Nick’s Snack Bar
One of the most mentioned business in Ellwood City we have heard about since we started this web site has to be Nick’s Snack Bar. It is amazing to us how many people have so many fond memories of Nick’s Snack Bar in Ewing Park this many years after Nick closed down and moved to Florida. Most people remember Nick’s as “THE” teenager hangout in Ellwood City. But those are not the only memories of Nick Calabria’s snackbar.
Mac McAnallen remembers playing little league in Ewing Park and getting a free hot dog or slice of pizza at Nick’s if you hit a homerun. Mac is not the only one who shared with us about he free hot dogs, but the first thing both Nickie Weller & Bonnie Barnhart recalled when we mentioned Nick’s Snack Bar was the sausage sandwiches. Bonnie has great memories of her church group coming to Ellwood City just for the sausage sandwiches and said she hasn’t had one as good since Nick moved south.
Others have shared with us about the multitude of kids that would hang out at Nick’s all wearing their baseball team’s hat as a badge of honor. Nick didn’t mind the kids loitering at his place all day but actually encouraged it and put a ping-pong table in the back (however he charged $0.25 for a ping-pong ball).
If you have any memories of Nick’s you would like to share, please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com.
I remember when Nick was building his Pizza Place about the late 40′s I think. He recruited a few of us to help with building it – digging the footers etc. And he paid us for it. Later it rivaled ‘The Corner Store’ as a place to hang out. Nick and his wife were great people and took a genuine interest in us.
It was next to a vacant lot known as ‘The Dump’. Later the gas station was built on the ‘The Dump’ site
I remember stopping at Nick’s while I was collecting on my paper route in the park and play the pinball machines and lose all my money. When we got older we would reach out of one of the side windows and get a rock to set the machine on and run up free games until Nick would stick his head out of the kitchen.
We need to locate Sandy or Mary Ellen ( BUNNY ) Calabria ( Nicks daughters ) to find out if they have photos of “NICKS SNACK BAR ”
Also,beside Nicks was the DAIRY QUEEN, EICHOLTZ CLOVER FARM GROCERY, and JOHNNYS on the other corner of the block.
I remember it well. During the early 50′s I worked next door at the Mobil gas station when it was ran by Joe and Tona Scala. Later, when I moved to Florida I looked up the family at their home in Clearwater.
remember hanging out at Nick’s Snack Bar back in the 1950s. We played Little League baseball for the Rotary (one of six teams including Moose, Elks, Lions, Kiwanis, and American Legion). Our team was the perennial last-place finisher. But, after each game, one of the parents would treat the team members to either a hot dog or slice of pizza at Nick’s Snack Bar or a cone from the Dairy Queen. Every evening, during and after the baseball games, the kids would gather at Nick’s, eating and playing ping-pong and the pinball games. I particularly remember the baseball arcade game. The glass would move slightly and there would be enough room for a straw which we kept pushing down on the “single”, running up the score and accumulating free “games.” Little League and Pony League players used to like to wear their team caps at Nick’s Snack Bar. Everybody liked Nick Calabria.
During the summer, I often stopped at Nick’s after swimming or playing tennis. It’s where I smoked my first cigarette (had the sense to quit smoking 21 years ago).Nick’s daughters,Sandy and Bunny Calabria were both really nice gals.I loved playing ping-pong there against the guys and Nick would give me a free piece of pizza when I won.
Jo Ann (Miller)Oxsen
jjoxsen@frontiernet.net
So of my fondest memories of living in the Park was hanging out at Nick’s. Joe Scala had the gas station on the corner and the Dairy Queen (where we pitched nickels) was on the other side. I was almost the closest house to Nick’s so we always hung out there playing pinball (loved the 8 Ball machine)and playing ping pong. Hot Dogs, Pizza, getting deposit money from returning bottles. (remember, they were made of glass, lol) The Juke Box, unforgettable memories.
Jim, I remember jacking up those machines machines too! Made Nick mad, but made Cosmo madder! If you get a chance, read Dave Seaburn’s book, Charlie No Face. Recounts a lot of childhood memories of growing up in Ewing Park. Nick, Bunny and Sandy, you made my childhood in Ellwood something I will cherish forever.