Broadway & Central Avenue by Charlie Silverstein

For some, a drive down Broadway or Central Ave in Albany is just a part of their daily commute, or a detour on the way to dinner, but for me it is a reminder of the business ventures of my grandfather and his brothers. 

If you were driving down Broadway in 1932, you would see at the intersection of Hudson Ave a large advertisement for a Good Year service station.  This was Silverstein Bros Inc. Tires and Tubes at 396 Broadway.  My great-grandfather Isaac Silverstein, a tailor, helped three of his sons, my grandfather Henry, and his brothers George and Abe, get their business off the ground.  You can see George in the below photo standing in front of the building with a tire in the 1920’s. Sadly, today this location is a parking lot.  

“it would become popular as Silverstein's Toy Store throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, a time in which Central Ave was a shopping destination…”

If you continued on your drive in 1932 to Central Ave, you would also see my grandfather Henry Silverstein's solo business venture at 83 Central Ave.  He opened a store at this location in 1928, and named it "Silverstein's'' with a tagline of "Everything for your car and radio".  He eventually transitioned to a focus on toys in the early 1940’s, and it would become popular as Silverstein's Toy Store throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, a time in which Central Ave was a shopping destination.  You can see my father, Patrick "Pippy '' Silverstein, as a child in the below image taken in 1951, riding a tricycle inside the store.  After my grandfather's passing in 1961, the business was sold to Jacob Lochner and continued for several years as Silverstein's Toys. In 1970, after 42 years, Silverstein's became home to Albany's first Radio Shack.  Today it is a restaurant.  

“Preserving buildings is also preserving our family stories, and the reason why I call Albany home…”

I know there are many in Albany who have similar stories and memories connected to buildings.  This is one of the reasons why I'm a proud board member of the Historic Albany Foundation.  Preserving buildings is also preserving our family stories, and the reason why I call Albany home.

By Charlie Silverstein