Brentwood,Long Island, New York

[Stephen John Lamantia]

Hello! Just though I'd drop a line. I grew up in Brentwood and miss the old days. I live in N.C. now. I've lived here for twenty years but it will never be "Home". P.S. Wish I could do things differently. Yours Truly, Steve

[Andrew]

Hey Steve,

I saw your post, by any chance do you remember a bakery called Brink's it was on Commack Rd, there was also a deli near it called Van's. This is around 1968. Let me know if you have any info.

Thanks

[Carol]

Looking for an article around May 6, 2006 second section relating to Living in Broadway West Senior Apartments in Brentwood, New York 11717.

Thanks

[Barbara]

I lived in Brentwood during the dark ages,1955 to 1961.There was very little there at the time. I remember my grandparents living in Brooklyn thought the 45 minute ride to our house was incredable. Went to Northeast Elementary School. I remember great winters with snow to the gutters of our ranch house. Anyone out there from my generation? Loved living there.Have never been back but have heard the growth is tremendous.

[Vee]

Barbara wrote:

I lived in Brentwood during the dark ages,1955 to 1961.There was very little there at the time. I remember my grandparents living in Brooklyn thought the 45 minute ride to our house was incredable. Went to Northeast Elementary School. I remember great winters with snow to the gutters of our ranch house. Anyone out there from my generation? Loved living there.Have never been back but have heard the growth is tremendous.

Hi, Barbara! I first moved to brentwood in 61, to a high ranch, from Brooklyn. My nana made the commmute to see us by train until she finally moved in with us. I remember it was just up and coming, it was rural but was like a wasteland because there was nothing there. I remember when all the neighbors put up fences and planted their grass seed. Came the day everyone saw little sprouts of grass, coming from Brooklyn, it was the biggest thrill on the block. I remember Bohacks, Hills, Food Fair, those will always be the best memories. I lived in Brentwood for 30 years.

[bobby marchetti]

My grandparents lived in Brentwood Long Island, I can't remember the name of the street. I do remember they had no electricity or running water. Their last name was Carbone. I started going to Brentwood with my parents in the 1940's. To this day, every time I hear a train whistle, it reminds me of Brentwood. If anyone remembers the Carbones, let me know.
Thanks,
Bobby

[Vee]

bobby marchetti wrote:

My grandparents lived in Brentwood Long Island, I can't remember the name of the street. I do remember they had no electricity or running water. Their last name was Carbone. I started going to Brentwood with my parents in the 1940's. To this day, every time I hear a train whistle, it reminds me of Brentwood. If anyone remembers the Carbones, let me know.
Thanks,
Bobby

Did not move to Brentwood until 1961 and stayed 30 years. My father delivered the drugs for all the local drug stores in Brentwood and I know a lot of names, and streets that was his route, but I would need more info to help you and unfortunately, my father WONT talk since he has been gone 14 years now. Sorry I cant be of help with just the name!!!!!!

[Barbara]

Vee wrote:

<quoted text> Hi, Barbara! I first moved to brentwood in 61, to a high ranch, from Brooklyn. My nana made the commmute to see us by train until she finally moved in with us. I remember it was just up and coming, it was rural but was like a wasteland because there was nothing there. I remember when all the neighbors put up fences and planted their grass seed. Came the day everyone saw little sprouts of grass, coming from Brooklyn, it was the biggest thrill on the block. I remember Bohacks, Hills, Food Fair, those will always be the best memories. I lived in Brentwood for 30 years.

We lived on Winfield Ave. Remember our neighbors were the Cooks, and the Moricies. I went to Northeast Elementary until we moved in 1961. I hated to go.

[Vee]

Barbara wrote:

<quoted text>We lived on Winfield Ave. Remember our neighbors were the Cooks, and the Moricies. I went to Northeast Elementary until we moved in 1961. I hated to go.

Dont know the names. I was on Ames with the Iovinos, Specialies,Fodens, Pregos, Mundt, Drakes, Whitke, everyone on Ames and around the block, Costellos, Montalvo, Leone, Manno, Torres..........

[Babs]

Barbara wrote:

<quoted text>We lived on Winfield Ave. Remember our neighbors were the Cooks, and the Moricies. I went to Northeast Elementary until we moved in 1961. I hated to go.

I lived on 2nd street from 1960-1972.I always say Brentwood is my home and people still tease me till today that I have an Long Island accent and proud of it.Any one remember the RUSSO'S?

[Babs]

Vee wrote:

<quoted text> Hi, Barbara! I first moved to brentwood in 61, to a high ranch, from Brooklyn. My nana made the commmute to see us by train until she finally moved in with us. I remember it was just up and coming, it was rural but was like a wasteland because there was nothing there. I remember when all the neighbors put up fences and planted their grass seed. Came the day everyone saw little sprouts of grass, coming from Brooklyn, it was the biggest thrill on the block. I remember Bohacks, Hills, Food Fair, those will always be the best memories. I lived in Brentwood for 30 years.

I Remember Bohacks I lived down the street from there.Hills food fair.WOW great memories.I use to walk to the movies and get a pizza and pop corn and soda all for $2.00 ahh the good old days! I wish my kids could have grown up in a nieghborhood like brentwood was in the 60's.The nieghbors were like one big family.Now adays you don't even know the person who lives in your nieghborhood for 10 yrs.

