TSS

 

Those who grew up on Long Island in the 70s likely remember the Times Square Stores, or as they were better known, TSS. Although never exactly plentiful, these department stores were memorable for their discount prices in the pre Wal-Mart era. Today, they exist only in our memories.

TSS was founded all the way back in 1929, in Brooklyn by a man named George Seedman. After WWII, he had nine discount stores in Nassau and Suffolk County. These locations included Levitown, Rockville Center and Middle Village. Seedman would run the company for almost half a century before retiring in 1987.

 

At it’s peak, TSS had 12 locations in the New York area, and was quite popular among budget-conscious families on the island. Many will fondly remember “Record World,” which resided inside TSS and was a popular place to purchase music. You could even become a card carrying member of their record club.

My family shopped at the Rockville Center Location in the early 70s, when I was just a tyke. Back then, when I did my chores, I got a dollar a week as an allowance. The place I wanted to spend that hard earned cash was always TSS. My parents would take me over and let me wander around the toy section. Hard to believe that I was able to actually walk out of a store with a toy and a piece of candy for less than a buck, but that’s what was great about TSS.

 

TSS prospered through the 70s and much of the 80s. Sadly, as that decade ended, so did TSS –  the chain filed for bankruptcy in 1989, with the last location closing the following year. TSS was gone for good, but not in the memories of the many shoppers who made TSS their choice for many, many years.

Admittedly, there isn’t much in this article but the bare facts and a few memories. As I began my research, I was surprised to find that the data, images and commercials simply weren’t there.

But we can share what we remember in the meantime, and if more resources become available, I’ll be sure to update this article with anything I find.

If you have fond memories of shopping at TSS with your family back in the day, or if you happened to work at one of the locations, I’d love to hear your memories in our comments section below.

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326 Responses

  1. Arlene says:

    When did George Seedman die? I was an employee of his.

    • 70sKid says:

      He passed away in 1996, three months shy of his 100th birthday. He ran TSS until 1987, when he was 90.

    • Mike says:

      Which one did you work at? I might know some people you worked with!

      • Barbara Hannah says:

        Hi mike my name is Barbara it was truzzolino . I worked in the Levittown store.1973- 1976. I started as cashier then manager of the boutique and asst at gift ware. Unit control housewares.

        • rich valleau says:

          name def rings a bell. worked at Levittown in the mid 70’s and agin in the 80’s before going to foster ave. left in 88 before the ship sank.great place to work. a lot of wonderful people and certainly a few creeps ( brodbar, neglia) to name but a few

          • Leah says:

            Did you work in the auto department

          • Anonymous says:

            HI Rich …….I wrote on a blog to you before about Oceanside store……..anyway my father had the painting contract for TSS……I was at Foster Ave so many times…….I’m sure we came across one another …….I would love to chat about it with you if you get the chance

        • Jack Ortiz says:

          DID You work in the linens dept remember a Barbara there working with Mrs. Berkell. I was in the Hempstead store. knew all the managers for the linens dept. can we talk?

  2. Donald says:

    Hi .. I was looking up info on TSS and found myself here.. Do you know if there was TSS located in bayshore?

    • 70sKid says:

      Hi Donald,
      I’m not positive, but I do believe so. Perhaps one of our readers can chime in a confirm!
      Thanks for stopping by!

      • Steve says:

        I think the former home depot on sunrise in bayshore was once a TSS.
        I remember going there ages ago.
        It was also a models I think?

        • Anonymous says:

          No the was the old Bay Shore drive in. I work at the West Babylon TSS there was no Bay Shore TSS.

          • Anonymous says:

            Do you know the name of the record store that was in the parking lot of the West Bab store in the mid 70’s? Please

          • Wendy M. says:

            I saw on a Facebook WLIR page that someone mentioned that Record World was in a TSS in Elmont. Do you think that it could have been Record World?

          • nightfly says:

            I grew up in Lindenhurst. I recall the TSS in Babylon quite fondly. (And it was a Record World!)

          • Anonymous says:

            Bayshore Home Depot was the old farmers market and drive in movie theater,with the movie theatre on the front service rd. Sayvile Kmart was a TSS as was North Babylon on Montauk Hwy. I worked in the beauty parlor in both from 1984 til close in 89. Fun place to work.

        • Anonymous says:

          The Modells in Bayshore was on Sunrise at Saxon Ave..I believe it’s a Kohls now

        • Joe says:

          I believe that was bayshore drive in steve

      • BOBBY BRANDOFF says:

        TSS WEST BABYLON WAS THE CLOSET TO BAYSHORE…

        • Anonymous says:

          The other closest store was on Sunrise Hwy Sayville.

          • Anonymous says:

            Does anyone remember the name of the supermarket that was attached to TSS in Sayville. I believe it moved further west to Bohemia as a new supermarket.

          • anonymous says:

            waldbaums was attached to the Sayville t.s.s

        • jane f says:

          I think rember an elmont floral park area? Do you remeber robert halls. Flat escalatores n magnatized you could let go
          of your wagon on it lol

          • Tom Curtin says:

            ROBERT HALL VILLAGE.MASPETH. Right in front of the CEMETARY and next to NEIDERSTEINS Restaurant, where people gathered after the funerals. Robert Hall went BUST in the late 70S
            The BOHCK i think became Waldbaums. The rest of the building and whose area was made into a MACYS CLEARANCE CENTER. The balance of the building was taken over by BRANDS MART APPALIANCE AND FURNITURE. I worked for them when we moved in and it was a wonderous place to work. Every employee LOVED their job and business boomed. Then some bad business situations occurred and that was the end of BRANDS MART ! To this day I think it was the best job ever ! I always remember the TRUCK RAMP, that when it got really icy, we couldn’t get trucks out. Yes I also remember that escalator that you could ride on with full wagons of groceries. The EXACT NAME of the the thing was “INCLINEATOR” and the kids just loved the ride.
            The proper name of the property was RENTAR PLAZA….a play on the owners name RATNER !
            It might also be of interest to know that one of the earlier ideas was to develop the land as a
            GET READY FOR IT !!!!!!!!!!A SENIOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FOR RETIRED PEOPLE ! Right on the perimeter of the CEMETARY, if you don’t mind. Don’t know which died first, RATNER or THE PLANNER. Can you imagine the ads…….AT LAST A RETIREMENT RESIDENCE YOU WONT HAVE TO LEAVE EVER! MOM and DAD….think of the VIEW so near you can enjoy your restful retirement years forever. WOW who wouldn’t jump at an oppourtunity like this? BUT alas it became a shopping mecca, for a while anyway. Thanks for the post it brought back many happy memories.

          • Andrew Bashen says:

            I lived in Middle Island from 1977 till 1981.My brothers and I would walk around the lake or on top of the lake in winter when frozen to shop there. I worked there from 1983 till 1987. Worked in receiving warehouse. cabage patch kid boxes would go in the security room bevv CB use they were hot commodity. Employees were great. I would go down to fill the registers with the bags. I would milk it so I could talk the girls at the registers. I met my future brother n law in record world . I would shop for records too. Still have them. I was security for Bon Jovi tickets at the smoke shop. The line was huge. we did a modeling show. Loved modeling in those 80s clothes. Good times. It by became a Kmart years later then demolished. Fond memories. Loved my warehouse crew. Fun times.

        • richard valleau says:

          I first started working for tss in april 75 at the Levittown store. I left in 1977, but returned a year later .I was in the auto department, involved with tire and battery sales. I was transferred to Oceanside, as well as Elmont, Levittown and Babylon for a short time. I also worked in the home office in Brooklyn as an associate buyer. I visisted all locations, including the ill fated jersey stores. I was at mr seedmans home in oyster bay, and even drove him to the airport one afternoon. it was a wonderfully crazy place to work.

          • eddie says:

            Just the guy I am looking for ……my father had the contract for all of the decorating work at TSS …….and yes did so much work at Foster Avenue ……anyway you mentioned Oceanside and I got the best pizza I ever had adjacent to the store ……….ii was like in thee corner……..I doubt if they are still there but do you remember the name of them……..maybe they relocated………any help would be appreciated

          • Barbara says:

            Hi Richard I was at TSS Levittown from 1974-1976. I was a cashier, asst. manager giftware. Boutique, my boyfriend was karry Hannah. He was asst. manager automotive. I was friends with June Wilkenson., Jane brandoff, sue fugit. Barbara erreger, Maryann Truzzolino, Nancy Cuzco, carmine Ruggerio,Eddie Hect. And many more.

          • rich valleau says:

            the pizza place adjacent to oceanside????found it by default. was listening to tsn-690 montreal and there was a promo for conca d’oro bakery. it suddenly rang a bell and I realized that was the name of it

          • Leah says:

            I remember you

            My dad worked in the garage

          • Anonymous says:

            My dad was Jerry Johansen Operations Manager

        • Jeana says:

          Yes, it was. My parents got our first puppy at the West Babylon TSS. It had a supermarket attached to it at some point, but that only lasted a year or two. Kmart bought the location, and the one in Bohemia; sadly, even Kmart is gone now. I still have a lamp and curtains I bought at TSS.

      • Anonymous says:

        I don’t know about Bayshore, but I actually worked in the west Babylon store! Great memories

      • Robert says:

        There was a TSS in West Babylon, Montauk Highway. My mother worked there in toys/ sports.

