Au Revoir, Automat

Native New Yorker Zoe Schneider holds a party every month for native New Yorkers—like me! (When she isn’t partying, she makes cute kids’ t-shirts, which I wrote about here. Twenty percent discount for Obsolete readers!).

For the invite to the latest party, Zoe included this nice little summary about something that was fading fast when I was a tyke: The Automat. I recall going to the one she mentions. Take it over, Zoe.

“The last remaining Automat, on 42nd Street and 3rd Avenue, closed in 1991. It was a couple of blocks from where I grew up and always struck me as a horribly depressing place with stale sandwiches. Despite those sentiments, I frequented The Automat because a David’s Cookies branch opened in the front section of the “restaurant” and much of my babysitting money was spent on the divinely crispy yet almost raw cookie. If The Automat were around today, I would undoubtedly love this institution and probably spy on and/or chat up the overcoat-clad old timer customers who now might be found in Tad’s Steaks, Subway Inn, Mars Bar and other establishments seemingly from another era. Those Automat regulars were holding onto a piece of NYC history - just like I’m doing by throwing the MAGIC GARDEN parties. You can read all about The Automat and even buy your very own authentic Automat vending machine! For real! These machines would be great not only for business, but also busy households, like in the payphone episode of “The Brady Bunch.” Roommate eating all your snacks? Put those Cheez Doodles and Nutella in the Automat vending machine! Your child doesn’t put away his/her laundry? Put the clothes in the vending machine and make him/her buy them back. I guarantee it’ll work like a charm!