Edward S. Kavlick Remembers Leonard Avenue
These are my memories of Leonard Avenue. My name is Edward S. Kavlick. I was born when my family lived at 40 Ablett Village, which is located on River Road in Cramer Hill.
We moved when I was 6 months old to 7 Leonard Avenue in 1962 with my grandparents Josephine and Edward (Mom and Dad) and my mother Joann. I was born in February of 1962, my first birthday party was there.
When I was 5 years old I remember I had a car you can ride… you had to pedal it. I would ask my Dad if he would bring it outside. He would put it in front of the steps and I would get in and ride it all the way around the block.
I had a friend, the first time I met him he was about 10, I was 5. He was a lot older than me but we always hung out together. His name was Bobby Wayman. He had the neatest toys. The first time I ever saw the little cars called Matchboxes I asked Bobby where he got them. He told me at Woolworth's on Federal Street. I would copy after Bobby, every toy he had I would get my Mom to buy.
I had a lot of friends. Every neighbor and kid knew me. There were Bobby's cousins. The first one was Tommy. I think he lived at number 13 Leonard. I can't remember his last name. He had a brother who we called Dicky. My first girlfriend, her name was Carol. Tommy and Carol were Bobby's cousins. Carol lived down the street a bit, I can't think of the number. The last house on my side of the street was my friend Tony. We were the same age.
In back of the houses there was a big lot. We called it the back lot. All of the kids would play there. The big kids like Bobby would play football and the little kids like me would dig in the dirt and play Army. Bobby had two other friends I remember, Steven and Gilbert. Gilbert was Chinese, he lived around the block.
I remember every day seemed like it was sunny. The summer days were hot. Me and Carol, Tommy and Tony would go swimming in my pool.
There was a little restaurant around the corner from the street owned by a married couple. The lady who owned it was named Edith, I forget her husband's name. Every day after school I would go around there and get a cheese steak and a Yoo-Hoo. I was always there, I was good friends with Edith.
I went to Cramer school. My Mom would walk me to school every day and pick me up. Across the street was my friend Kevin. He lived with his mom Shirley Shirpio but I don't remember that name, I thought their name was McGlugten. His grandmother's name was Lola.
Our neighbors were at first Mr. and Mrs. Yonkers and then Jennie Murren and her cousin Eleanor. On the other side was Miss Offord.
I remember in the summer time my mom and the neighbors would sit outside and I would play till the Mr. Softee ice cream truck came. The guy who would drive the truck was named Bob. All the kids who had change (money) would try to get the lucky number, which would get a free sundae. It was beautiful back then. Federal Street was so clean. So many stores in the summertime would have sidewalk sales and every 4th of July there would be a parade.
The lady who organized the parade was a Miss Mayers. I was in the parade one time with my sister Kelly when she was a baby. My grandmother and my mother Joann made a costume which was called "the beautiful go-go baby." Unfortunately, I can't find the picture of it. Kelly won first prize and a trophy. It was in the newspaper. In the newspaper photo I'm there holding an American flag with Dad pushing the coach with Kelly in it. My mother Joann was pregnant with my sister Earline.
Christmas time also was beautiful. All the stores and Federal Street would be decorated. They sold real Christmas trees across the street from Leonard Avenue on Federal Street side. At that time there was a big food market called Food Fair. The store closed and was vacant for years until 1976 when it was bought by a mattress company. This business was called Mattress City. The building later burned down.
There also was a hardware store called Cartun Hardware and a pizza shop with great panzarottis. In the late 70s Spanish people bought it. There also was a hobby shop at 2807 Federal called Federal Model and Train Center. When it closed it became a church called "Jesus Saves."
We lived there from 1962 until 1977, when we moved to 553 North 35th Street. My mother and my sisters Kelly, Earline, and baby Chrisie lived in the house for three months, then moved to 2734 Tyler Avenue in Cramer Hill. My grandfather died on March 2, 1982. My grandmother and I now live in Gloucester City. We have been here for 19 years, and now my whole family is here as well.
I have so many more memories of Leonard Avenue. I had a great childhood there, great times and people, too. I still love my old house and street. If I had the money I would try to buy it back.
— Eddie, December 2007