Around the Town with Lou: March 20, 2012

Written by Lou Sanders Friday, 23 March 2012 00:00

Success is the only word that can describe Mary Ann Fearon’s store, the Whistle Stop, located right next to the East Williston railroad station. With a limited amount of cash, she opened her store three years ago. In the current economy, few have the courage to open a new business. Mary Ann had worked at Lou Citro’s C&J Gift Shop located at Mineola Boulevard and Harrison Avenue for 12 years when she left to open her Whistle Stop. Every single person that was a regular at C&J went to her new store. Her business really took off when she got the lottery. The signs of her success are ubiquitous. Her store is always full of customers. She takes advantage of each occasion – Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and, of course, St. Patrick’s Day. The former Mary Ann O’Hara has a winning Irish wit. Her love of the New York Rangers and other sports gives her talking points to most customers. Her husband, Peter, works for Mercedes Benz. He left Volvo after 20 years and is now with Helm’s Bros. She has two sons, Pete and Kevin. Her dad helps out once in a while; John O’Hara is 80 years old.

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Have you noticed that great mural in Franwin Pharmacy’s window? The picture of the old fashioned drug store is an eye catcher. Mineola once had 10 drug stores. Franwin is the only independent pharmacy left and doing very well.

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Did you know that every issue of the Mineola American is preserved on microfilm at the Mineola Library? You can view any issue from 1952 to today.

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Bernadette O’Brien, who is so active at Corpus Christi Church, likes to shop at King Kullen.

Katherine Schull of Williston Park is a student nurse at Molloy College. She is a busy young lady working three days a week at a retail store.

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Our daughter, Sister Annmarie, was in Sacramento last month, in Kansas City March 11 and 12, in Chicago March 14 to 18, and will be in Los Angeles from March 18 to 22. Her position has taken her to more than 50 different cities in the United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from Minnesota to Texas, traveling mostly by air. She usually flies Southwest Airlines.

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Marcel Chaillol, past grand knight, and his wife Cathy and Marge and Tim Mahon of Mineola dined at Papa Joe’s restaurant next to the Herricks movie. Marcel was an electronics engineer with NASA and Tim worked as a window coordinator. He did the window displays of many fine stores.

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Narges Maleki does a great job as sexton at Corpus Christi Church. She and her husband Alfred live on First Street.

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Bob Mondello and his wife Cathy live on Roslyn Road. Bob worked for the LIRR for 31 years.

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Dan Flynn of Kennilworth Avenue served as a NYC cop for 25 years.

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Joe and Marge Wood live on Emory Road. Joe was the stewardship coordinator for the Brooklyn Diocese.

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The new organ has arrived at Corpus Christi and was very badly needed. However, Fran Luisi’s voice always sounds good with any organ.

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Gerald, Natalie and daughter Connie Schmitt live on Holly Avenue. He is a local locksmith.

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Robbie Woliver is a new editor-in-chief at Anton’s. Robbie has worked for years at the New York Times and at Newsday.

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Jim and Maureen Howard of Williston Park joined Grace and I for a pleasant dinner at Jonathan’s.

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At Jonathan’s we met Ted Weyn and his wife Jeanie of Williston Park. Ted is a retired druggist.