[Bob Pavelock]

To those commentors who still feel of Brentwood as home, I know EXACTLY what you are feeling. I lived on Whalen court in the southeast part of Brentwood from 1962 to 1977, when my parents sold the house just before the boom in prices! My God, so many happy, calming memories of growing up in Brentwood. When we moved to our new house into a new development, I remember that all the people moving into the new houses were from within a few blocks of our old Brooklyn nieghborhood. I remember all the new houses going up, the smell of fresh tar, the block parties, help tag involving 100 kids! Everybody looked after each other. I remember the spooky sounds of the Islip Speedway in the summer, the nieghborhood barbecues, Bono Pizza in the King Kullen shopping center. I went to Loretta Park Elementary, South Junior high, and Ross high school. I currently live in Upstate NY which is truly like a different country. Not bad, just different but NOT Long Island. By the way, there is no Long Island accent, the rest of them need to speak correctly. Does anybody remember Charlies Hot Dogs. The BEST IN THE WORLD! Long live memories. They serve a purpose but do not substitute for present reality (unfortunatly). My e-mail is [e-mail] for anyone who like to share remidies.

[Jim]

To Barbara,

I lived in Brentwood from 1957 to 1967 when I joined the Navy. Haven't been back since. Now living in Oregon. Yes, I remember those winters with snow up to the bottom of the windows. Loved the days off from school also. I am a 1966 graduate of BHS. I also went to Northeast Elem School and North JR High.
[e-mail]

[LFP]

I lived there from the mid-60's through the mid 90's. Now live elsewhere on LI. Although I was very young, I do remember all the nice things about the town from the 60's and 70's. I remember waiting on a long line at the Brentwood Theatre with my mom to see a matinee performance of either Mary Poppins or My Fair Lady. I remember foods sold at Food Fair that have long since disappeared from the shelves. Do you remember the outdoor mall? I also recall how we used to ride bikes in the undeveloped lots; it seemed like such a wild thing to do. I recall also all the kids who went to St. Ann's (now closed). And how pretty the town was, with its old houses and big trees! So much more character than many other places on LI. What happened?????

[Vee]

LFP wrote:

I lived there from the mid-60's through the mid 90's. Now live elsewhere on LI. Although I was very young, I do remember all the nice things about the town from the 60's and 70's. I remember waiting on a long line at the Brentwood Theatre with my mom to see a matinee performance of either Mary Poppins or My Fair Lady. I remember foods sold at Food Fair that have long since disappeared from the shelves. Do you remember the outdoor mall? I also recall how we used to ride bikes in the undeveloped lots; it seemed like such a wild thing to do. I recall also all the kids who went to St. Ann's (now closed). And how pretty the town was, with its old houses and big trees! So much more character than many other places on LI. What happened?????

The good and decent people moved away.

[LFP]

That they did, in droves. I think there are a few left. I always wonder if there can ever be a resurgence for the town, driven by a new crop of young good and decent people, who would be attracted by the low taxes and house prices, the frequent LIRR service, the proximity to all parkways and the LIE, and the remaining nicer looking streets. They could buy the houses for little money and have a lot left to put into serious renovations and maybe spark something. Wouldn't it be awesome if the town could be fixed up? This would require the concentrated, simultaneous effort of a lot of people, though, which is never easy.

[Vee]

LFP wrote:

That they did, in droves. I think there are a few left. I always wonder if there can ever be a resurgence for the town, driven by a new crop of young good and decent people, who would be attracted by the low taxes and house prices, the frequent LIRR service, the proximity to all parkways and the LIE, and the remaining nicer looking streets. They could buy the houses for little money and have a lot left to put into serious renovations and maybe spark something. Wouldn't it be awesome if the town could be fixed up? This would require the concentrated, simultaneous effort of a lot of people, though, which is never easy.

Bette Midler is cleaning up city parks left and right. Maybe she will get wind of Brentwood and will take cleaning it up under advisement.

[Out of towner]

Hi all, can you confirm, is Brentwood the place where the fictional family of "Everybody Loves Raymond" are supposed to live?

If so, how do you feel about this?

[Matt]

I grew up in Brentwood during the 1970’s. I currently live in Bay Shore. My parents purchased a house on Westwood Drive down the street form Southeast Elementary School during the summer of 1976. I can tell you that Brentwood has not changed for the better. The population has grown so much that there is allot of congestion on the main roads around town at times. There are single-family homes that are housing multiple families in some cases. Largely Hispanic ethnicity now and I don’t mean to imply anything negative about that. There are good and bad people from every ethnicity. Brentwood is very different from what it was when I was growing up during the 1970’s.

I don’t know if any of you are familiar with Timberline Drive. There used to be a sump/dump there back in the early 70’s when I was a child. A couple of years after my parents bought there house during the summer of 1976, the town turned the sump/dump into a park with basketball courts, two baseball fields, a playground, and a pool. The park is still in good condition today. There is some graffiti and the water fountain by one baseball field was ripped out. But all in all it’s a nice little park.

Property taxes are through the roof and it is very difficult for people to survive here. Every year out local News Channel hosts a show about the,“Brain Drain” on Long Island”. What that means is that college graduates cannot survive here anymore. As soon as they graduate the kids move out of NY. Those of you who have fond memories of Brentwood are better off living where you are now. Trust me. I’m sure it would be nice for you to come back, find the house you lived in and drive around the neighborhood. In fact, I do that still. But living here is much different than it was years ago and if I can find a job in my field out of state I would seriously consider moving.

[Matt]

Out of towner wrote:

Hi all, can you confirm, is Brentwood the place where the fictional family of "Everybody Loves Raymond" are supposed to live?
If so, how do you feel about this?

No, Everybody Loves Raymond takes place in Syosset Long Island. Which is the name of the actual town on Long Island.

I was not a big fan of the show so I really didn't think anything of it.