Thank You for taking us back, Denise :)
... too many memories to jot down here so I'll just touch on a few!
Let's talk french fries ... my favorites were from Woolworth's and Red Rooster.
May's Bakery for the biggest cookies (I can still remember the very specific aroma that hit you the minute you entered). Off to Mr. Big's for some toys then to Stride Rite or Thom McCann's (sp) for a pair of shoes and then to Cummings for a new dress. Wrapping up the day with a great movie with popcorn at the Embassy Theater then off to the candy counter at the bottom of the escalator at Grover Cronins!!! Those were the days, my friend!

I remember when Forest Street was a narrow, pot-holed road lined with woods on both sides. We would ask the bus driver to go "fast over the bumps, please." The Murphy Army Hospital would play reveille and taps every morning and night. Camp Ted was the Boy Scout camp, and Camp Wanisik was the Girl Scout camp across Forest Street. Our overnight stays at Camp Wanisik seemed as if they were in the middle of a wilderness. We spent many a night around a campfire toasting marshmallows, singing folk songs and telling scary stories.
Marie Daly, Waltham Historical Society

Aimee! Wonderful memories. How could we ever forget Cummings and the candy counter at the end of the escalator.

Marie, thank you for sharing. I remember when the houses on Forest Street were new, but don't recall the pot-holed street. Thank you for remembering.

Who's going to talk about Dean Dairy, the Canada Dry factory and ...

There are so many places to remember! Robert Halls Department Store on Main St, the old city bus barn where Bickfords was located. The S & H Green Stamp store between Wendy's and CVS on Main St. The Waltham Supermarket with it's huge meat department. You would get green stamps at the check out and walk across the street to redeem them. The A & P supermarket where the new Baybank offices were built on Main St across from Veronicas. Bates Pharmacy, Zayre's and Ames, the Chateau Restaurant when it had red wooden benches, red and white checkered table cloths and only two small dining rooms. Central Junior High, the "Voc" Vocational High School. The Chesterbrook Restaurant on Lexington St and the Cottage Crest on Trapelo Rd. The McArthur School when it was named the Northwest School. Honeywell on Smith St. where the the US Postal Annex is located today. The huge Stop n Shop on Linden Street where CVS and Petco are now. Yes, Denise I do remember the Dean Dairy and The Canada Dry plant on Second Ave. There is so much more...

I'm speechless! These comments are great! Thanks to all the readers for their submissions, and thanks to Denise Dube, who rocks!

Patricia, yes, yes, yes! How wonderful to recall all those places. Ryan, thank you for a wonderful compliment, but I think our readers rock!

Denise never disappoints! A few more memories include the By-Way beside Mama Josie's, the Greatway on upper Main St. where the first cable companies in the city took over, Teens 'n Queens, the laundromat and Twinbrook Pharmacy in the A&P strip Mall, the Rustler Steak House (also on the site of the old bus barn), Chez Elise, the short lived skating rink on Bacon St. (now Harvey's), and finally Sears surplus store on Moody St.
Ruth Gately

Hi Ruth, how are you? I forgot about Greatway. Didn't that morph into Giant's? It was an all-time favorite here, similar to Moe Black's but with even more "stuff."

Hi Denise
Yes, the Greatway morphed into the Giant. Bought a lot of "back to school" clothes there. Had a great winter (in warmer climates). Enjot "The Patch".

There was at one time a Chinese Restaurant in the middle of the now Shaws Supermarket on Lexington Street, North Waltham....but for the life of me I cannot remember the name. Where Chadwicks Ice Cream Palor was is now a sort of Day Care Center, new building and all.

Does anyone remember Camp Chesterbrook, the day camp on Lincoln Street? Chester and Evelyn Holbrook ran a superb program for boys and girls. The land is now a housing development. There was a big red barn that was used for indoor activities. I think I heard that it burned down after the camp went out of business.

I was sorry to see the demise of Mass Hardware on High Street. It was more convenient than Home Depot, as I hate that confusing stretch of Winter Street near Home Depot. Mass Hardware always had everything I needed, from appliances to supplies for my gardening and furniture refinishing projects. Is it correct that Mass Hardware and Moe Black's went out of business because the larger companies that took them over went bankrupt? I know that is what happened to Lechmere, another favorite store.

Another place I miss is Bambino's on Crescent Street. They had great chicken caesar salads and burgers. On karaoke nights, Elvis often made an appearance! Their building was attached to Grover Cronin's, and it fell to the wrecking ball when Cronin's was demolished.

Does anyone remember Jumbo's Pizza on Main Street right across from City Hall? They featured their famous "Bubble Gum" Pizza. It was the BEST pizza I have ever eaten.

Does anyone remember Penny's on Moody street? They sent merchandise payments through an electric "trolley" type machine near the ceiling to their office.. Then the return to where the purchase was made with the receipt and change, if applicable. Loved the old magic of Waltham!

Does anyone know what happen to all those really neat pictures that use to hang high above on the walls of the Waltham Super Market? I'm sure now a day's they would have to remove them for "offending" someone. They were very cool! What about the Easter bunny and Santa, and all the animated characters at Grover Cronin. And the gentleman that would sell balloons , one inside of another. Skiing at Prospect Hill , Central Jr. High. The old joke shop, and Record store on Moody street. I moved from Waltham in 1986, I have been back to visit a handful of times. I don't recognize it any more, the DeVincent farms, we would go there for fresh produce , and at Christmas , we would always look for a Christmas tree there. Remember the storm of "78" we had to walk everywhere , the streets were closed for close to a week. I thought it was pretty cool, I'm sure the adults at the time found it very inconvenient , as I would now. How Waltham has changed so. Haven't we all. Thanks for the memories!

how bout rogers drug store,soda jerk there in early fifties jm

Vincent's Bakery on Main street across from the former Waltham Savings Bank, where I opened my first bank account with $5.00. Discland record store, Expressions gift shop where I would go every week and spend my $2.00 allowance on Smurfs! Lastly the animals on the common...

I love Grover Cronins. I worked at Grover Cronins. I remember Dr. Barry he hired me. Also remember Liggets drug store. It was a great place to hang out after school.
Then there was Park Snows the 5 & 10. Raymonds,Stride Rite Shoes, then came the Danish House where I met my husband John

I was wounded in Korea and spent 1 year at Murphy Army Hosp. The cottage Crest was down the road and as soon as I was able to walk thats where I headed for. My best memory is of a beautyiful blonde from Newton. She and others used to come to the hosp. to cheer up the wounded. Her last name was Poplton I think. Brose37@aol.com

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I remember all the dances we had on Friday and Saturday nights. On Friday is was a choice of the Boys Club or IBEW. Saturday was always at Central or the Old High School as some called it. The best was good old Brigham's on Main St where Gordon's Liquor store is now. Every afternoon after school for a Vanilla Coke.

How about "The News Tribune", "Signor Pizza" "Waltham Cinema" "Bruce Pharmacy"

Don't forget "Zayres" on River Street and the "Sears scratch and dent" (where the Skellig is now) and Anderson Little on River Street. The Waltham Hospital, The Roundup Steak House, IGOs restaurant.

How could we forget Tayter's Potato Chips. It has been so long I hope I spelled it correctly.