Harley's Sub Shops

[Skip]

Bob Scobbies (Scovies)(sp) Frisco Band had a recording of Sailing Down the Chesapeake Bay. Think it was on a 33 1/3 LP. Back in the '70 a local SF radio station did a dixieland show on Sunday evenings and they played it frequently.

[Skip]

Love that song. Here is a link to the sheet music in the Library of Congress.
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/loc.n ... fault.html

[Skip]

Hey, I found a website the sells the album with Sailing Down the Chesapeake Bay. The album is "Bob Scobey - The Scobey Storey Vol. 1" on Good Time Jazz Records.

http://www.jazzbymail.com/ViewAlbum.asp ... b%20Scobey

[J. S. Bach]

Thank you, Skip, for the information. I checked it out and then the thought "Amazon" fell into my mind. It has been ordered (a cd unfortunately; not an lp). Now, the next time that I go on an lp prowl at the record sources, watch this one show up; it has happened before. BTW, that album has "Dippermouth Blues" on it; at least two great songs on one album, how rare. Again, thank you.

Dave

[BoltonStboy]

I rmember Harleys

His (I believe) first store was the one on McMechan St. between Bolton St. and Linden Ave. I think that was also his corporate office for the sandwich store chain, upstairs over the store.

Both sides of that block of McMechan were urban renewed, and the site of the sandwich store is now a senior citizens highrise. The shopping district at Mcmechan and Linden was part of that.

Harley Brinsfield was at one time a commissioner for State Roads, before he got into the fast food business. I think he lived in the neighborhood, and that I knew one of his young relatives. Weall played together when I was in elementary school.

I recall his theme song as "Things ain't what they used to be" , with "Sailing down Chesapeake Bay" as his finale each evening.

In addition to playing early jazz, (he struck me as a moldy fig) he also admired Gentleman Jim Reeves. I remember he did a show on him, as he did on others. He'd showcase someone, and the whole show would be their music.

After he signed off, Mike James came on with the Modern Jazz show. Interesting to see the difference.

The Bar b que sandwich was my favorite. The last time I had one was in the Holabird Ave. locus, towards the end of their run, in the early 70s. It then became a Little Tavern, and since, a tow yard, as others here have pointed out.

Sic transit gloria mundae, as we say on the Rue Bolton.

[brilliner]

Harley's flourished in the decades roughly from 1950 through, perhaps the mid- Seventies. There were several of them around town. There was one on Greenmount Ave. on the east side just above 32nd Street and, I believe that there also was one in the Park Heights area somewhere near the old Hilltop Diner.

Harley shops had a rather distinctive aroma about them which was a mixture of onions, salad oils, sauces, and spices. It was quite strong (to say the least) and it was characteristic of a Harley store.

The Harley original was sometimes known as the "forty niner". I believe that this was the price of the sub in the early days of the stores. The Harley shops seemed to vanish quiety without any fanfare at all. I think that they all were closed by around 1980.

Harley Brinsfield was appointed to the Maryland State Roads Commission and served in that capacity for a number of years. His evening radio show was a fixture on local AM radio for many years.

There is a fellow named P.J. Elbourne who has a weekly radio show called "Jazz and Stuff" on an FM station in Kent County. His show follows somewhat the format of the Harley show by playing old jazz, swing, and rockabilly hits. He signs off with "Sailing Down the Chesapeake Bay" as did Harley.

[HwyHaulier]

Several years back, my now late Sister and I tried a fifty years later forensics on how the man actually did it to create the
flavors and distinct aromas of his stores. In this open thread here (which survived some unfortunate service crashes),
added some comment on what we found as reasonable conjectures about actual recipes. It can be fairly well approximated
with available grocery items...

Seems to me, Brilliner reported comment that Harley had done a good amount of world travel. IIRC, he had some WWII duty
in areas of the South Pacific (?). In his own store and food, on air promotions, he near always noted the "secret ingredients"
in much of the cooking. He regularly noted use of cumin, cilantro and coriander, and was likely relying on olive oil, too. Add
it up in cooking around Baltimore, and it yields aromas foreign to most of the local populace.

Harley surely sold huge numbers of sandwiches over the years, and as long as it lasted...

.........................Vern.......................

[RayReter]

I seem to remember there was a Harleys on the east side of Falls Road just north of Cold Spring Lane, across the street from the current Poly/Western HS complex. -- Ray

[1940LaSalle]

And I'll verify that: for a couple of years after we were first married, my wife and I lived in what was then the Colmar apartments within walking distance of that point. I used to ride the route 10 bus downtown from Falls and Cold Spring, so I saw that shop daily.

Haven't been back to that area since we left in mid-1976.

[BoltonStboy]

There was also one on E. North Avenue, across from what was then Poly. Or as my friend Bill would say, "Back when it was a real school". I also recall one downtown on the pie shaped corner where Liberty St., Fayette St., and Park Ave. all merge. Just down from the former BG&E building. Like some of them after Harleys went out of business, that particular store became a Shanes, also a sandwich place.

While on the subject of fallen flags, (or buns?) I hear that Ginos might be coming back. One of my friends went to a presentation for prospective franchisees. Gino himself was in attendance.