  3. LD says:

    MY family use to go to the TSS store across the street from the Walt Whitman shopping center. ironically, that location is now a Walmart. does anybody remember the old guy that used to sell pretzels from a pretzel cart in the walt whitman shopping center?

  4. Christine says:

    My grandfather used to take us to the TSS on Farmers blvd. in Springfield Gardens, Queens. It was walking distance from the house, so we would go there often. It is now Western Beef Supermarket.

    My most vivid, and best, memory was trying out the patio furniture. My grandfather let us test out and make a case for what we liked best. It took along time, but in the end he let us vote on our top choices and we took home the favorite.

    I loved TSS. It was so comfortable and you could get whatever you needed at a great price. Also, I remember the staff being very nice and helpful.

    • 70sKid says:

      Thanks for sharing that great memory, Christine!

    • anonymous says:

      I worked at the sayville t.s.s from 1974-1988 the company was big on good old fashion customer service.. they would send us to product knowledge training sessions once a year at the Lawrence store. The company was very good to their employees we had a union with great benefits. I was sadden to see it go down hill after Mr. Seedman sold the company. You will never see a retail chain EVER like T.s.s.

      • brenda lisanti says:

        i worked a tss sayville 74 to 84 switchboard ,brenda

        • brenda lisanti says:

          i worked a tss sayville 74 to 84 switchboard ,brenda

          • brenda lisanti says:

            work switchboard 74 to 84 sayville

          • Roe says:

            I worked whites and tss Bohemia ‘73-‘75 high school in the evenings college in the summers as switchboard operator. My dad leased the barber shops. A funny memory: at 9:50pm every night I had to announce that donuts were on sale and I flipped the switch and said “attention donuts shoppers are now on sale in the front lobby” couldn’t stop laughing after I realized. Met mr. seedman once.

        • David Weingarten says:

          Do you remember the cross street TSS was on in Sayville? Sunrise Hghwy and what? It also used to be a Whites Department store before TSS.

          • jen says:

            technically it’s Bohemia. it was on the north side of sunrise highway in-between lakeland and Johnson ave. You could enter the parking lot by taking a lil back road from lakeland ave.

          • FRED S FRANZBLAU says:

            It was Lakeland Ave-does anyone remember the great snack bar up front you had to walk through it to enter the store–they had a TV playing nonstop cartoons-would sit there with my little sister she was 6 or so-I was 12-1974ish-our mom would go shop in Waldbaum’s and leave us there with a couple bucks–enough for 2 hot dogs and 2 sodas and a cotton candy for my sister. I also remember their excellent toy dept.–great model trains and Estes rockets–Does anyone remember the flourescent orange/red “TSS Sale Price” stickers? Our dad trained us to look for those–truly good discounts! I still have, over 45 years later, in my model train collection, old Life-Like, AHM and Tyco (all long out of business) boxes with those stickers still intact on them!

        • rich valleau says:

          lsanti????i worked with a lisanti for many years in south florida.we’re both retired.

      • richard valleau says:

        I worked at Sayville for a short stretch in the summer of 88 as a merchandise manager.by then the company had been sold to a group of nasty investors. I saw the writing on the wall and left in November of 88.

      • rich valleau says:

        true. when I go to stores now in south florida, I always use tss as a measuring stick .I was actually at a walgreens and jack prince was on the same checkout line. he had an unmistakeable voice. sadly I wasn’t able to talk with him.

      • rich valleau says:

        mr seedman was a once in a lifetime experience. I worked at foster evenue and as ordered to drive mr seedman to jfk. he was vey friendly and I felt very comfortable driving him. even helped him with his seatbelt. . I dropped him off and followed orders and started my weekend .. a great place to work. yes there were difficulties as in any job, but overall a lifetime experience. glad I was able to experience and still recall the great times, the not so great times, I know I feel blessed

        • Kroo says:

          I was born in 1972. TSS in Bohemia was a huge part of my childhood. There was a candy counter right when you walked in. I would always ask my mom to buy me Swedish fish or a pretzel. Walk to the right and you’d eventually reach Record World, a pet store, a place to get your picture taken, and a barber. Eventually, you’d reach Pearle Vision Center. Across from Record World was the sporting goods and nearby was the toy section. Whenever I was in the K-Mart, Office Max, Borders, and Sports Authority in the years to follow, I always tried to imagine where I was standing in TSS. I have such vivid memories of albums in Record World with the “Nice Price” sticker on them, and the slots on the west wall for all the 45s currently in the Top 40. I also remember swinging on the black and silver shopping cart blockers outside of Waldbaum’s. It was cool how the supermarket connected to the department store from the inside. And you couldn’t miss the sign from Sunrise Highway with those 3 big letters. TSS had everything the whole family wanted and needed. The special back entrance off Lakeland Avenue puts me right back in the late 70’s.

          • Rob says:

            I have similar memories of the TSS in Bohemia! I too was born in 1972. I used to live on one of the 3 dead end blocks off Johnson, and there was a path through the woods from Fredrick St. to the back parking lot of TSS. My friends and I used to ride our bikes to TSS through there all the time. We used to enter TSS from the back. We’d go through a door that lend into the Mechanic shop that was in the back. (The door isn’t there anymore, but you can see the outline of it, they filled it in with more brick) You’d go through a small hallway and come out in the Auto Department inside TSS. I used to spend hours in Record World, what a great music store that was! My friends & I would go to TSS and hang out all the time. Like you, I loved the little candy and food counter in the front of the store as you walk in. I used to get hot pretzels there and hot dogs all the time! On the other side of the vestibule before you actually go into the store, there was a small diner. I can’t remember the name of it. Also in the TSS parking lot, there used to be a Roy Rogers. It’s where the Vitamin Shopee is now. Great memories!

  5. GuitarAnthony says:

    Late to this party but I often recall the old mega department stores I lived near. TSS obviously was a big one (with various named supermarkets attached) but there was also Modell’s Shoppers World in East Meadow (before they went sporting goods), Mays in Massapequa & Levittown, Pergament in Copaigue (before they went all Home Depot) and Great Eastern in East Meadow (which became Woolco later on). Obviously, being a 70’s kid myself, I loved going to PlayWorld and can remember vividly going to both the Seaford & East Meadow stores. Also, if you were a kid in the 70’s and your parent never brought you to the Jolly Roger, they must have hated you. 🙂

    • Roger Werner says:

      The nearest to Bayshore was Massapequa. I was assistant manager of hardware in winter 1972-73. At the time this was one of the few unprofitable stores.

      • Roger Werner says:

        I lived six blocks from Modell’s BEFORE it became Shoppers World. My parents would buy me a huge soft pretzel and a Italian ice cup. It was to grow into a much larger store in the 1960s. in the late 1950s, across Front Street was a military surplus store called Reader’s. The sold lots of WWII and Korean War material and I recall some WWI surplus. It was an easy and safe walk from my house to Newbridge Ave (now East Meadow Ave) past the library to Front Street. Modell’s had a great toy section.

        • Steven Willemann says:

          Roger, When did you graduate from EMHS? I recall much of what you mentioned. I too remember when Modells was built. It was the only game in town for one stop shopping. The lanes inside were narrow and felt like a bazaar inside. I was EMHS ‘68.

        • Walt says:

          I was in the third grade at Prospect Ave School with the Reader’s twin daughters. The lived on Prospect Avenue west of Newbridge Ave. They had a WWII Jeep, a Tank, and goats in their backyard.. Mrs Reader was on the EM School Board.
          I remember when the floor in Modells Store was dirt.

        • Bob Fuehrlein says:

          I worked at the oceanside tss from 1968 until 1987. Great memories. I wish I could recall all the names of everyone I worked with in those 20 years. I worked in the Stationary department. John gruber was my manager.

          • Dani says:

            I worked in the Foodtown attached to TSS Oceanside in 1978/79, the days before scanners So much fun now that I look back on it. Wish I could find photos or videos of that store. I remember the pizza place at the front of the store and the smell of pizza and hotdogs. Those were the best of times, wish I could go back. The world today just sucks

  6. Rocky says:

    Anyone remember a TSS across from a beer and soda house. it may be near Farmers Blvd. There was an accurate service station on the corner

  7. Paul says:

    Was in their Management Trainning Program in 1975. worked in their Oceanside Store and then a store in Queens

  8. joe loos says:

    Was in Middle Island NY circa 1982

    • Anonymous says:

      My mother worked at the Middle Island store back then. You remember the name Magda Zabala?

    • MIKE says:

      I managed the record dept. there from from 1975-1979. most enjoyable job I ever had.

      • Anonymous says:

        Did TSS build the middle island story or was there a retailer in that building before them?

      • Rich says:

        I started out as sales in the Elmont ‘Record World’ and quickly moved up to Department Manager and was then moved to the Oceanside store. Loved that job bit it was so long ago…
        Still remember when John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ album was released and the huge promotions it had…

    • Tommy says:

      I lived in Shirley Long Island so this location was the closet to me. I got plenty of my Star Wars toys there and my 1st bike ever. I remember many trips with my family there for Christmas shopping too.

  9. Dino says:

    My Dad sold building supplies @TSS with Ed Kranepool of all people

  10. Jackie says:

    We used to go to the TSS in Middle Island/Centerach area when I was a kid (I think it’s a Kohl’s now). I remember they had a huge candy counter that sold popcorn, nuts,pretzels, fudge, etc. The best was their toy department, and around Halloween they had aisles of costumes. I also remember the record store and pet store inside. That store was the best. So sad when it closed.

