Jerome Street
North of Atlantic

Originally part of the Schenck Farm. Originally known as John Street. Changed in 1887 after Leonard Jerome (1817-1891) founder of the American Academy of music, who once owned the New York Times and founded Jerome Park, first home of the Belmont Stakes. His daughter Jennie married Sir Randolph Churchill, and their son Winston goes on to become Prime Minister of Britain.

Did you know? A Titanic survivor lived on Jerome and Arlington? See below.

Click on thumbnails to enlarge
Loews Warwick Theater abt. 1915
I'm starting at Jerome and Fulton, where the Warwick Theatre once stood on the northwest corner. It opened in 1913, but was soon purchased by Marcus Loew and renovated, re-opening in 1914. This rare image is circa that time, showing the new entrance now facing Jerome Street; the original faced Fulton. Although the Cinema Treasures website suggests the theatre was named after a friend of Marcus Loew, it was already called The Warwick before he owned it. The new theatre would feature movies as well as vaudeville and plays. One thing that caught my eye was the sign reading "Safest Theatre in Greater New York."
Loews Warwick Theater,1941
The 1941 tax photo shows the theatre still in its heyday before the advent of television. The 1500 seat theater lasted until 1954 when it was closed down. It was eventually torn down and a Bohack's was opened in 1959. A C-Town occupies the building today. Robbie Dupree adds some memories of playing in the abandoned theater, before it was demolished in September 1958.
Warwick articles
I found a series of Brooklyn Eagle articles that reveal some history of the theater. The first (Sept. 20, 1914)announces the opening under the Marcus Loew umbrella, the second, about a Jitterbug dance spectacle in 1939, and the last about Italian-version films in 1947.
126 Jerome
The first house up from the Warwick Theater on the left. (The Warwick Theater was 134 Jerome). From the 1939 tax photos.
Thanks to Neil for the 2005 photo view above of this corner, showing the building which replaced the Loews Theater as well as 126 Jerome today.
Jerome St., North of Fulton
Maker: Wm. Fick Dated: Undated Status: Own(RG)
The real photo post card view on the right dates to 1907 and is a much clearer view than the tree-obscured Fick card. The writer of the card was not the owner of 115 Jerome; she her sister were just boarders, single women in their 30s who were local school teachers, most likely at P.S. 76 or P.S. 108.
101 Jerome Street
I was intrigued by the architecture of the house in the distance, 101 Jerome, and pulled the 1940 tax photo for a good look at its intricate trimwork. Most of it is gone in the 1966 image below, but a 2018 image shows the arches still intact on the porch.
Jerome and Fulton Streets, Ca. 1966
The first view is looking north up Jerome Street. I wish in the south view toward Fulton on the right the camera had caught Bohack’s, but the angle is only of the northeast corner.
Pinky's, Jerome and Fulton
On the southwest corner of Jerome and Fulton sat "Pinky's", a neighborhood drugstore from roughly 1930 to 1976. The formal name was Regina's Pharmacy. My dad lived above the store in the 1930s, pictured on the left in a 1941 tax photo. The update photo on the right is from 2006.
Pinky's, Jerome and Fulton
Why was it called Pinky's? The founder, pictured on the right, was Pincus Grebel. His grandson, Greg Goldstein, sent over these shots, many of which include his mother seen being held by Pincus on the left and standing in front of the store in the 1940s on the right. Greg recalls the store was bought in the late 20s or early 30s and his grandfather discovered there was still $500 owed on the fountain, which he had to pay off!
The little girl in Greg's series is his mother. On the left the view is north away from the store and you can see the marquee of the Warwick Theater in the background. "Vivacious Lady" is the film playing, which dates the photo as 1938. On the right, a photo of Karen Grebel, Greg's aunt from a similar angle. The movies date the picture as 1948.
Dennis Chiocco recalls: "Pinky's had the neighborhood mail box out front and the old phone booth in the back of the store with the brown 'pebble' walls. He had a soda fountain where my mother always got plain coke syrup for whatever was wrong with us." Dennis' memory is good; that's sisters Deb and Karen by the mailbox in the mid 40s.On the right, a shot of the entrance.
These two views show the east side of Jerome just south of Fulton. That's Pincus with daughter Deb and on the right Regina (Remember it was formally named Regina's pharmacy!) on the right with Deb, circa 1940.
One more shot from the 1940s looking south down the west side of Jerome towards Atlantic, and finally, we move up to circa 1965 for an interior shot with Greg and and grandfather. Big thanks to Greg for sharing these with us.
2878 and 2880 Fulton, 1941
