I visited the site of the Manhattan Dubrow's this fall when I was in New York City. When I came home, I found this article which referenced when the Offtrack Betting place opened up where it used to be.
"With a little luck, a new offtrack betting branch will open this fall in mid-Manhattan. But before the first $2 bet is placed, the Offtrack Betting Corporation will have spent $739,000 in rent for a branch that took almost two years to open.
Present and former officials of the agency clash over who is responsible for the delays in opening the branch at Seventh Avenue and 38th Street, on the site of the old Dubrow's cafeteria. But the officials, from two OTB administrations involved in the project, agree on one point: the abnormal costs will reduce the OTB's overall profits this year and the revenues it can give the city."
(New York Times, April 9, 1992)
This is a cool sculpture currently found in the area which pays homage to the Jewish garment workers of yore.
5 comments:
I was just looking at your website, thought I'd share this memory: I wonder if you know that the Dubrow's cafeteria that existed on 7th Ave., now an OTB parlor, was once home to a longstanding group of magicians? I was a serious amateur magician in the early to late 1970s. On Saturday's, we'd all meet at a shop called Tannen's, on the 15th floor of a building in Times Square - since replaced by the Virgin megastore. When Tannen's closed for the day, around 3pm, we'd all head off to a cafeteria on Broadway at 39th St., called The Governor. It was an old-style place, with a ticket machine at the entrance; the ticket would get punched as you purchased food and then you'd pay as you left - to a cashier situated in a sort of cage. (Only place like this left in NYC, I believe, is Katz's Deli on Lower East Side.) This place was very friendly to the magicians, who'd sit in the back till 6 or 7, sharing ideas and performaing for each other. Every magician coming to town would make a point of visiting this get-together, and I met a good number of quite famous people there. Eventually, The Governor shut down, and the magicians' next stop was Dubrow's - which I remember as much busier and crowded. My interest in magic was fading at bit, at this point (late 1970s?) and at some point the Sat. gang moved to yet another cafeteria, located on Park Ave. South at 28th St. I can't quite remember its name, but it was a big hangout for taxi drivers. It, too, closed. After many other stops here and there, the magicians now meet at some joint called Maui Taco, a block south of the Empire State bldg. on Fifth Ave. And a spin-off group meets at a pizza place on 36th St., I believe, between 5th and 6th.
Anyway, that's my great memory of Dubrow's. I only visited once or twice, but I am very glad to have had a chance to see that bit of old NYC, so much of which is now gone.
What a great bit of history you've added. I love the image of a group of magicians hanging out at Dubrow's, and a group of taxi drivers in another corner of the restaurant.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Keep reading!
I hope you can remind me the location of the Toby's Cafeteria in Miami, FL was. I believe it was on SW 8th Street and 27th Ave. Is this correct? Lynn
Gingerlyn, yes Toby's Cafeteria in Miami was on S.W. 8th Street and 27th Avenue. I went there all the time with my family.
I'm 71 and I have such a fantastic, nostalgic feeling about this place,(I lived on 23rd St. in the 70s) the decor and the tables near the front door upon entering put me in such a great state of mind and I spent a lot of time there reading the Racing Form and picking my horse racing selections for the nearby OTB betting office before going to work, the people working there were super and I liked the food also. If anyone connected to Dubrow's happens to see this then I would like to thank you 😊❤️
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