SERVAL ZIPPER FACTORY

by Kevin Walsh

Throughout most of Shea Stadium’s existence in Flushing Meadows, Queens (except for the last couple of years, when Citifield was being constructed) a large, four-sided clock tower was visible beyond the left-field fence. This was the Serval Zipper Factory, latterly a U-Haul distributorship. The clocks, of course, stopped long ago. In their early days at Shea, fans could see a neon sign on the building saying SERVAL ZIPPERS blink on and off.

The structure was originally the Queens office of William & John Sloane Furniture Co. on Lawrence St. (now College Point Blvd.) in Flushing.  The factory and its clock tower preceded Shea Stadium by several decades, and will now likely survive it for several decades.

The Zipper Factory recently enjoyed some renovations, but not, alas, restoration of its clock.

 

11 comments

jim kirk September 28, 2011 - 7:48 am

What church is on the right…that conspicuous black spire…? Thanks in advance.

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KevinJWalsh September 28, 2011 - 8:11 am

That is the spire of St. George Episcopal Church on Main Street. It blew down from a tornado last September.

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Rick September 28, 2011 - 8:25 am

Any old photos of the building as it was originally around?

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KevinJWalsh September 28, 2011 - 9:17 pm

I don’t have them

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Rob September 28, 2011 - 8:39 am

You can’t forget the FLY DELTA neon sign that was on it for years…It would flash FLY DELTA then list Delta’s citites..If I remember correctly they wewe New Orleans, Chicago and Miami

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marc March 7, 2012 - 10:28 pm

orlando, tampa and st petersburg

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elenap@sterlinglandlord.com September 28, 2011 - 10:26 am

I remember W&J Sloane’s Department Store in Manhattan years ago; strictly furniture, linens and fine housewares. A precursor to Pottery Barn and the like . My mother used to shop there now and then. I still have a beautiful bedspread she bought me there. Really a fine and lovely store, like Martin’s, B. Altman’s, Abraham & Straus: all gone now. So many good ones, but a lot of great memories, too.

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Anonymous August 1, 2019 - 9:42 am

Fond memories of the Serval Zipper sign seen from Shea.

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Cheryl October 8, 2019 - 6:19 pm

I have a vintage Serval Zipper metal display rack. Do you know its vsalue and who may be intered in purchasing it?

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Maggie June 5, 2020 - 1:18 pm

I have a levis vintage hoodie that has a serial zipper. Anyone know the value?

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Evan September 11, 2020 - 3:27 pm

It took years to figure out what the neon sign was flashing with our old RCA Victor color tv watching the Mets on WOR.

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