Fit to Print Volume 22, Issue 4 : December 2013 | Page 22

continued from page 20

taught there...
born. And there were many times in
Cathy: Small boutique area, small front
those years when we'd be there all day,
desk, two fitting rooms... It had a chance
and we'd receive a late delivery of
to be really big, but that part of Oakdale
merchandise. And we'd stay and set it
just wasn't Babylon.
up.
Ken: Right, and the truth is, we really
Cor: Get everything out of the boxes
wanted Sayville. We accepted Oakdale
and onto the displays and then price it
because it was available and we could get
all. This was a lot harder in those days
it. The price was right. So every night
then it is now, where all you do is point
Paul would get off work, I'd get off the
a scanner at the tag. Then, everything
train, we'd race home, bolt down some
was handwritten.
food, and then break every traffic law on
Steve: What did you do with the
the books to get out
to the new space
At the South Shore Mall Aerobics Show, circa 1986. From L to R:
and get to work.
Celeste Moruzzi, Cathy, Cor, Donna Brown, Debbie Anderson & Katie Bachety
We'd go like crazy
until midnight, then
head back, stopping Barbara & her best friend
at the
Oconee Diner on
Montauk Highway
and decompress for
20 minutes before
going home and
crashing. Every
night, and all
weekend, for weeks.
Steve: I actually
remember going
there just before it
opened.
Cathy: Yes, we were
out there kind of
during the painting
phase.
Ken: We got a lot of
help putting the
finishing touches on
original space on Grove Place?
the space. But during construction, we
Cor: Well, we didn't own that space, we
were doing things we'd never done
rented. And the landlord wanted to
before, like anchoring metal two by fours
raise the rent, and we needed a larger
to the concrete floor with a riveter that
space anyway. The family of a member
used a 22 caliber charge and a rap with a
owned the building we had our eye on
hammer to achieve the joins. We were
on Montauk Highway and approached
like robots, banging it out, literally.
us. "The courthouse is leaving," she
Cathy: It was a beautiful job. If we could
said, “and we'd love to have you in
have built that in Babylon...
there. Are you interested?"
Ken: Oh, absolutely. It was a good-sized
"Absolutely!" we said. So Kenny and I
space, about twice the size of Babylon.
looked at the space...
Cathy: But, then came the day when the
Ken: The courthouse was actually still
Main Street, Babylon location was born,
there when we looked at it! Court
and we each had little babies, four
rooms, judge's chambers...
months old and in car seats, and those
Cor: "We can't take the entire space,"
were fun days! Every night, we end up at
we told them, "but we can take a part
Don Ricardo's with our babies, unwinding.
of it."
It was fun opening up the Main Street
Ken: We ended up taking a little more
location. I remember Cor saying that she
than a third of the space.
had no one to open up in the morinings.
Cathy: Main Street was a big change
“Well,” I thought, “I never sleep anymore
from Grove Place. On Grove, we did
because I have a four-month-old! You
everything. We fed the children, we
know, I'm up anyway, so I'll open!”
were the janitors and maintenance
Cor: Cathy opened up for a long time.
people climbing ladders and changing
Cathy: Almost six years, until Rae was
light bulbs... All the time with an eye

22

Holidays 2013 FIT to Print

on the clock thinking "What time can we
get those Gemmelli's heroes?"
Cor: We'd be starving! We'd get those
giant Turkey heroes—
Cathy:—and we wouldn't share one! We’d
each get our own. We were working,
nursing mothers who were also
professional workout instructors who
exercised constantly! We were already
getting emaciated, so to compensate, we
ate like lumberjacks.
Jourdie: Kelsey and I grew up eating the
exact same things. Sandwiches, or soup
from Glen's Dinette.
Cathy: We would wait until things calmed
down at the gym, and walk across the
street to the Dinette were Hapi and
Chrissy made homemade blueberry
muffins every morning. Our onl