Sunday, October 10, 2021

Chock full o’Nuts

Time travel is not that difficult: browse a 1940 Manhattan telephone directory, then browse the 1939–1941 Manhattan tax photographs.

There are nineteen Chock full o’Nuts outlets listed in the 1940 directory. Many are not to be seen in the tax photographs. Some appear in photographs that aren’t especially helpful to the discriminating traveler. These two photographs are the best I could find.

[976 6th Avenue, at 36th Street. Click for a larger view.]

The building still stands, with a Taco Bell at street level. Those pedestrians are no doubt headed to Chock full for lunch.

[38 East 23rd Street, between Broadway and Park Avenue. Click for a larger view.]

This building, too, still stands, just down the block from the Flatiron Building. At street level today: Bambu, serving Vietnamese coffee, dessert drinks, tea, juice, and smoothies.

Those hatted men must be waiting on line for a seat. Take a look at this 1955 interior.

Related reading
All OCA Chock full o’Nuts posts (Pinboard)

comments: 4

Joe DiBiase said...

Recently you commented on the ILGWU jingle. With this post, I'm reminded of the Chock full o'Nuts jingle. "Chock full o'Nuts is that heavenly coffee ... better coffee a millionaire's money can't buy." ​

Some interesting history of the company, though the video is a little on the slow side ... https://youtu.be/41v5imQE8ZM

Michael Leddy said...

Thanks for that, Joe. Many good photos there that are new to me. A couple of them are in other posts I’ve made., and elsewhere online of course.

When Paige Morton Black died in 2013, I linked to a commercial with the jingle at YouTube. It’s still there, as is the jingle in my head. The original version (which I’ve never heard) had “a Rockefeller’s money” until the Rockefellers complained.

Anonymous said...

here's one more

https://nytransitmuseum.catalogaccess.com/photos/175852

Michael Leddy said...

Thanks, reader.