    • Anonymous says:

      The TSS was in middle island which later became a Kmart. Your thinking about Caldor in Coram

      • Jackie says:

        No, I was thinking about TSS. I had the replacement store wrong. It’s the one where the Kmart was, (I think the demolished the building recently). Caldor was nothing like TSS!

      • Linda says:

        I remember when there was a playland there. My grandmother used to take us there and she would give us money to buy food for the ducks at the artist lake across the street. What a great memory. I had such a great time there as a kid. Now the place is just empty. What a shame. Anonymous.

  11. JMS says:

    I remember the TSS in West Babylon. Our neighbor bought a puppy there and called it TSS, of course. We loved looking at the tropical fish and the puppies. Male puppies were $6 and females were $5. I think my friend’s brother got caught shoplifting there.

    • Roger Werner says:

      My regrets I mislead the fellow from Bayshore above. No STS in Massapequa. Mays store was in that town. YES was in West Babylon. And that is where I worked Jan -March 1973. The hardware manager was run by a former Luftwaffe pilot who lost a leg in the war…Paul Truman. Sorry for the mix up!

  12. Rose Sprague says:

    I worked in the smoke shop late 70’s early 1980. I worked at the Oceanside store. Loved that store. My family lived in island Park and TSS was our store to go to when we needed things. Good memories.

    • Roger Werner says:

      I lived in Baldwin when I became assistant manager of Oceanside TSS toys. It was a huge department with a manager and three assistants. Once the holiday season began me and the other young manager moved to the night shift 11PM to 7AM. The store managers would permit customers to let their kids run wild. Toys and games were opened and broken etc. The job of night shift was to repair what could be repaired and put back on shelf, return broken stuff to manufacturer, and restock shelves for the following day. We had 15 guys working for us. I was appalled by what management would let customer children do. These kids were extremely spoiled and affluent.

  13. Kascha K says:

    I grew up in the Copiague/Amityville area but before we lived there we were in Hempstead in Nassau County and I remember four things from back then (up through 1977). Fire Engine races, Carvel, Mr. Softy, and TSS.

    I don’t know exactly where the TSS was that my dad used to take us to (maybe someone here can say which one would be most likely given where we lived), but whether we were coming or going, TSS and Carvel always went 1-2 in the same trip.

    Embarrassingly enough, the one specific memory I have of TSS was when we went there to get wood just before a heinous storm hit and the day after some jerks had taken the long wood poles from our fence, thrown them into the street, and broken some of them. Our whole fam went (three boys, two girls, and parents), and we were going to eat somewhere close and then go back so he could fix the fence. Unfortunately he had forgotten his wallet and only had his checkbook, but the store wouldn’t take a personal check. I can still remember he got so mad the entire store was looking at us and me and my sister were scared out of our wits. I think he was just frustrated that someone would vandalize our house and we had enough to deal with because of the storm coming.

    I think we ended up at Arthur Treachers Fish and Chips or something. That is where things go grey, but over 35 years on I guess they would.

    • Anonymous says:

      There was a TSS in Hempstead. Parked on the roof. There was also one on Hempstead Tpke Levittown.

      • KaschaK says:

        Thank youuuu! I knew it wasn’t that far from the house. We lived on Kennedy Ave. and I am positive we didn’t get on the turnpike so it must have been the local Hempstead store.

        I miss this era so much. I miss the 80’s too so I guess I just miss childhood. Watching that TSS Christmas commercial almost makes me tear up like most Christmas commercials from back then. If I could have three wishes, one of them would be that my daughter could have grown up in our innocent era where families were still close and kids had real holidays. I’m no good around those Toys R Us commercials either.

        But I miss New York in general from back then. Gimbels, Coney Island, Great Adventure in Jersey, ice skating and the decorations at Rockerfeller Plaza. L.A. sucks man.

      • Patti says:

        I used to ride my bike to tss levittown and go to the record store and spend my allowance there. That was in the 70s. Fun memories! !

      • Jack Ortiz says:

        I used to work in the Linens dept (mgr) in the TSS Hempstead what ever happen to all the girls that worked there lost track of them any one remember any. Jack Ortiz. linens mgr. hempstead.

  14. Cookie says:

    I am so happy to have found this site! I loved TSS and actually am familiar with the one in Oceanside and the one in Hempstead!! It was so convenient to go there. We would do a big food shopping on a Friday night, and then have pizza at the pizza place that was in TSS. Did all our Christmas shopping there. I might have loved it too much, because when my son Phil, who was 6 at the time, was told by his teacher to draw a picture of what he would be doing for winter recess, he drew a picture ( stick people) of all of us, a car behind us, and he titled it: My Winter Vacation. TSS HERE WE COME! He was serious! My husband and I laughed so hard, then took everyone out to a movie and ice cream! Does anyone remember the Hempstead TSS? I worked in the record department to make some Christmas money. Had all the 45s against the wall. OMG! How OLD am I???

    • 70sKid says:

      Great memories! Thanks for sharing!

      • Michelle Gandy says:

        I’m from Philly and most of my mother side of the family lives in Hempstead and I remember my cousin Trina would take me to TSS all the time and. White Castles, I used to tell my friends nack in Philly that I been knew about White Castles.

    • richard valleau says:

      every store was different yet unique. the store on metropolitan ave in middle village had rooftop parking with a panoramic view of new York city.met some really wonderfulpeople along the way.when the islanders won their first Stanley cup, I was working at Levittown. when they scored to win in ot a huge cheer erupted down in major appliances. I kicked over a stack of tires in disgust.

      • Bill Hansen says:

        Rich, I don’t know if you will remember me from Oceanside TSS. Was Asst Dept Mgr. of Auto with Betty Lynch. I’m Bill Hansen. My sister in Law worked in the office, Debbie Hansen. And who could forget Terry Zottoli, god rest her soul. Also worked in Hempstead and Middle Village as Merchandise manager of hardlines. That’s where the story ended and we were liquidated. Miss those days and TSS.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Ask Jungle Bob about TSS

  16. Guy says:

    I remember my mom taking me to the TSS in Middle Island to get an autographed baseball from Rusty Staub! He was sitting outside the store signing autographs with another Met. I think maybe Ed Kranepool….. I was only 7 or 8 Years old at the time but I remember the thrill of meeting real “Big Leaguers” vividly.

    • Karine says:

      My memories of TSS is forever. The one we went to is that one above..( love to have the address).. & we would fill our home with the essentials from there. Wasn’t really into shopping but this store changed my mind especially with the music store. It was something to look forward to. Miss it very much.

  17. Larry says:

    I worked at the TSS Mall which opened in 1973. I worked at TSS for a short spell in late 1978 basically as Christmas help. It was within walking distance of my house. I hung out at the mall with friends from school and dated a few girls working there, burger king and CVS drug store.
    Someone wrote in the freight elevator “TSS = This Store Sucks!” As a customer, I loved the store and was devastated when it closed. The record dept was my 2nd address as a teenager. A lot of kids from my school worked there as well, so I would make “rounds” when I was there. Lots of Great Memories from that store.

  18. Chris P says:

    I remember the TSS in Levittown. My mom used to get my haircut downstairs and she banked at the dime savings bank inside by the grocery store. Now it’s an abandoned Kmart. What a shame.

    • 70's were the best says:

      I basically lived at the TSS in Oceanside as it was right outside our neighborhood. I must have had 3 bikes stolen from there. The thing I remember most was going there and hanging out at the phones booths on the side and calling party line. We thought we were “bad.” I also remember playing hide and seek in there with the other kids. Hey, does anyone remember Morsans, the camping store in the adjacent shopping center. That place was ” futuristic.”

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes. Isn’t that the store that had all those cool tents set up?

      • Debe says:

        Totally remember morsans, it was in the corner of the shopping center, Jens chinese, stuff n bagels, a bank, the stationary store was there. I went to boardman with garland jen , her parents owned the Chinese takeout. Whenever I think of a phone booth I think of the ones in the front lobby of tss. We lived behind tss, we used to walk there. Those were great days!

      • Roger Werner says:

        In winter 1972-73 the names of the toy department managers were Harvey and Clyde supported by the night managers Paul and Roger. Paul moved on to seasonal in Oceanside and I went to East Babylon. Paul and I dated a couple of cute girls who worked in the restaurant. We called the operations Manager Pineapple Jack because of his bright plaid suits. The marketing manager was a no nonsense guy named Bud. Had a good time working in Oceanside. Didn’t like West Babylon because the store was dead compared to Oceanside.

      • Robert says:

        Hello.Yes, I remember Morsan! My father bought his hunting and fishing gear there. Remember the ramp that went down to the outdoor tent displays? Loved that and TSS! I worked at the Foodtown that was connected to the TSS. Morsan later was a roller rink for a few years.

        • Robert A. says:

          I remember Morsans, Tss, and the roller rink-Top Rollers.Morsans was great.The tents, hunting and fishing gear, general sporting goods, etc.I worked at the Foodtown connected to TSS .Made some good friendships there,.Retailing and the World we once knew, no longer exists…Sad to say!

        • Anonymous says:

          Yes. I grew up in Oceanside and I loved playing hide n seek in that tent store. It was a roller rink for awhile and then Gold Coast indoor flea market I believe.

