There’s a lot going on in this 1929 E.E. Rutter photo of Pitkin Avenue and Sitka Street. For example, note the stacked street signs. If you look carefully you can see that the street signs of the period featured the current name of the street on the top line, and the former name (Old South Road) on the south side. The photo is labeled “Linden Boulevard” because at the time, the city planned to run Linden Boulevard right through the neighborhood; instead, it was only built in pieces (see FNY’s Linden Boulevard page).
In the general store is a painted sign for Salada Tea. Salada was founded by Peter Larkin in Montreal in 1892 and caught on quickly with the public; by 1917, Salada opened a large HQ and packaging plant on Stuart Street near the Common in Boston. The elaborate wrought iron doors of the former plant are still a popular stop in walking tours in the area.
The Salada brand is still extant, though the company has been acqired repeatedly over the years. I’m not a tea drinker (though the old man was a two teabag per cup man; Tetley was his brand) but I imagine it can still be found on NYC supermarket shelves.
The derivation of the name puzzles me. I thought it stood for “that’s a lotta tea” though I don’t see that confirmed anywhere.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop, and as always, “comment…as you see fit.”
7/22/20
9 comments
Salada’s affiliated brand Red Rose Tea once ran a classic commercial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prVRwXAWFeA
Lmfao two teabags a cup? That’s scandalous!!!! I have to try that.
I do the two tea-bag thing too! -Only with Twinings Irish Breakfast Tea (But I’m Eye-talian)
Same caffeine as a cup of coffee, without a lot of the bitterness…
Kevin, you are correct about the location being Pitkin Avenue & Sitka Street, but I think you have the wrong corner. My research leads me to believe that the store was at the NORTHEAST corner of Pitkin Avenue & Sitka Street; across the street from the entrance to the D.O.T. yard.
That’s my husband’s family – 2 bags a cup.
Salada’s doors aren’t that close to the Boston Common- over three blocks away. They’re closer to Copley Square, a block and a half from the square. They aren’t even the most striking landmark in the area(multiple buildings, the churches, and others landmarks are), they are really just an afterthought as you wouldn’t normally notice them except on foot and looking for them.
There was a series of Salada tea radio commercials done by Stan Freberg in the ’60s
I remember red rose tea with the animals. I love the wooden detailing under the windows!