Generally the tax photos beneath the "El" are not very good. I spotted Walter's Flower Shop on the microfilm and I recall someone mentioned it awhile back. These views are the south side of Fulton between Jerome and Barbey.
2894 Fulton, Patricia's Sweet Shoppe 1976
Richard Adazzio sent over these shots of a sweet shop owned by his cousins, James and (Bea)trice Largotta. Rich recalls; "The sweet shop was always a happy place – Jimmy-boy would have his drums set up in the basement of the building and some of the neighborhood guys would hang out downstairs – play guitars and the drums – you know – future rock stars – ha – Bea and Jim sold fresh cakes and pastries - the shop would be a busy place especially on Sunday mornings after masses let out @ St Michaels – people stopping for their newspapers and cakes – rolls – buns – etc - . They also sold loose candies (candies by the pound) and children just loved to come in with their dimes and quarters and shop to their hearts content." The 1941 photo on the left shows the store as Krasdale's, a small grocery.
149 Jerome St. 2006, 159 Jerome, 1963
Just south of Fulton on Jerome, Danny Blanda sends in a 1963 photo of himself in a view south towards Atlantic. When I realized Danny lived two doors from this house posted on the mystery page, I hit him up for some details. Click the story button for more.Danny's sister adds that the house in between (155 Jerome) belonged to Jim and Maddy Falco. Maddy is one of the Sperandeo girls of the Sperandeo Bros. American Legion Post fame on Linwood Street between Atlantic and Liberty. Arthur Wagner contacted me let me know he grew up at 155 Jerome and his folks sold the house to the Falcos. His grandparents, Dr. John J. and Millie Zapp, lived at 149 Jerome and sold the house to Dr. May. To complete the loop, we also recently heard from Allison Lococo who lived at 149 after Dr. May.
Between Fulton and Arlington sits this house on Jerome St. that still has a lot of intricate gingerbread trim intact in December 2006.
Roseann Neill sent over this shot of 97 Jerome circa 1965. I added a view of the house today from Google maps..
Fine Residential Neighborhood, Arlington Avenue
Maker:Brooklyn Eagle Postcard Series Dated: Unk Status: Own(RG)
Great trivia from Tim O'Reilly. The house on the northeast corner of Jerome and Arlington, 171 Arlington (fancy house on the left), was owned by Mrs. Margaret Welles Swift. Widowed by 1912, she goes on a European vacation, coming back on the Titanic. She survived, and you can read about it here.
Swift house, 1941
Tim also supplied us with the 1941 tax photo of the house, you can see that all those trees in the early Eagle postcard had matured quite nicely at that point, blocking the view of the upper portion of the house. I discovered that the Swift family were parishioners at Arlington Avenue Presbyterian Church and her husband Joel ran the Sunday School before he passed away.
167 Arlington Avenue, 1958
Richard Adazzio sent over these shots of the northwest corner of Jerome and Arlington. The house was built by his uncle Aniello Di Prisco in 1957/58. If you ever wondered how a boxy brick structure wound up amidst all those large wood frame victorians, Richard provides the story here.
167 Arlington Avenue, 2002
Richard also sent over a more recent shot, taken in 2002. The house is currently on the market.
Going north across Arlington, this is 56 Jerome in 1939 and today.
Switching over to the right, this is 29 Jerome St in 1939 and today.
25 Jerome, late 70's
Linda Amato sends over some views from the late 70's; 25 Jerome (right next door to the shot above) and the view out back from her house looking east towards Warwick St.
25 Jerome, 1957 and 1961
We have 2 fans of the site who lived at 25 Jerome! Elsie Anzalone sends over a 1957 wedding day photo on the front stoop. 4 years later, an expectant Elsie and daughter Lisa are inspecting the blizzard of 1961 in front of the house.
> In September of 1901 the Brooklyn Eagle ran a feature article on real estate in East New York. Two houses in particular were featured as examples complete with pictures. One was located on Jerome, the other on Barbey. We were able to identify both houses. The weak scan on the left is from the 1901 article.The full article can be found on the Barbey St. page.
Jerome St., 1911
Maker: Unkown Dated: 1911 Status: Own(BG)
Thanks to Dennis Chiocco for identifying the orientation of this shot; it is a view south down Jerome St. from Jamaica Ave. Dennis also identifies the house on the right as belonging to local councilman Tony Travia; his son Bob and and Dennis were friends back in those days.Check out Tony Davenport's story about Travia and the Bocci Ball courts in the Lower Highland Park Section. Neil supplies the 2006 view. Elsie Anzalone provides more background on the block under the 'Stories' button. Rod Maggio recalls Congressman Eugene Keogh, sponsor of the Keogh Pension Plan, lived on this side of the block.