    • John H says:

      I grew up in Farmingdale. My parents always made trips to the Levittown TSS. What a fantastic destination. I think ( I could be wrong) that manner of the departments within TSS were leased areas for vendors ( stamps & coins, barber). Great toy and hobby dept.
      I eventually got a job (deli dept) in the attached supermarket – BIG MEL’S Foodtown (1976 – 1980)

      I was sad to hear these news when TSS CLOSED

      • Anonymous says:

        I worked at one of those vendors in Sayville – T-Shirts and various iron on transfers and the like. I think it would have been the early/mid 80’s

  19. Barbara Ftiedman says:

    My daughter worked in the garden shop of tss in 1981, run by Joe Abbolofia. Do you know the name of the shop?

  20. Anonymous says:

    Many memories of the TSS in Levittown. I remember my dad (RIP) getting his haircut there. I remember getting fish for my tank at the pet store, shopping in the record store and sporting goods in the basement level.

  21. Butch S says:

    Back in the 60s and part of the 70s everything in our house came from the TSS in Levittown . I can remember being 4 years old and my father and I getting hair cuts at the TSS barber shop .

  22. Rich says:

    We went to the Levittown one. It had a haircut place and maybe a couple of other side businesses in an un-suburban arcade leading into the store, and the electronics section has one of those tube testers. Way more fun than the Sears outlet across the street.

    • Crazy Eddie says:

      I was a salesperson and then a manager in the Electronics Dept in the Oceanside, Hempstead, Lawrence, west Babylon and finally Levittown stores. Even helped them open the Bronx Bruckner Blvd store. Started in the early 80s to about 1987. Electronics Dept was a concession owned by Eastern Rack Service. Made a lot of friends and mostly liked working there , but left when I saw the writing on the wall with first Caldors and then Kmart.

  23. claire says:

    anyone know what store was across the street from tss in Levittown years ago it is now the home of walmart supermarket it use to be a waldbaums but before that

  24. Kathy says:

    Grew up in the Levittown store. I used to walk to work (until I bought a Pinto from the manager in electronics) I started as Christmas help left 5 yrs later. Did everything, used Cash registers that didn’t tell you how much change to give, wrapped presents, even the voice of the operator. Fell in love, out of love. Then left to go to College and never looked back, until now. Wow lots of memories.

  25. Adam says:

    Worked in the Pet Dept in Oceanside from 1986 till that location closed, then went to levittown location till that one closed. Many good times had as an employee and customer. I remember being able to get anything you needed at TSS. Many of my friends worked there. Even one of the 86 staff was my good friend. Miss the atmosphere of the place

  26. wayne says:

    I use to go to the one in Elmont in Queens next to Belmont race track. Before it was TSS it was Great Eastern Mills.

  27. Laurel & Roy D'Urso says:

    When we lived in East New York (Brooklyn)
    The Linden Blvd store was close by our
    neighborhood. Nice store EXCEPT the Jewelry Dept. Major RIP-OFF. We needed a re-sizing to our engagement ring. That dept. was a square in the middle of the store with the shoppers on the outside of the square and the workers on the inside of the square. We were in our early 20’s in the early 60’s and foolishly trusting. They looked up in a book the price for this re-sizing. We left the ring with them and they kept on staling before we finally got it back months later. The diamond was swapped. It was an INSIDE JOB. We have the paper work to prove everything. Money is the route of all evil. Our youngest child when he saw TSS pronounced it as a TSS sound, funny…

    • Anonymous says:

      I remember that store, too, because my father occasionally shopped there, near his job. He stopped going there when two guys held a gun to his head in the parking lot and threatened to kill him because he only had change in his pocket, not real money–he spent his money in the store. They should have known to rob people on the way into the store.

  28. Brian Kennan says:

    What is happening with the TSS on Hempstead Tpke in Levittown? It has been vacant for many years.

    • Steve Haar says:

      Hi the story is that it’s owned by Home Depot either for a move into it from their location in East Meadow or to keep Lowes out. Pressure is being put on them from the village of Levittown to get rid of all the rats there and develop it or sell it.

  29. James M. says:

    I worked at the Middle Village store for a number of years in the mid-1980s while in high school and college. Seasonal, Lawn and Garden and then the Cash Office. Great memories!!

  30. Denise E. says:

    I worked at TSS in Babylon, Melville, Hempstead and Elmont as Giftware Department Manager

  31. Barbara E says:

    Anyone remember Bill Strickland from the Levittown TSS…late 1960’s?

  32. kathy says:

    I worked at the the TSS in Babylon in the mid sixties, at the little shoe booth between candy and jewelry. It was fun to watch the families come in on Friday nite. Some would buy their food and push a wagon around the store til closing. It was fun to work there.

  33. Barbara E says:

    Anyone remember Bill Strickland?

    He was a manager at the Levittown TSS in the late 60’s.

  34. Rebecca Hess says:

    I have fond memories of shopping with my family at the TSS store in Elmont, NY. I remember getting my first Cabbage Patch Kid there. Thank you for the sweet memory of this store.

  35. George says:

    I worked in the housewares department in the Hempstead store from 1970 to 1973. Got hired for Christmas and stayed for 2 and a half years while I was in college. You parked on the roof. We would go up there and hang out on breaks and lunch or dinner.

  36. Bob Maier says:

    I worked in TSS Oceanside when I was like 16, I sold outdoor patio furniture, lawnmowers, BBQ grills. It was located next to the bicycles, I remember a Chinese guy working selling them. I worked with a friend of mine by the name if Mike Fruchionne, he now has been working for American Airline baggage in JFK for 20 + years. I fondly remember the entire layout of that store. And the roller skating rink in the plaza, the pizza place.

  37. Steve Haar says:

    in the 1970’s and 80’s I designed and supplied store fixtures for every TSS except Peninsula Blvd. Worked mainly with Trent Melara and Tom Galvin. They were great challenges and lots of fun to do. I remember the annual dress up dinners at a NYC hotel meeting George and his ex-secretary wife, Barbara. They lived on Centre Island and I lived in Bayville. Every morning when I woke up I looked right across Oyster Bay and waved hello George, “thank you for helping me send my children to college. “

    • richard valleau says:

      don’t recall you but I do remember trent. and I was able to attend 2 march of dimes dinners in nyc, which was a great affair. and I even made a pilgrimage to centre island

  38. Janie Brown says:

    I remember the TSS in Hempstead. Miss that place… TD Bank stands where TSS store used to be. And before the bank, it was a video store called Hollywood Video.

  39. Theodore Wojciechowski says:

    Hi everyone and Happy New Year,
    I remember TSS very fondly, I bought my first Micronauts there and when I was older I bought my first RUSH album there as well. I went to the store that was closest to Sayville; I miss the store very much. Thank you for all the memories! Go Islanders!!!!

  40. CJM says:

    I worked at the TSS in Sayville on Sunrise Hwy. from August ,1985 to April, 1986 in the stationary dept. Anybody know or heard of Terri Tailor, Terry Nardo, Tori Ingram or Jeff Palermo?

    • Anonymous says:

      No but heard about dennis carol passing away nights who are you i worked there too nights in candy with kit lobasso

    • Jennifer S. says:

      Hi Colleen – It’s Jennifer from Seasonal. I was searching for a photo of our old Sayville store, and tripped across this site.

      Of course I remember “the two Terris,” you and Jeff, as well as Johanna. Actually, I’m quite certain you worked until spring of 1987 (I have some very distinct memories of that season, as well as the group of 15 young men Jeff was hired alongside). I still sporadically keep in touch with “Glenn from Lighting” – who seems to keep in touch with blessed everyone (including both Jen and Brenda from switchboard). I could rattle off a dozen or so names of others who worked with us – including the whole staff of Sporting Goods. I’m surprised and touched to read how large the memory of TSS looms in others’ memories – as it still does with me. Thinking back, it really was the quality of the people – and (with a few exceptions) the relationship management had with the floor workers that differentiated TSS from every other job I’ve held since then. Maybe it was the fact that we were a union shop – there’s precious few of those nowadays – which caused them to treat us and the customers reasonably. A store like TSS could never exist again as we knew it… outside of grocery stores, there’s no such thing as retail staff assigned exclusively to one department anymore. If you ever loop back here, please let me know how you’ve been!

      • Carl says:

        I worked at the TSS in Sayville, in the Stationary Dept. From August 1985 until April, 1986 with the Two Terris, Jeff P. Tori I. And Colleen C.

  41. mike m says:

    Tss sayville was a good source for star wars and gi joe action figures. Also had good soft pretzels at snack bar

  42. Anonymous says:

    W Babylon tss best store to shop best pizza miss those days so much

  43. Pam says:

    My dad was the Operations Manager for TSS, Jerry Johansen

  44. Bill says:

    I still have a 13″ Goldstar color TV I bought from TSS on Rt 110 in Melville. I bought it for my room when I lived with my parents. At the time I think my parents thought I was a little pretentious, buying a color TV for myself. It’s also the first TV I had with a remote. I also have a Nikon 35mm camera that I bought around the same time. I still have the receipts for both and both still work. This was in 1983.

    • Rather Not Say says:

      I worked in their corporate office located on Foster Avenue in Brooklyn, Does anyone keep in touch with Al Hondares?
      Does anyone know what happened to Billy Doremus?

      • Rather not say says:

        I was Al,

        I also worked in the Foster Avenue corporate office. I was Al Hondares’ secretary.
        I remember Billy Doremus. He was buyer of the Gardening Department. Sorry, Billy passed away a few years ago. He was a very nice person.

