The Weirs Sport Center & Tarlson’s Arcade
Tarlson’s Arcade circa 1960. The Weirs Sports Center occupied the top floor of the building. Entrance to the Sports Center was from the rear of the building, via a footbridge from the parking lot. The Weirs Sports Center was the predecessor to Funspot. Robert Lawton, owner of Funspot, opened his arcade on the top floor of the Tarlson building on June 30, 1952. It was not until the early 1970’s that Lawton moved his arcade to its present location on Route 3. (Notice Pinney’s Gift Shop, partly visible on the right of the photo.) Since 2010, the building has been the Tower Hill Tavern, which has expanded into an entertainment complex with several live music stages and bars.
Below, an early 1930s photo of Tarlson’s band, performing outdoors for the grand opening of the I.G.A. (Independent Grocers Alliance) version of the store. A violinist (on the far right) has subbed for the sax player. The store was sold in 1956 to George Casana, who changed the name to the Superette (see photo), which name the store kept through 1984. The building is now the Compass Cafe.
The building was replaced. In the early 1970’s, the new building housed two businesses side-by-side on the ground floor. On the left side was Charlie’s Luncheonette, and on the right, the Xanadu head shop. Around 1980, both businesses were replaced by Nothin’ Fancy, a Mexican restaurant. Around 2000, the restaurant changed its name to the Crazy Gringo, the current establishment.
Notice the Cafe Vix on the right in the previous postcard. Below, the proprietors of Cafe Vix. The owner writes on July 29, 1915…”I run this Cafe now. The two girls in the window works for us. We close up about the 15th of Sept.”