I think its actually still there, well it was as of a few years ago....but it had new owners. We used to get our pizza from there on a friday night, do you know how hard it was to carry 4 pizza's 4 blocks to our house? My arms used to kill me but it was worth it!

Anyone remember the short lived restaurant "La Pera" on 2nd near Linton? It was there in the late '80s and I believe was run by a graduate of the Restaurant School. A geat dining experience.
Also, this is more Fern Rock than Olney, buy how about Harvey's Pizza Den on Godfrey right past the railroad bridge.

The Wikipeadia article says Olney HS was created in 1951. I think that is when the current building was built, not when the HS was created since my grandmother (who lived on Comac street in Hunting Park) graduated from Olney HS in the 30's.

Oh wait, I that was in the Second street Pub, I was thinking of a different restaurant that was also very good!

Jack's Donuts - best choclate chip cookie. Forgot about the pretzel man down on the corner of 5th & Chew. Who worried 'bout latex gloves as that guy handed out his pretzels? Can't forget the candy apples from the shop (converted garage) between Jack's Donuts & the Cracker Barrel. How 'bout the VFW & the Vet's rifle salute on Memorial Day. My grandfather had the house on the corner of 4th & Chew which he converted into a home real estate office. Skalzo's Auto Garage, Lawrence & Chew, was the spot you'd find us as kids with our hockey net set up in front of his garage breaking his garage windows from a hard slap shot. Mom treated every Friday to Pepino's Pizza. The Comic Stop, 5th st. in btw. Chew & Front, was another spot for inner city entertainment. Man, those were the days. Times change.

Good old Ol-uh-nee.

People always laugh at my pronounciation, and I never could explain it. I grew up at 6th and Godfrey just on the border of Olney and East Oak Lane. Played basketball for the Olney Eagles my whole childhood. I remember the little drug store on the corner of 5th and Spencer but can't remember the name of it. And there was the Mitzi shop right next door where I used to get my Matchbox cars, and the Movie theater a few doors down. And Old English Pizza.

Does anyone remember the swamp that used to be at the bottom of the sledding hill at Fishers park? Then suddenly the city came along and cleaned it up and tried to make a football field.

Olney sure has changed alot....I was raised there from birth in 1974, moved out in 1988 but still spent most of my summers hanging out there with friends until I went to college in 1992. Now I stop by once or twice a year when friends are back in town visiting parents. Oh, and of course to visit my grandmother who still insists on living there to this day!

__________________
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Olney made who I am today-- and gave me an appreciation for the diversity of people in our community. I lived there from birth in 1960 until i left home in 1999. I lived on Fairhill St above Fisher Park where we would ride our bikes up and down the streets and driveways in the summer and look forward to the 4th fo July park events. From day camp to concerts, the park had a joyful noice coming from it. I was also a part of the late '90s Haunted House Halloween nights where the line of folks flowed to 5th and Spencer.

But as a child, 5th Street was the land of dreams! The drug store at 5th st was the "drug store' to me. The Mitzie Shop, Fern Rock Deli, Green Parrot, Dunn Photo, the Huddle, the Fern Rock Movie Theater, Old English Pizza, the arts and crafts store, the Fern Rock Diner, Fern Rock Harware, Dr Toland's Eye office, Fern Rock Pet Store, Lowell School, the flower store, Fink's Bakery on Spencer, Carlson's corner store at 3rd and Spencer, Lady Fair Beauty Salon, the dry cleaner at 5th and Chew, the pretzel store below the 5&10, the public library, the Schwartzwald Inn, the Tabor Tap Room at 6th, the Rifle Club, the pet store, Incarnation Church at 5th an Lindley, Fidelity Bank, Acme at 5th and Godfrey, the trolley/bus terminal at there as well.

Going beyond the classic Zapf's music store and under the train tressel was entering a new world so I rarely ventured beyond there. I might get my bike stolen! But the few blocks where I moved about provided a world of many cultures... German, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Asian, and African. We all moved about working and playing together to make a community that was a seamless as the intersections of the streets where we lived. We enjoyed our neighborhood.

Since I moved from the neighborhood where I was raised, I have not found the same the neighborhood-liness. In Bucks County, folks keep to themselves, although I'm known as one of those who bring neighbors out of their front doors to meet and chat. It must by the Olney in me because on my front porch on Fairhill St, the whole neighborhood was my world. Thank god.

I agree....that date can't be right. My Dad grew up in Feltonville and graduated from Olney HS in the 1940's.

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Don't make me send my flying monkeys after you!

I never heard any Philly native call it anything but Ol-uh-nee.

I went to Cardinal Dougherty in th 60's and worked at the Esquire movie theater at Broad and Olney. Also went to the dances at Wagner Ballroom when Jerry Blavat was the DJ.

I just stumbled onto this thread. It's cool to see some chat about Olney here.

One thing I have to say having been an Olney resident for about three years from 2002-2005, is that it's a grossly misunderstood place. FOr one, it's not part of Northeast Philadelphia, nor really North Philadelphia - so it's its own animal altogether.

Many of the comments posted here long before mine support something I firmly believe about Olneyites that have left the area - they loved their neighborhood more than any other people that moved out of a neighborhood. Does that make sense? People recalling Olney or longtimers still living there today, all rave about how fine a place it was to live. I regret that so many of those memories are often tied to it being all white - but I think many equate that to it having been all stably middle and working class at one time.

Thus, it's misunderstood as a community today. The people in Olney, as you are surely more aware than I since you've lived there 12 years, are middle and working class. I recall a community today where people work pretty hard and streets empty every morning as people head off to jobs. Many that have left think it's a dumping ground for section 8 and HUD clients. Sadly, 19120 does have the city's highest concentration of HUD homes that have had foreclosures, but that can't be allowed to pave over the tremendous potential Olney has.

I would love to give further comments or input in any way. I have some connections in the neighborhood that might really like to help you with your efforts if you are still working on this project.

I would say I have a love/hate relationship with Olney and always have. I think it has so much charm in spots and suffers greatly from neglect in many places. Photos do confirm that very recently, as little as 10 years ago in the northern stretches of Olney, things were a bit nicer in many places.

Perhaps the best thing about Olney of late is the recent work done to Fisher Park. Lots of clearing of dead trees and brush. They also have a very active association of neighbors working to continually maintain the park. It's a real gem.

I realize that you are probably familiar with all these things, so pardon if I'm being redundant.

I may return to Olney - we'll see. I plan to work to renovate the 5th Street business district if ever win a huge lottery jackpot.

Best of luck on your work about Olney.

PS
For anyone in past posts wondering about some of those businesses they were remembering in Olney:
Whimsy Card Shop - just closed about a year ago, replaced by shoe store.
Peppino's Restaurant - still has good pizza, but no more Italian restaurant.
Colney Deli - still there, and oddly, there is also a Colney Deli on Chestnut St.

As for the other places people were remembering, I wish I could have seen it!