken
Yes! Williams Chicken!
Yes Williams Chicken!
ROYALE BAKERY SHOP! And. I especially miss those simple/r days. Things were more basic, not all gourmet/fancy — they were more affordable (50 cent coffee) (Buddy, can you spare a DIME!), and people still smiled at each other in the streets and would comment on the weather.
there’s plenty of basic, not-gourmet stuff left on the UWS. Tons of fast food chains – two more just opened a block from me. Bodegas everywhere. Unpretentious pizza places practically every block. Sure, there’s some upscale stuff too, but that’s what makes it the UWS. If all you want is fast food and bodegas, you could live in a much cheaper neighborhood.
BLIMPiE’S? Yucky yuck!!🤢
If I remember correctly, perhaps in the 60’s, it used to be called BLIMBIE BASE. Boy, were they delicious! At the time, no place else had “fast food” subs! LAter one they drop the word BASE.
and changed to Blimpie?
Blimpie on 86 & Broadway .. after school treat! Back in the day! It was a heart attack in a sandwich.. totally processed and iceberg lettuce !!
Blimpie is elsewhere in metro area but not uws
How about the Cherry Restaurant on Columbus @ 75th, and the very reliable Greek coffee shop Argo at 72nd @ Columbus. THE best tuna sandwich overstuffed with tuna salad. Both long gone!
The Cherry! With the fabulous Betty. My favorite waitress of all time.
I thought Argo was on 87th and Broadway? It was that the name of the Greek Diner that is now Metro, on 90th and Broadway? And yes, Cherry was great
I loved Cherry. You could get Asian specialties for breakfast.
Blimpie was always SO much better than later entries like Subway. The Blimpie’s on the corner of B’way/86th (?) was a mainstay for me.
Also miss The Front Porch (!), Big Nick’s (!) and Niko’s (best Mediterranean EVER on the UWS), Szechuan Taste, Marvin Gardens, La Crepe, even Beefsteak Charlies.
The Front Porch for sure. Also Poletti’s and their good Caesar salad. Anyone else remember Hungarian Rendezvous across from Zabars? Small, narrow but homey and usually a German Shepherd lounging on the floor.
Really miss Niko’s plank-roasted fish.
Beefsteak Charlies. Jeez forgot about the ! Big Nicks was so amazing.
Sorry for your loss.
Forever deep in Gary’s heart ❤️ It was good. Crushed subway.
Do you really miss Blimpies? I’ve forgotten about them! Thanks for the reminder of times past. Love this cartoon.
Funny…you all miss Blimpie and other restaurants, bakeries, clothing stores, etc and I miss the OTB on 72nd.
Hey, I think I just found my topic for this weeks therapy session:)
I miss Mikela’s
I miss Oppenheimers for meats and fish.
There used to be a great vegetarian takeout spot on 72nd next to, or near Popeye’s in the late 80s-early 90s. They may have been there for just a couple of years, but it was so nice to have simple healthy food for a great price when you didn’t feel like cooking. Does anyone else remember this place?
Vinnie’s pizza, RIP.
Vinny’s cheesey and doughy deliciousness in a ambience of white bathroom tiles from the last century, before everyone went fancy and crispy.
It all went south after the expansion/renovation when the next generation bought in wine, glass tables and counters.
The pizza game is super competitive in NYC. A cautionary tale for Little Italy Pizza which built up a good head of steam during the pandemic. Let’s hope the expansion into the weed store(?) and “lighter” pies/slices didn’t put unnecessary pressure on their business.
A Big Nicks lamb burger at 3am in the morning in a smoke (oven/grill) filled space will always have a place in my hippocampus.
Man I think about the blimpie on 98th n Broadway everyday
Many years ago, when I worked in an office, my mates would groan when I came back with a bag of lunch from Blimpie’s because they knew it would be a hero with provolone and pickled onions. Smelled glorious to me. That, with thin sliced lettuce and tomato, is still my favorite sandwich, although I haven’t had one in a very long time.
Now I’m in the mood for a Blimpie 🤐
Williams Chicken -86th and Broadway
Fo Wad clothing at 96th and Broadway
Morris Brothers – 84th and Broadway – the go-to store for camp gear
The Marlin bar at 110th and Broadway
All the small “nuts and candy “ stores all over the UWS
And… all over the west side ( and elsewhere in the city ) The Love Store.
Fo Wad! Yes!
First time I ate there, I had never seen anything like that. I thought, wow this is the America you read about. Back in college, when I was poor, that was the only meal I would eat every day. One big veggie sub would be enough for all day.
Bright side: Gary’s nails never looked so good.
Loved Gary Snails
The best!
I also miss Blimpie being on 97th and Broadway. They were way better than subway sandwiches.
How will we live without Blimpies?!
The trio of restaurants on Columbus Ave, Anita’s Chili Parlor, The Indian Oven & Yang Yang. Only Hearts, Ernies on Broadway
The daughter of the family that owned the Indian Oven has a bbq place in Riverdale – The Barbecue Pit
I’m on 85&WEA. Miss everything.So many unique stores and restaurants. Huge cozy Starbucks on 87&bway. Gap,Williams chicken,liberty house, hot&crusty,EDGAR’s WEA & bway on 83rd-Baskin&Robbins,Godiva….more. Seems just blah.
Wait, Starbucks, the Gap, Hot & Crusty, Baskin Robbins, Godiva – none of that is unique! All chains. Liberty House, on the other hand, was lovely.
I bought everything from Liberty!
Hurley’s
Emerald
P&g
Candle Cafe West
Blimpie’s, yes! And good for us or not, where is the Orange Julius of yesteryear?
I saw one at a really lousy mall in upstate NY last week.
Back on the 80s there was Marvin’s Meatballs on Amsterdam in the 80s somewhere.
Great place.
And Marvin Gardens restaurant on Broadway and 81st. Warm and welcoming whether you dropped in alone, dead tired after a hard day or were celebrating something with friends.
Most of all, I miss Mirabelle, and the waitress whose rendition of “La Vie en Rose” grew more passionate as the evening wore on.
Columbia Bagels
Don’t forget Steinbergs Dairy Restaurant
I miss Blimpie’s! And Big Nick’s, and (going waaaay back) the Woolworth’s on 110th Street. You could buy anything there! Most of all I miss revival theaters.
Does Blimpie’s still exist?
But it’s not like we don’t have enough fast food now! Tons of it, everywhere. And a million places to get sandwiches, including chain store fast food sandwiches – just at Subway instead of Blimpie’s.
No blimpies!