tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5845436933807383233.post8573686777120063035..comments2024-03-25T15:29:41.085-04:00Comments on Kensington Stories: Joe Mirada's Pet StoreRon Lopezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00013432967905835800noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5845436933807383233.post-5242671596233859412010-02-22T07:20:45.345-05:002010-02-22T07:20:45.345-05:00This story made me remember another very simlilar ...This story made me remember another very simlilar pet store. At first I thought your story was about this place, it sounded exactly the same. But this one was on the north-east corner of Cortelyou Rd. and McDonald Ave.; it was part of the apartment house there. This was the late sixties when I was a kid of around 8 years old. I don't remember the name of it, or how long it had been there, and it closed up probably around 1970(?). Anyway, I still remember how awful it smelled in there - stale fishtank water combined with small animal poo and old hamster bedding. And it had a bunch of fishtanks with green plants floating in them. It was so humid in there also, like I imagine how Cambodia would be in the summer. I bought my first pet there - one of those small green turtles, 2 inches or so round. Complete with habitat - a 10 inch round clear plastic "island" you filled with water, including plastic palm tree! too funny! I don't remember it living that long or ever seeing it eat the turtle food I shook onto his island from a small cardborad cylinder container. I remember hearing years ago that those turtles had since been banned to sell because of diseases. Well, I never caught "turtle disease". When I was 10, I got a fishtank and took weekly Sunday bus rides alone (imagine!) to a number of independent pet shops; boy that was great! There was a place on Church Ave and E.10, Jack's Fishbowl on Coney Is Ave & Ave M, Tropical Fish Supermarket, other places on Coney Is Ave & Ave X, Ave Z & E. 18 St, etc, etc, etc. good times.. -Joe A.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5845436933807383233.post-10633065139553396552010-02-20T16:11:02.692-05:002010-02-20T16:11:02.692-05:00Yeah, I remember that place. My ex-wife and girlfr...Yeah, I remember that place. My ex-wife and girlfriend at the time Monica Longmore (from Ave. C & East 3rd) and I bought finches there once. Shortly after bringing them home, the birds started to kill each other!<br />We asked Joe Mirada what was going on and his response to Monica was, "Well that's nature honey!"<br />JoshBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10689846633620237681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5845436933807383233.post-86596472296243551622010-02-19T18:30:17.520-05:002010-02-19T18:30:17.520-05:00Wow Ronnie! Another great memory! Yes, I do remem...Wow Ronnie! Another great memory! Yes, I do remember Joe Mirada's. I remember saying it just like that...Joe Mirada's. NOT Joe Mirada's Pet Store...just Joe Mirada's LOL. Maybe that was because it wasn't your typical pet store, not that there was a typical pet store back then...well before the corporate, modern pet shops we have today.<br /> <br />It was just Joe Mirada's or Mirada's. It was a fairly messy place from what I recall...dimly lit too. It was as you describe it; sort of beyond what we were used to and outside the "core" of our world of familiar and everyday-used blocks. I actually "worked" there for a while...sweeping up and trying to keep the place clean...(Impossible).<br /> <br />I had a special need, so I wormed my way in to get Joe to allow me to earn my keep. You see, I had a special pet. His name was "General Grant" and he was a Caiman....kind of a South American alligator. Earning my "keep" meant that I could literally keep all of the dead fish that I cleaned out of the disgusting tanks at the pet store. I'd bring 'em home and feed 'em to the General. <br /><br />I remember my hands and jacket and pants pockets stinking beyond belief and if I recall correctly, it was the eventual reason I had to give up my job at Mirada's...my mom made me quit because of the stink I kept bringing back to our house on East 2nd Street. WOW! What a blast from the past! Thanks Ronnie!<br /><br />Charlie Gili<br />PS: The General ended up like everything else...buried in a coffee can in our front or backyard. He was fun while he lasted, especially when I'd lay him across my HO railroad tracks, bump him with my Santa Fe engine and watch him rip the train off the tracks! Wish I had a video camera back then! Eat your heart out Ray Harryhausen!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com