        • rich valleau says:

          i started working foster avenue after a 6 year stint in the stores, in the automotive tires and batteries. i knew al hondares and he was a good guy. he left eventually. what happened to billy doremus???keep seeing he passed away. is this true.???anyway many good (and not so good)memories

        • Marge says:

          Billy Doremus did not pass away. Al Hondares is living in Florida and I am in touch with him.

  45. Dani says:

    I thought my brother and I were about the only ones who’d reminisce about our favorite store, TSS. For a long time I hated Home Depot because it replaced my store, the TSS in Elmont. I only had a few years to make any memories here as I was born in 1981 but even in that short time it left an impact that’s remembered to this day. I remember getting toys and candy especially the wax sodas and lips. It was just a happy feeling when we went there. I never realized there were so many of them. I’m glad so many people got to experience the greatness that was TSS and are nice enough to share their experiences. Thanks for this article.

  46. Ed S. says:

    Hi everyone!

    I worked at TSS in West Babylon in TV/Major Appliances from 1981-1986. They gave us an additional small commission for every item we sold in that department. Made a lot of friends, and have fond memories of the people I worked with. We started a softball team and joined a league. The company wouldn’t sponsor us, so our team name was different. Fun times back them. A 20 hr/week employee would get full medical benefits along with dental and optical, and only a few dollars per week would be deducted from our pay. The company would pay us cash (no check) in $10 increments in those little yellow envelopes, (hoping we’d buy something in the store). The people were nice and some of us still keep in touch.

  47. Roger Werner says:

    I remained with TSS as an assistant manager from September 1972 to March 1973. I earned $140/week. If the store earned a profit I’d get a bonus. Never saw a bonus. After six months it occurred to me that I was working six days a week a total of 67 hours. Sales clerks were making more than me. Once I figured I was merely an under paid clerk with some authority, I resigned and for a short will tried law enforcement. Within two years I was in California and a year later in graduate school. I gladly confess that whole Oceanside was lots of hard work, we had a blast. At night we would find goodies our friends left for us. We’d go over to the stereo section and bring a unit over to toys and pump up the sounds. We’d all sing at the top of our lungs. Dealing with customers sucked!

  48. Priscilla says:

    Was the present Orlin & Cohen building on Sunrise Hwy in Merrick NY a TSS?

  49. Greg says:

    Worked at TSS in late 70s great memories a lot of laughs worked at the Elmont store can still recall the layout of the store

  50. Wayne M. says:

    Very cool sharing the memories. I worked at the Sayville store in the mid seventies. First in the giftware dept. then transferred to automotive ( I was a motor head so that was a dream job for me). I remember Tom Grillea asst. man of auto dept. and John Schmidt who managed the marine dept. I drove a 57 Chevy wagon while working there and I used to race one of the shop mechanics in the parking lot at night ! Wish I could remember more names of the people I worked with. Maybe some will respond to this post.

    • Anonymous says:

      I worked at the TSS goodyear in hicksville then Elmont TSS shop and the Levittown TSS shop

      • rich valleau says:

        i remember the tss/goodyear store in hicksville. a guy named tony sold tires, but think he was fired for selling tires at “below” prices, before they caught up with him.worked auto tires and batteries in both elmont and levittown.

  51. Robbie says:

    Anyone know what happened to Helen Sembroff who was the record dept manager in babylon and melville? Or Michael Brewer from the Melville record dept?

  52. Steve says:

    Wow!!! Great site. I worked in TSS Sayville store around 1980-84. Great memories. Great people worked there. Coffee shop in the front where everyone took there 15 min break. Pizza and pretzels on the other side. I use to walk to work till I bought a car Haven’t seen most of to people since I left there

  53. RD says:

    My friends and I used to call TSS the “Happy Store” because they always had what you needed PLUS other things you didn’t know you needed–all at a great price.

  54. Rich says:

    I use to go to the TSS in Oceanside
    It was a great store. It had everything from Lionel Trains tropical fish and my best friends first chiropractic office that was set up near the barber shop if I remember correctly. That was about 1976 or so
    Living in long beach at the time it was the closest dept store to my home.
    Which was a lot better driving to Roosevelt field
    Recently here in Florida I came across an old TSS Montauk fixing rod that” was made by fisherman for fisherman” which was their logo

    I will be refinishing it for my collectio

  55. Anonymous says:

    Someone just placed a game show with commercials included to YouTube days ago, and the very first commercial is a very brief TSS ad:

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qaidylkfpg8

    Once I saw the boroughs mentioned it caught my attention! I’m so used to A&S, Woolworth, Odd Job, Job Lot, Mays, etc as a child…

  56. Lou says:

    I have great memories shopping with my family at the Sayville TSS. Mom would shop at Waldbaums and my three brothers and I would run through TSS for a couple of hours. Many firsts at TSS; first hockey stick, first record purchased (VH Fair Warning), first family photo,etc. OMG…great, great memories of TSS in Sayville. I vividly remember the sports section next to the record store. Ironically, two weeks ago, at a garage sale, I was looking through some records and there was a small bag between two lp’s, I pulled it out and it was a TSS Record World bag with receipt attached to the bag. It brought back a flood of great memories. Long Live TSS!

  57. Ron says:

    Made plenty of trips with my fam to the Oceanside location throughout the 70’s. Wasn’t it right across the street from a giant landfill??

    I believe I got my first bicycle there in 1972. Sparkly gold banana seat and all! I can still remember the smell of that lobby when you first walked in. Probably similar to what you smell when you walk into a Target store these days….lol.

    Speaking of that lobby, as a kid I looooved that wall of vending machines. Funny what you remember, but I was fascinated by the candy machine that had a “pot luck” selection. You took a chance of getting anything in the machine. lol

    • Dean says:

      Yeah. Wow! I remember the hot chocolate vending machine. I was always amazed how it would spit out the cup and fill it with just the right amount. Do I remember correctly? Was there a coffee shop/diner in that lobby? I was born in 72 so I was only 5 or 6 when we shopped there and my memory is kinda fuzzy.

  58. RD says:

    My friends and I used to call TSS in Hempstead “The Happy Store”. You could go in there for one thing and come out with great stuff you didn’t know you needed –all at a great price.

  59. Jim D....seaford says:

    Levittown tss has been torn down this week. No info on what is going there. More long island history lost ….jolly Rogers /tss/pergaments/bohacks/Johns bargain store/waldbaums/Copiague drive in/nunleys/etc etc etc….

  60. Christopher Davis says:

    Holy Mackerels, TSS! My grandfather used to take me to the location in Hempstead back in the late 70’s early 80’s. I would have been around 4-6 years old! Thank you for this 🙂

  61. andrew fernandez says:

    TSs Babylon is now kmart.

  62. andrew fernandez says:

    The grocery department used to sell krasdale if it waz leased by c town.

  63. GARY HUNTER says:

    WHEN I WAS STILL LIVING ON LONG ISLAND, THERE WAS A TSS ON HEMPSTEAD TURNPIKE IN LEVITTOWN.

  64. Sara says:

    Does anyone else remember there being a bakery there?

  65. Anonymous says:

    wow I worked for tss from my 17 birthday till 27 part time they appreciated me in my education for better things I respected what I was given 1.85 an hour min wage was a wow today but I worked with a lot of great people mom got me in 1978 wow in the Elmont store now home depo was great eastern George Genovese and a hot dude gay a flower my bosses Eileen I met her later in Caldors so hot she always loved my mom wonderful girl she looked at me at 38

  66. Dan D says:

    I was fortunate to work with TSS part time from 17 in high school till graduating from podiatry school. Over 10 years I was with TSS. I started in Elmont, Mom got me in was allowed then 1978, transferred to Sayville while in college , tried to come back to Elmont but nepotism did not allow me back so worked in Hempstead for a few years till finishing in Elmont, policies changed again. I worked in so many departments….Store Managers ,white flowers we called them such as George Genovese, Ilene Ruggerio, Victor Vondyke, sorry about the spellings but it is years. So many interesting people…..Still dream about this place mostly Elmont cause it was cool to have mom working somewhere in the same store and you could visit her…..Peace to all and good wishes

  67. Teddy Kapnick says:

    Remember TSS on Linden Blvd in Brooklyn where I got a great GI Joe Air Force doll!!! Walked there from Howard Beach on the Queens side.

  68. Darren Reinert says:

    I grew up in west Babylon and loved going to the TSS. I’d go with my dad and he was always good for a G.I. Joe or two on every trip. This store brings back great memories. On Saturdays, My friends and I would ride our bikes to TSS and the Caldor across the street to check out the Toys and Sports equipment. I still have a speed tracker baseball I got at Caldor.

  69. Former employee says:

    I worked with Al Hondares at the Foster Avenue location. Nice guy Billy Doremus (Seedman’s stepson) I believe passed away a couple of years ago. Also a very nice person.

    • richard valleau says:

      billy doremus passed away. oh wow thats too bad. I worked with him as well as dave Levine, simon eichel, nat brandoff, bill lentz, vinny bivona and so many others.

    • Rather not say. says:

      Hey, I also worked with Al Hondares and Marge Roncone.

      • rich valleau says:

        i remember marge roncone. the girls in inventory control hated nat brandoff and marge roncone was the go between. still trying to confirm billy doremus’passing. al hondares was a nice guy, at least to me. he was part of the tandem with campo.

