HUNGRY GERALD

HG was very fond of the Chock Full O’Nuts coffee shops that once proliferated in Manhattan’s business neighborhoods. Super clean and hygienic. Swift (but surly) service. Delicious food. Wonderful coffee. Very inexpensive. Big favorite of New York’s underpaid working women. A cream cheese and walnut sandwich on date nut bread was a star. It all started during The Great Depression when William Black sold nuts from a stand on Broadway and 43rd. It was profitable so he expanded to a number of locations where, besides nuts, he sold a cream cheese and walnut sandwich and a cup of coffee (the combo cost a nickel). When the Depression ended, Black opened more locations and converted them all into full fledged fast food eateries. The menu expanded and included beef noodle soup, franks, burgers, shrimp salad sandwiches. Baked goods were yummy–Whole Wheat Donuts,  Lemon Cream Pie, etc.. Black hired baseball great Jackie Robinson as vice president of personnel management in 1957–and, yes, the aforementioned “surly” service improved. Meanwhile, Black began roasting his own coffee and the vacuum packed coffee was in every supermarket and was acknowledged as New York’s best (outsold every other brand). It was heavily advertised on radio and tv with the jingle “Heavenly Coffee” sung (badly in HG’s opinion) by Black’s wife, Page Morton, former cabaret singer. HG’s ears have retained the memory.