I worked at St Margaret Hospital for 34 years from the time I graduated high school to when I came back after being off for nearly four years after my heart-lung transplant. In my early years I remember the stores across the and nearby the hospital, that I used to visit. I thought I’d mention them here.

Of course there was the Paramount Theater on Hohman, right across the hospital. As a kid I went there often to see movies. Nearby, there was the Karmol Korn store. We used to go ther before the movie to get some Karmol Korn and enjoy the movie.

Paramount Theater used to have a midnight movie toward the end of it’s time in operation. A few times some of us went to a midnight movie after getting out after the PM shift at the hospital. Some of the movies there was MASH and Rocky Horror Picture Show, always a blast to participate in.

Two stores nearby that I used to visit a lot was S&J Record Shop, which had moved from State Street. It was a great place to get some records and later, when you got home from the 4 to 8 shift in the kitchen, you finally got a chance to play them. The price was right and the atmosphere was right too.

Wayne’s Trick Shop was also nearby. I didn’t go there as much as S an J’s. However, it was an interesting place to browse around. I sometimes did that before I went in to work.

As far as food there was nothing like Kwik Kee Snack ( I think I got that right). The had the greasiest hamburger there, just the right thing to hit the spot. We went there after work on occasion. They also had a great chocolate malt. Those I miss these days ans I can taste how good they were as I write this..

There are things I missed here, I’m sure. Now, all of these places are gone, Replaced by the Federal Courthouse and the expansion of St Margaret Hospital. It may be better, but I miss the old days. They were fun and in the place of Kwik Kee Snack, filling.

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