  70. Leeanne Holgan says:

    Aaww TSS! really fond memories for me! I’ll explain why. My dad, as a teen back in the 30’s, worked at TSS Seadmans (George Seedman was the founder), on Linden Blvd in Queens. My dad was a “porter” and they called him “the broom.” As a result of extremely poor working conditions and disrespect, after returning from WW11, he acquired a charter and organized and started local 169 retail clerks and was voted back in each year as president. He represented all the TSS employees in all 12 stores in N.Y, until he passed at the age of 50, in 1973. Of course I also worked there at age 16 (children’s clothing) and where I met my Tom

  71. Frank says:

    Once in the mid-70s my family was there and my younger brother Michael wandered away from us. Just as were noticing this, we heard an announcement over the PA system that there was a little lost boy named Michael in the jewelry department, would his parents please come by and pick him up. Simpler times.

  72. Jim P. says:

    Great read! Ah the memories of cutting school and hanging in my stomping grounds! As I recall, in my hazy memory, the TSS now appears to be a Big K-mart on Montauk Highway. A&S, right across the street, now appears to be National Wholesale Liquidators. The record store asked about here, I believe, was my favorite of all “Looney Tunes” on Brookvale…. but via 2015 maps it appears to be in the exact same place! Go Looney Tunes! The TD bank in the parking lot on the A&S side was a Jack In The Box, (vintage greasy tacos) and Payless to the right to be a Wendy’s, I remember when it opened, 1st Wendy’s in the area. “Hot and Juicy!” I left NY Dec of 81 to date this recall.

  73. Richard says:

    Of course I remember the TSS store in Hempstead (not Elmont – as some have mentioned). I even remember the Pathmark next to it.

    Fun time. I remember being mesmerized by video “Pong” at the store when the game debuted. There was a crowd around the television. Absolutely revolutionary.

    Anyone remember the greasy pizza by the slice in the “Food Court?”

  74. Lois says:

    We lived in bethpage and went to tss in levittown all the time,as well as mays and jans(icecream parlor. Remember the kitchen sink?). They used a sugar cube soaked in alcohol as a candle. What great places. Mays is now a unique thrift store, part of it,and u can still see the word mays on the floors. Before unique it was tri vounty flea market.

  75. Peggy says:

    I worked at the TSS Mall in Melville back in the 70’s for a few years and had a ball! Great employees, hard working and really dedicated. Loved it when they switched you around to work in different departments – housewares, lighting, auto. The best was working in the boutique or if you were really lucky you got to work at the candy counter where you got to actually roast these humongous cashews in a vat of oil. They were to die for and you could smell them as soon as you walked Into the store. One time there was a blizzard and I made it in (basically so I could hang out with my friends at work) and I covered the switchboard and made the PA announcements that day as they were short staffed. I remember getting paid in cash. Good times and great memories.

    • I worked in the sporting goods department at the Melville store from 77 to 79. My favorite job ever in spite of the fact I was making only $2.30 an hour. Plenty of good people, made lots of friends. Some parties on weekends too! Sadly I did not stay in touch with them over the years. No shortage of pretty girls working there either !! Is that you Peggy…. I worked next door to you…wish we could post pictures here.

  76. Hal Chromie says:

    Crazy man, I found this site because I was looking for info on LI bands that I loved, one link leads to another, so many great memories!

    I remember going to TSS in Sayville all the time as a kids, they had everything. Sports ueqpmpent, music, even a pet shop.

    That is my first memory of the place, going to the pet shop with gramps and buing a chamelon. Damn thing up and died a few weeks later though.

    My last memory is going there after getting paid and buying the first Heartless Wager album, it was one of the only places you could get it.

    Remember the pretzels? Man – you can’t find that anymore.

  77. Gerald M. Anton says:

    I worked at TSS Levittown in 1962 when I was about 14 YRS OLD selling pretzels, popcorn and caramel corn outside in the vestibule. Also loaded groceries from the conveyor belt to the car for nickels, dimes and sometimes a quarter.

  78. andrew says:

    i heard k mart is closing the babylon store and the levitown is now home depot which moved from the old modells in east meadow.

  79. Anonymous says:

    Got my first pet (a gold fish) at the TSS store in Hempstead NY in 1986. There is a pep boys, staples, home goods, harbor freight and a TD bank there now.

  80. Ron Huther says:

    I remember TSS in Sayville. Great store. They took over the building from White’s. I think the were also called White-Modell. White’s opened when Sunrise Highway was a two lane road in Sayville. They basically knocked out Billy Blake’s. Back in those days Billy Blake’s was the only deprtment store nearby. This was before the Sun Vet Mall opened. I think all we had nearby was the WT Grant store in Oakdale.

  81. Christopher Santoro says:

    Before it was tss the dayville store was whites. Anyone remember whites.

  82. Andrew A. Fernandez Jr. says:

    tss and modells had problems with consessionares when they had lease problems.

  83. Pete Mendelsohn says:

    I worked at the Oceanside store as a giftware salesman in 1969. Mr. Sid was the boss over giftware and flowers. He used to drench his hands with Lysol. There was a young Greek woman in flowers who I enjoyed annoying. Robert Vaughan, from my favorite TV show (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) was stumping for a politician in front of the store one time. That was a thrill for me. Good times.

  84. Violet Turner says:

    I remember Billy Blake on the corner of Sunrise and Broadway. Then they closed and became White’s. Eventually White’s closed and it became a flea market. Now it’s a Target.

  85. Anonymous says:

    TSS in Babylon was a bus ride from my house. Spent a lot of time in Record World

  86. Rob says:

    My grandfather Emanuel( Manny) Rosenthal and his brother Albert Rosenthal were George Seedmans first cousins. They worked for TSS for their entire careers. I remember when my uncle Albert would come visit us we were kids between 5 and 11 years old in range, mid 60’s when TSS was the Walmart of it’s time , he would bring all kinds if toys from the store. Was very cool.
    Went to a big party once ,4th of july at George Seednans house I was very young a vague memory.

  87. JanJan says:

    i used to work at the TSS in Hempstead 1972 in the Recird stire and met my fiancee there in at the coffee shop counter , he was also was an asst manager of houseware dept ,,
    oh wow. .. love . this place ..awesome memories great store !!
    Thank you for the posts all :]

  88. Pat kohl says:

    I worked at TSS in Levittown from 1977 to 1981. I was known as the “candy girl” but also worked as a cashier in the auto dept. Richard V. I remember you. I also wound up working in the office upstairs counting money with Kim the Korean woman. A lot of romances began in the Levittown store which resulted in a few weddings I attended. I remember cooking the cashews in oil. Selling jelly rings and “chocolate bark”. I loved working there. Had a lot of fun and made many friends.

  89. Pat Kohl says:

    I worked at the TSS in Levittown. I worked as a cashier mostly in the automotive department and candy department. I remember Cooking the raw cashews and selling chocolate “bark”, jelly rings, rock candy, and fudge. Later on I worked in the money room, counting money with a Asian woman named Kim. I loved working there! A lot of marriages came from couples meeting at TSS

  90. James Misiano says:

    Never worked at TSS but i do remember painting the windows as a child at the TSS STORE IN oCEANSIDE.

  91. Dominick F. says:

    Went to the TSS in Levittown back in 1980. I remember one time asking my grandfather to buy me Queen’s album The Game, and he did. I was there a few times, but that always stuck in my head for some reason.

  92. John says:

    Before TSS the whole lot was a cornfield.

  93. Chris says:

    I think there was a TSS in Melville

    • Barbara S. says:

      I worked as a cashier at the TSS in Levittown 1967 -1969. I’m trying to find Bill Strickland who was the manager in the paint/plumbing Dep’t.

  94. Chet Campbell says:

    I remember TSS well as a little kid, for some reason I can remember a lot about it from what it looked like inside and out and the things we bought there as a kid (fishing rod and reel, Texaco tanker truck, “Bryan Trottier” “jet flow” hockey stick and Mylec orange pick etc. The one we went to was in Hempstead, it was a big, busy intersection with a bunch of little turning lanes. This TSS I think had an optional underground parking garage that had a spiral driveway go access it.

    That was over 40 years ago and somehow I still remember this stuff lol

  95. Jeff says:

    The Smell of popcorn when you first walked in! Loved the Levittown store.

  96. Barbara says:

    I worked as a cashier in the Levittown TSS in the late 60’s. Does anyone know what happened to Bill Strickland? He was a manager in his late 20’s at the time.

  97. Barbara says:

    I worked as a cashier in the Levittown TSS in the late 60,s. Anyone know what happened to Bill Strickland? He was a manager in the Paint and Automotive dept.

  98. I definitely remember record world and going with my mom to shop at TSS. I went to school with someone whose father was an optometrist and put in a lot of the eyeglass concession kiosks at the TSS stores, and he hired my dad to build many of them. One time I went in with my dad for the day, which location escapes me but it was west of where we lived in Selden so maybe it was Islip or somewhere, perhaps Bayshore or Babylon, but I roamed the store the entire day mostly hanging out in the record department, and that was the day I brought home my prized copy of the Styx album The Grand Illusion which I still own to this day. So this had to be late 77 or thereabouts. Those were great days.

  99. Bill S. says:

    I was a manager back in the late 60’s at the Levittown store. Hade some good times with some of the cashiers there.

