Remembering Playtog's in Middletown, New York

A few days ago, I dedicated a blog entry to a now defunct department store. It was actually two department stores, but that was it. It never went beyond that, never reached the point of being a chain. This was Sullivan's, where there was the original store, in my old hometown of Liberty, New York. Years later, another one was built in the then new mall in Middletown, New York, which went by the name of the Orange Plaza.  

Well, Middletown was kind of a regional shopping hub. When I was growing up as a young kid back in the eighties, Middletown seemed like kind of a happening town. It was much bigger than either Liberty or New York, and was virtually a small city. It appeared busier, as well, and had some cool things and places. This included the pace my grandfather worked at, in Orange Community College. 

There was also a commercial district. Plenty of good restaurants to choose from, and also, plenty of good places to shop. Again, there was the Orange Plaza Mall. And there were other places, as well. One of them was Lloyd's, an iconic store back then, and the one in Middletown was hard to miss.

Finally, though, there was Playtog's, which was not so big, but which was very memorable in some other ways nevertheless. 

My grandmother used to love that place. She found all sorts of deals. Some of them were indeed good. Others, not so much. 

For example,  she got me this six pack of socks in bright,  fluorescent colors.  They were in shockingly bad taste, exquisitely ugly. I remember that they were different colors, including pink, yellow, aqua blue, and bright, neon green, which probably stood out the most. There were probably a couple of other colors, as well, because it was a six pack. It almost surprises me that she did not get me a life's supply of those damn socks. Clearly, she saw a good price for them and thought,  "Ah ha!"

Unfortunately,  I wore them.  I didn't know any better. And I still wore them, after these socks had made me the butt of jokes in my fifth or sixth grade class. I had been taught not to waste things,  and was trying to stay true to that philosophy,  to those values,  even though my life would have been better at that point if I accidentally "lost " them.  My grandmother was a good woman who got me a lot of things,  but I still wonder what was going through her mind when she selected those hideous neon socks for a boy who was then already a preteen. 

Shortly after that episode, I told my grandmother to get me conservative colored clothing, if she wanted to buy me more clothes. I had never been so bold as to suggest what I cared about in clothes before, but those socks kind of scarred me a little. It was the first time I can actually remember paying enough attention to clothes to care about them at all,  honestly,  even if it would not be the last time. 

In any case, despite that personal mini horror story of something from Playtog's, I also have pleasant memories from that store,  as well 

And even if my own experience there was soured a bit by those damn socks,  I have known other people who appreciate Playtog's and what it meant to them.  So here is a blog entry to remember it by a little. 

Playtog's Middletown Times Herald Record Newspaper Archives January 31, 1975 Page 29

The Neon Socks That Were the Bane of My Pre-Teen Existence (Yes, they actually existed, but you have to look closely):

These pictures were from the mid- to late eighties, when I was probably in sixth or seventh grade. The actual focus of the pictures - and my initial interest in them - was due to Candy, my unofficial dog of childhood, and the litter of puppies. She seemed to get pregnant often, most likely because of the neglect of her actual owners. I did not think of it at the time, but nowadays, I wonder what happened to those puppies. All I knew is that my parents did not go for the idea of taking one. Still, I remember this day, sitting with those puppies, and enjoying the memories. 

However, it was my mom who pointed out that, in fact, I was wearing those damn neon socks for this picture. Again, here's proof that I went ahead with it and wore them, despite the constant ridicule that they generated. And yes, again, my admission that I just did not know any better even after the mockery made it clear that they were like a punishment to wear. Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, these were the pink ones.

http://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/collections/speeches/080/c019_080_013_all.pdf

https://newspaperarchive.com/middletown-times-herald-record-dec-10-1970-p-71/
Middletown Times Herald Record Newspaper Archives January 31, 1975 Page 29


https://newspaperarchive.com/middletown-times-herald-record-dec-10-1970-p-71/


https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/69127692/





https://gramho.com/explore-hashtag/WaybackMachine


July 25, 1976

The Times Herald Record from Middletown, New York · Page 20

Middletown Times Herald Record Newspaper Archives
January 31, 1975 Page 29

https://newspaperarchive.com/middletown-times-herald-record-jan-31-1975-p-29/