THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, August 11, 2023 Page 3 ~ Malden Musings ~ “Barney Kahn Revisited” By Peter Levine S herman, set the Wayback Machine to... A couple weeks back I mentioned Arthur Kahn’s dad, Barney, who was nicknamed “The Dean of Merchants” when he ruled the roost during “Malden, Back in the Day.” I gave no background info when I namechecked this legend who founded, arguably, the most successful business ever to call Malden Square home, Malden Jewelry. So, without further ado, here’s a little story about a man named Barney... Malden Jewelry started out as a one-man operation back in 1933. By 1959 he employed over 20 people in the offi ce and on his sales staff as well as his two pride and joys, son Arthur (diamond salesman) and son David, who handled stock and inventory. Malden Jewelry also saw Eddie Golden (silver and camera department) starting in 1934, Thelma Cullertin (bookkeeper), who started in 1929, Gert Daniels, Paul Hunt and Carl Silbert (store manager), who began his MJ career in 1927. Later, Ben Averbrook and Chris Dracopoulos were hired – starting as messengers before working their way up the sales force. Barney worked his way up the success ladder the hard way, fi rst as a newspaper boy earning just enough money over the years to open his fi rst business in 1925 at 216 Pleasant St. – right next door to the long-gone Strand Theatre (today that is where Malden Center Fine Wines is). In the beginning Mrs. Barney (Matilda) Kahn was the bookkeeper and half the sales force. As sales boomed the Kahns decided to relocate to upper Pleasant Street. The store increased four times its size and fi t snugly between the (again) long-gone Liggett’s Drug Store, Moe’s Smoke Shop, Granada Theatre and the popular teen hangout, The Palace of Sweets. Barney was a big supporter and a driving force behind the Malden Chamber of Commerce – getting himself involved in just about everything good that happened in Malden at the time. Barney brought life to Malden Square, anchoring the downtown area during what is referred to by Maldonians of a certain age as the “Golden Age” of shopping in Malden. In perspective, think Douglas Tran of mid-20th-century Malden. Douglas took a chance when he opened All Seasons Table in the not so glamorous Malden Square of just a few short years ago, and it’s paid off , “bigly.” Others saw Douglas’ success (through hard work, wicked awesome food and some of the best bartenders Regular Unleaded $3.539 MidUnleaded $3.839 Super $4.089 Diesel Fuel $4.159 ANGELO’S A FULL SERVICE 1978-2023 Celebrating 45 Years in Business! Heating Oil at the Pump $4.759 $3.59 9 DEF HEATING OI 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) DEF Available by Pump! Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN AVE • SAUGUS Hours. Mon.-Wed. 6AM - 6PM / Thurs. & Fri. 6AM - 7PM / Sat. 7AM / Sun. 9AM-5PM Malden Jewelry of yesterday North of Boston) and followed his lead, creating the downtown restaurant boom we are experiencing/enjoying today. Thank you, Douglas, once again. Thank you, Barney Kahn, for what you and your family have done for Malden. “What you are about to read is a matter of human record. Explain it: we cannot. Disprove it: we cannot. We simply invite you to explore with us the amazing world of the Unknown ... to take that One Step ... Beyond.” With the Titanic back in the news, I thought I would re-run this gem... “hard to believe Jerry Lee Lewis’s right-hand man, Gary Skala, has been gone 11 years now. Gary was a Long Island guy via Chicago and Florida who helped organize the original Jerry Lee Lewis Fan Club back in the late 1950s with the legendary Kay Martin. Gary worked his way up the Jerry Lee food chain and eventually became his personal assistant/ bodyguard/babysitter. Whenever our paths crossed, he would regale us with stories of life on the road with one of the pioneers of rock n roll, Jerry Lee Lewis. But the most interesting story he ever told was perhaps, a personal one. The story goes that in 1912 his grandfather was to be working his way across the Atlantic as a servant on the ill-fated luxury liner, the Titanic. Family lore has it that he spent the evening before the famous maiden voyage at a pub in Southampton, ‘drinking whiskey, smoking cigarettes, and playing cards.’ He never made it home that night. Instead, he passed out in the alley behind the pub and missed the launch. He ended up volunteering on ships destined to pick up survivors shortly after the disaster. His ‘Papa’ emigrated to the States shortly after. Gary has a tall glass of whiskey every year on the anniversary for his grandpappy and for the ‘souls who lost their lives that night.’” “Malden Musings” redux... The Malden-based Grammy Awards have just been announced: • Best song by a Maldonian of Jewish descent that grew up on Lisbon Street: “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum. MUSINGS| SEE PAGE 20 www.eight10barandgrille.com OPEN DAILY FOR DINNER AT 4 PM. CATCH THE CELTICS, BRUINS & NCAA SPORTS ON OUR 6 LARGE SCREEN TV'S! om WE'RE OPEN! 8 Norwood Street, Everett (617) 387-9810 Prices subject to change DIESEL TRUCK STOP FLEET
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