  100. Kim C says:

    Picture it…early spring, 1979, have ya heard…Michael Jackson’s coming out with this new album sometime this summer…sure I’ll babysit Friday night…sure I’ll take your kids roller skating Friday night..sure I’ll sit with your bird (no lie) Friday night…anything to get that album!
    Oh…but that August day…NOBODY was roller/baby or birdsitting…why? Because we were ALL on line at Record World inside TSS on LI…ah but wait! There’s more…if you were a proud card carrier of the “Club” you got first dibs!!
    I just HAD to get that Michael Jackson Off The Wall album! It folded out to TWO FEET! And he’s in a TUX!! And those SOX!! Oh My GOODNESS!
    Thought I’d lost it forever, but my dad salvaged it from Hurricane Sandy and got it here to me in GA 40ish years later!What a Gift!

  101. Mark Lewis says:

    We used to get our haircuts in the Levittown store while my mother was food shopping in the supermarket at the other end of the store. Don’t remember the name of the supermarket though. Spent my allowance money in the toy department downstairs and later bought so much music in Record World.

  102. Rob says:

    I went to the TSS in Middle Village (Queens) off Metropolitan Ave. many times when I was very little. I have some nice memories of it. You drove up a ramp (the parking if I recall was on top of the building!). Once you entered that entrance, you went down a long, steep elevator. Once on the ground floor, there was a cafeteria to the side and then all of the shops. Me and my sister had our pictures taken in the photo studio there in late 1983; my father bought albums in their record shop as well. I moved to NJ in 1985, but I went to the TSS Middle Village store many times between about 1977-84.

    • Chris says:

      I also spent much of my childhood at the TSS in Middle Village. The ramp up then the long escalator down was a trip. I remember the store being huge. Even had a first date with some one in TSS in 7th grade in 1985. What memories!

  103. Nate B says:

    OMG! The feeling of nostalgia that just washed over me. I thought about TSS and decided to google it. This site came up. As I read it, tears came to my eyes as I began to remember fond memories of a life so simple and pleasant. Thanks so much for sharing this.

  104. Mark says:

    I probably left this message a years ago and foregot or didn’t know how to check website I’m mark the stock boy/salesperson who are you

  105. Anonymous says:

    I was Asst Mngr then Mngr at TSS IN HEMPSTEAD n THEN IN THE 5 TOWNS AREA STORE in i THINK LOL it was nEXT 2 CEDAHURST lol 4got towns name on QUEENS/ L/ I ? BOARDERLINE and in 1974-77 was in HEMPSTEAD n THEN in 77 n 78 at the 5 towns area TSS .. i MISS LILLIAN FROM THAT STORE BY CEDAHURST AND MISS MANY FROM HEMPSTEADS TSS/RECORD WORLD DEPT I MISS JOE DICARLO FROM UNTUINDALE TOO HE WAS STAIONARY MNGR AT TSS FROM 1974-77

  106. Keith says:

    They just closed the K-Mart last month, which was the same building TSS once operated in Bohemia/Sayville. This is the one off of Sunrise Hwy. I think K-Mart was open for close to 30 years. Unfortunately there’s not much open down there these days. 80% of all the stores have closed.

  107. Georgette Kostopoulos says:

    I bought my LPs at the TSS in Oceanside, Long Island way back in the 70s. I found $100.00 in the store, no one could claim it with no proof so I used it ! LOL

  108. PD says:

    TSS sayville! As a kid I remember rows filled with baseball rack packs and Star Wars figures . Met Tim Foli of the Mets there and Jets Quarterback Richard Todd. Also remember they had the “ cast of Star Wars “ make an appearance. Darth Vader, Chewbacca and others, hundreds of people it seemed. Then Princess Leia came out and everyone booed her because she was not Carrie Fisher. Great place to go to as a kid!

  109. mike cappiello says:

    No one seems to remember the very beginnings of Time Square Stores. My dad worked for George Seedman’s dad, “Pop” Seedman, in their initial store on Atlantic Ave in Bklyn in 1930. He worked for TSS until the mid 70s and worked in TSS stores on Scholes St Bklyn, New Hyde Park, and Foster Ave. He often mentioned Seedman’s secretary, Miss Titus, a kind woman, who devoted her life to TSS and was there around the time my dad started working there at 16 yrs old. Surprised no one mentioned her or “Pop” Seedman.

    • rich valleau says:

      i’m not sure if i ever spoke to miss titus. she worked upstairs in accounts payable. very old and dignified. dont remember her being mean or anything.

  110. Rich Seta says:

    Hello All, I’m a retired NYPD member and private investigator. I’m looking for any former TSS employees and trying to find out if TSS ever sold floor tile. Is part of a civil case and I would appreciate any help here. Thanks

  111. Rich Seta says:

    you can reach me via email r.seta@universalsecurity.org or cell phone 302 598-6744

  112. Daniel Maloney says:

    I had worked at TSS from 1974-1975 as Asst gift dept manager at
    Levitown, Babylon and Hempstead stores. When we had to work
    iron days (open to close) at Babylon we went to the Driftwood
    bar across the street. Many good memories with a great group of coworkers.

  113. Rich Seta says:

    Can anyone who worked TSS in Elmont 1970-80’s please contact me.

    302 598-6744

  114. TJ says:

    I was an asst. mgr. at a TSS Record Store….great , simpler times.

  115. Frank Drucker says:

    worked at Elmont store as paint mgr.

  116. Donald Greening says:

    Levittown: 1986 – 1987 – Concession stand…One of the best jobs I have ever had…17 years old-Pete the co-owner (with his sister I believe) allowed me to eat whatever I wanted (poor guy lost his shirt with my appetite)…Worked with his two daughters (Christine…and…LOL..Other daughters name escapes me)…Kid by the name of Jeff and a much older woman named Alice (who must have been about 20 at the time…lmao)…Great times.

  117. Loved the hempsted store there was this long esculater and upstairs was a hot dog stand they had drinks and pretzels miss it so much

  118. There was a store in Hempstead – on Long Island – with rooftop parking. That roof leaked during the winter due to traffic vibration and ice melting. Right into the “major appliance/television department” stock room… 1979 – 1983 term as department manager. Unique management staff that was willing to play old-fashion street hockey on Sunday afternoons.

    • I worked at the Hempstead store between 1974-1978 in various departments. I was 17 years old. My favorite department was Toys. Especially around Christmas time. I loved the hustle and bustle that surrounded that department. It was a real adrenaline rush keeping up with the demand of the season. I’ll never forget my time there.

  119. Anonymous says:

    Anyone remember Marge Roncone, and Al Hondares from the Foster Avenue executive offices?

  120. Anonymous says:

    Would love to see comments from anyone who worked at the Foster Avenue executive offices.

  121. Sharon Gibbons says:

    Hi ! I’m Sharon and I worked in the TSS in Levittown from 1979-1987.
    I started out as a cashier. They moved us around to different departments, but I was usually in Automotive and Sporting goods.
    I covered sometimes in the Candy department. I remember you Rich V. And Pat K. Met a lot of great people there. Still have contact with some after all these years.

  122. Sharon says:

    I worked at the TSS Levittown store from 1979-1986. I started out as a cashier. Worked automotive and sporting goods mostly. I remember you Rich V. And Pat K. Then I was moved upstairs to the cash office to work with Kim. Had a great time working there. Met a lot of good people. Still keep in touch with some of them after all these years.

  123. Debby says:

    We used to shop at TSS in Middle Island. I miss it!

  124. Richard Meyer says:

    Trying to reach children (Pam, Deb, Steven) of Jerry Johansen who was TSS operations Mgr. In the 70s. We got lots of family pics of your mom, Josephine, with whom my family, especially my Aunt Helen, were very close.

  125. Ed Miller says:

    I remember that when you walked into Morsan’s, you could literally smell the tents, canvas and later, the “new'” nylon tents, which had floors, too. We were so excited when Dad decided to invest in a family-size “umbrella” tent. With a family of six, we all had to sleep in curled up positions, when it was raining. Otherwise, my brother and I slept in the old canvas tent with a trench around it. If you were lucky when you went to Morsan, your parents might let you look at the collection of pocket knives…and some years even your old one. Those knives would occasionally result in pinched or bloody fingers when you tried to close them. I just remember, our family “graduated” from a hatchet to an axe on one visit.

  126. Ron Solan says:

    I bought my aurora electric race car supplies downstairs @TSS along with creepy crawler Goop! Lived my wonder years in FDALE. Have both sets, born in ’55! – rs

  127. AP Foster Ave says:

    I am so glad that someone mentioned Miss Maggie Titus. She was a force, so dedicated to TSS. I worked for her for 17 years. It was so sad when the company was sold and she finally retired. She had to be in her late eighties. I would exchange Christmas cards with her and she sent me a lovely gift when my son was born.

  128. Sal says:

    I live in Bohemia, my TSS was on Sunrise Hwy. in Sayville, I worked there in the toy dept the 1st yr it opened, in 1974 they laid me off at closing Christmas Eve., the next summer I got rehired full time in seasonal for the summer of ‘75.

  129. R says:

    We used to shop at the Babylon NY location on Merrick Rd. Which believe is the one pictured above.

  130. Don Anthony says:

    When I was a kid, we used to visit the TSS in Brooklyn, I think, on Linden Boulevard. It had pretty much everything including a big record section, where all kinds of records could be bought for around 79c a piece. I specifically remember the PA announcements in the store, advertising sales on the second floor, and strangely, “on the Street Floor Level.” They always used that phrase instead of “the first floor.” Still remember that from the mid 60s!
    I discovered this site looking for anything I could find about the store, but there’s really not much on the web. Very disappointing.

