Rebecca Lepkoff In The 1930 Census

Rebecca Lepkoff's maiden name was Brody. In 1930 the 13 year old Rebecca was living at 10 Montgomery Street. The building still stands at the corner of East Broadway. That's where Neal Hellman's father, Sol, was living at the same time. Here's a posting about Sol and 10 Montgomery

Pike Street Guys?

A young Sol Hellman is on the right. Sol's father had the Sewing Machine Shop at 19 Pike before he did, so Sol had a long history on Pike Street. I just recently found his census record. In 1920 he lived at 10 Montgomery Street. He was born in 1915. Neal told me his dad knew Zero Mostel and that they went to Seward Park High School and CCNY together. Zero lived on Columbia Street and was also born in 1915. The two of them probably knew Sammy Cahn as well.

Note: I don't know if this was taken on Pike Street or not. A slightly a gayish pose by the guy on the left, but in the 1930's when I suspect this pic was taken I don't think so. Not that there's anything wrong....yada, yada

Crossing Pike Street

More from the fabulous Hellman archives of KV West. These appear to be from around 1950. The first show Neal's mom, Molly with his older brother Bill, in front of the family Sewing Machine repair shop at 19 Pike Street. The second gives us a view of the eastern, even numbered side. Today that side is dominated by Chinese produce markets. Visible is a button on Mrs. Hellman's pocketbook. I wonder what it says. Also visible is a calendar from Trommers' Beer in the grocery store at 21 Pike.Trommers was located in Brooklyn and Orange, New Jersey. From rustycans

Immediately after the war Trommer's marketed their all-malt beer as "Trommer's White Label" which appeared in bottles but not in cans. The brand appeared before the war as well, but, judging from the advertisements, the brewery pushed this brand more after the war. The brewery seemed to be doing well, they even added a three-stoy stock house to the Orange facility in 1948. However, late that same year a 29 day brewery driver's strike hit New York. Drivers demanded a shorter workday and two man teams for each truck, rather than the then prevailing single-man units. Unfortunately for Trommer's strikers took over some of the plant facilities. Each brewery has its own strain of yeast that they use in producing their beer. The strikers did not properly take care of the yeast while they occupied the brewery and Trommer's strain died. As a result, when the brewery reopened they had to use a completely different strain and the beer tasted radically different. Sales began to drop. In 1950 George Trommer sold the Orange, New Jersey brewery to Leibmann and in 1951 the original Brooklyn facility went to to Piel's. Piel's continued making Trommer's until 1962 but the brand was then discontinued. The Brooklyn brewery was closed in about 1955 and the Orange facility in 1977