Column by Norma Higgs — Nicholas J. Meranto lived at 1246 Pine Ave. and owned and operated the Giant Food Market which was a general grocery, produce and meat store with its main “address” at 736 19th St. but the main “entrance” was in the City Market sitting between chicken and fish markets. It originally opened around 1939 under the name of G & M Market according to Elaine Meranto who told me her parents, Nick and Mary Meranto, were in a partnership with Carmen Granto, Sr. and her Uncle Tom Meranto.

Carmen operated an open air produce market on Pine Avenue and her Uncle Tom ran the meat market in that area. After the partnership dissolution, her parents ran the Giant Market until the early 1960s when the supermarkets came along and they closed.

Going back even further in her family history, she said her grandparents Salvatore and Mary Meranto were in a partnership with the Migliazzo twins in a grocery business in that area before her parents were married in 1929.  

And she has pictures of her and her sister at a very young age playing in and around the open air market on Pine Avenue where the parking lot and McDonalds are now.  And, she always had a job, like it or not.

Crossing 13th Street was the Spallino Funeral Home built in 1950 and operated by Anthony and Peter J. Spallino for many years. The brothers were very active in the community, both served on many boards and they worked in harmony and made a good team. Peter’s widow, Ida Rose Spallino, passed away just a few weeks ago and worked with her family in the business over 60 years. In the 1950s, they operated the Paradise Flower Shoppe nearby where Peter Shawaluk was the floral designer. The business recently joined the Amigone Funeral Home family which is based in Tonawanda and Jerauld Gentile is the manager. The Niagara Beautification Commission presented the November Spotlight Award to the Spallino Amigone Funeral Home for consistent care and maintenance in keeping their corner beautiful.

Alfonso Bax Real Estate and Insurance office was at 1315 Pine sharing building space with the Cataract Audit Company. Dominick Iannuzzi remembers Al Bax as a member of the Moose Lodge and an excellent athlete in his young days. He conducted his business with a personal touch as did most all of the Pine Avenue businessmen. As a rule, they all knew everyone else and interacted by referring their customers to one another keeping the business on Pine. He and his wife retired to Las Vegas and are now deceased.

Gene Carella owned and operated the American Secretarial Service at 1317 Pine and Prudential Insurance Company and Domestic Finance Company were next door at 1319 Pine. Vincenzo Hair Fashions operated at 1321 and the Remington Rand Typewriters branch was at 1323 Pine. Nancy Raspa was the office manager there at this time.

Modern furniture was highlighted at the Hallmark Furniture Store across the street at 1324.

Denton Cottier and Daniels, Inc. brought the sound of music to Niagara Falls selling pianos and organs. Back in 1827, a man named James D. Sheppard, Denton Cottier, & Daniels founder, brought Western New York its first piano to Buffalo up the Erie Canal on a mule drawn boat. The old Eagle Tavern on Main Street was the first location for Sheppard to display his instruments. He later opened a store which is now the location for the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, downtown branch. John McEwan was the sales manager at the Niagara Falls branch in 1956.  

The business now operates its Western New York showroom in Getzville. Next door at 1327 was the Carpet Center with Ben Wesoke and Paul Friedman at the helm. They offered retail sales and carpet cleaning.

We are now at 14th Street and at 1401 is the former St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, a landmark building on Pine Avenue for as long as anyone around now can remember.  During the time of this article (1956) Msgr. Paschal J. Tronolone kept the parishioners actively involved. He followed Father O’Neil as church leader and immediately struck up friendships with the people and strengthened the church through the neighborhood (and the neighborhood through the church). He was so revered that 14th Street was changed to Tronolone Place in his honor.

Across the street at 1400 Pine was Johnny’s TV Service, John Domiano Sales and Services and at 1402 Guido and John VanDine operated Van Dine Plate and Window Glass. At 1404 was Scozzafava Motors with Thomas at the helm. Somehow I seem to recall that everyone called him Sheik. I wonder why? Further down we find Pine Electric Service at 1408 where P. J. Nicosia sold and repaired electric motors, exhausts and ventilating fans, automotive and electrical supplies and next door at 1412 Lucy Volpe operated Teen Town Children’s Clothes.

More facts on Niagara Falls back in 1956 – It was a City Manager form of government then and Mayor Calvin Keller was a member of the City Council along with Augustine Maloney, Anthony Sabatine, George Strager and Bernard Shanahan. Clarence Greenwald was corporation counsel and Charles B. Wright was the city manager.  Hon. Francis Giles was police court judge and Charles Gorman was police chief. Fire Chief was Leo Heck which is a name familiar today in connection with the NFFD Toy Fund.  More next week.

Norma Higgs serves with the Niagara Beautification Commission and Niagara Falls Block Club Council. Her columns appear Mondays in the Gazette.