  131. Papichulo says:

    There was a tss located in Hempstead. It was my first store that I when when I came to this country. It’s was very nice.

  132. Judi Frank says:

    Oceanside tss, my friend and i walked tgere just about every Sat. 1967, 68. I believe. Ldelish pizza, record store great. Believe the grocery part was their own until Foodtown took over. Remember the conveyor belt? Good memories…

  133. Craig Schneider says:

    TSS WEST BABYLON , THE BEST PIZZA I EVER HAD IN MY LIFE !!!!

  134. Alice says:

    I grew up in West Hempstead and it was always a thrill when my dad said he was going to TSS. We drove to the top parking lot in Hempstead and I remember as a kid being baffled about the way the cart didn’t just roll down the flat moving ramp. Once we got to the bottom, I asked if I could go to the toy section. I was a little girl and took off on my own, not a care in the world. My parents would get their shopping done and then come get me. I always got one toy to take home with me. Best toy dept ever! Don’t remember much else. And no pervert ever tried to lure me away. Ah, the innocence of the 70s.

  135. S says:

    Funny finding this site , I worked in sayville during college in toys , was a great work experience . I pretty much grew up with tss as my father Jack Brodbar was out of foster avenue and had automotive . Many times as kids we got to go into stores pre opening as he showed us around and his displays and merchandising . Even went to mr seedmans for a party .

  136. Carol Katz says:

    I worked at the Oceanside store from its opening until about 1971. I started as a cashier on the evening shift and eventually wound up as the nighttime head cashier up in the office. (I think they put me in the office to keep me from fighting with the customers.)

  137. Kemba says:

    There was a TSS on White Plans Rd and Story Ave in the Bronx in the 80″ s. I would walk there I think I got my ears done there.

  138. Lafl says:

    I need info on a Huntington Village headshop that was on Main st. When you walked in there was a large class cabinet full of paraphernalia . The name is driving me nuts. They had clothes in the loft upstairs.

  139. Laurie says:

    I worked for Corporate Personnel. First on Foster Ave in Brooklyn, then upstairs at the Rockaway Blvd. Store in Lawrence. Great memories. I worked for Sol Salzman and Ruth Gordon. I knew George Seedman and Miss Titus and all the top guns. Really wonderful people. Had many of them at my wedding. Got a beautiful set of China from Corporate..

  140. Jahlaune says:

    Thank you fir this memory

  141. Neil says:

    From 76-80 I worked in the auto department in the Oceanside store while in college. Have some fond memories of the job and people I met.

  142. Joe W says:

    They had a big candy area when you walked inside the door – with different candies in different glass jars for you to order by the pound. Also they sold pizza by the slice just inside the front door. Pet shop inside where we’d check out the pets. Got my hair cut at the barber shop inside TSS. And of course the toy section. This store was like it’s own mall.

  143. Vanessa says:

    WOW! I am a 70s child and the TSS Store in Hempstead, NY was EVERYTHING!!! My Mom took me and my sister there to buy clothing, slips to wear under dresses (remember those ?) toys, records, housewares AND the BEST chocolate covered peanuts EVER! The rooftop parking and escalators made our day. Simple times and simple fun! I MISS TSS!!!

  144. Bobby says:

    I worked here in like 1986… I was in high school. I sold seasonal things like lawn mowers & BBQ grills. Loved the candy counter. I was in the Oceanside store.

  145. CAM2 says:

    I remember when Joe Namath came to TSS in West Babylon but cant remember if it was in 1978 or 1979. There was a raffle held in the back in the Automotive/Electronics section and 10 names were picked randomly to play a Telstar game against him. I was one of the fortunate ones to have my name picked at 8 / 9 yrs old. Even though he beat me badly I was still a winner being picked via raffle and was still given a chance to pick a free jersey so in revenge I picked a Chicago Bears jersey as my prize……LOL

  146. Ralph Sanchez says:

    Yess! I’ve searched all over (or where I thought to look) to find anyone who remembered this store. It’s sad, however, that only this picture and the comments is all we can find, but oh well!. I was a product of the foster care system back then during the 60’s and part of the 70’s and we lived with this middle class family in Bed Sty Brooklyn. Our Mom and Dad would take us to this store periodically on the weekends and visit some of their close friends in Queens and during the summer months when school was out. Although it was a discount store, there was never a discount good enough for my foster Dad. He was so tight with his $$, he squeaked when he walked. We had to rely on Mom for what generosity she would render. But I really liked the hotdogs they had at their food canteen section along with a cold Coke in their wax cups. One day when we were shopping there, my sister found a 5 spot on the floor which was Kings ransom back then. Boy! did we celebrate! But after I left home at 16 and later joined the Army in ’77 I lost all knowledge of the place and just assumed it was gone. I didn’t know it lasted until the late 80’s. So sad. Walmart truly killed alot of American iconic establishments. But thanks for posting I will save this post for what little it’s worth!

  147. Susan says:

    I have a great memory of the TSS located in Levittown. Possibly around 1975 of 76, the girls in my group went to see Dale Earnhardt and some of his pit crew. He had parked his 40ft RV Motorhome that was all decked out with pictures of him and his race cars on the sides of the RV right in front of TSS. Us girls thought he was so cute, and Dale and his crew started flirting with us. We were young and innocent at the time. He gave us all signed autographs, and we even got to take pictures of him and his crew with my Kodak Pocket Instamatic Camera (which I probably still have somewhere). But ultimately, I was the luckiest because I also got a signed autograph baseball cap. I’m pretty sure somewhere I still have those trinkets of the good ole days.
    R.I.P Dale Earnhardt 1951-2001

  148. Anonymous says:

    My father was a merchandise manager at the Levittown TSS in the early’70’s. I also worked there from 1973-74 as the inventory control clerk in the lighting department.

  149. Felicia Jones says:

    I was a TSS kid model in the 70s!!!! My brother’s dad was a manager at one Harold Stewart.

  150. Rich says:

    I loved the potato knishes from the snack bar in the TSS lobby.

  151. Rosemary says:

    Any idea of the name of the department store very close to Billy Blake’s in Patchogue, NY in the late 60’s-70’s? As a child, I used to shop at both with my grandmother but xanmot for the life of me recall it’s name.

  152. Norman Holtzman says:

    There used to be a sports collectible and nostalgia store run by Mark Lewis 1980’s who also wrote the card price guide..what was the name of the store

  153. Robert C Cipriani says:

    I remember TSS had a barber shop, a candy section, a large pets section

  154. Frank says:

    worked in Elmont and Middle Village stores managing the paint dept.

  155. GREG Q says:

    My mom and i went to the Levittown store on opening day. We were able to buy a suede gray jacket for a dollar. Used if for years and still have it in 2022. i worked in the supermarket from 1968-1970 for three years. Alot of my friends worked their also. Alot for great memories. We went to DOMINICOS PIZZA every night after work.. We were some of his first customers. i still go there anytime i am in the area. Great Pizza and a great family owned business.

    • Anonymous says:

      I was a cashier in the supermarket 1968-1970..Barbara Sugrue. I went to nursing school at Molloy College in the daytime.

  156. Carol says:

    I worked at the Oceanside store nights and weekends from its opening in 1967 until about 1971. I started as a cashier and was “promoted” to assistant head cashier (although I always thought they put me up in the office to keep me from fighting with the customers). Met some great people, some of whom are still my friends.

  157. During my childhood I used to ride my bike to the Oceanside store and my favourite department was that photography one that was just of the left side after I entered the store. I used to get chemicals to develop film in black and white and colour and I also got the colour print paper for my enlarger. I remember loading the plastic film container while in a closet I make completely dark and down in the basement with a red light to develop the prints. Other favourite departments were where they had the transistor radios and other electronics and the record department.

    I also have fond memories of the Oceanside Nathans and all the food stalls in that place.

  158. Dave says:

    My mom liked shopping at the TSS in Levittown, so I was with her there a lot in the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, I lived in Elmont for a few months, so I often shopped at the TSS on Hempstead Turnpike. There was a supermarket in the same shopping center, making it convenient for all my shopping.

  159. Ken says:

    I remember as a kid my father taking me to the Levittown store in the early 70’s to buy me my first basketball – it was a Voit and came in a box with Wilis Reed of the Knicks on it.

  160. Mike says:

    Worked at TSS; does anyone remember Dolly Pecce.

  161. Glen Katz says:

    I worked in the Levittown store 1985-86 when I was in high school. I worked in the Plumbing and Paint department. Also, helped out in Wallpaper. Dave Clarke was the manager at the time. Good times.

  162. Anonymous says:

    Hi Pat, I remember you working as a cashier and the candy department…

  163. JP says:

    I work as the store announcer at TSS Sayville, 1973-74. I had this little closet of an office by Brenda the switchboard operator. I had complete freedom to create my own announcements. I had a pisser! “Shoppers, come to our Plumbing Dept. and take a seat- that’s right, we have toilet seats on sale!” Cost + Liqueurs always rewarded me with a bottle when I hawked their booze. Tony Napidano was a great manager. Jerry Rubin was another manager that always announced specials and overdid it on Pine-scented cologne.

  164. Anonymous says:

    Does anyone remember what brand mini bike they used to sell? Want to find one for my father. He bought it from the Astoria store, don’t know it was an Azul, Bonanza maybe a Rupp.

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