Ed Chaban asked about this great little store on Main Street in
"Boonton USA" (the only Boonton there is).  "Ted" was Theodore
Spangenberg.  Originally he and Carl Thomsen were partners in the
store, until Carl passed away and Ted reigned unilaterally.

The shop sold player rolls, and used and rebuilt player pianos, and
parts.  But generally Ted was occupied with repairing and rebuilding
players, many kinds of talking machines, and often old radios.

Ted adored people, and loved to have a lot of them around.  Saturdays
were Open House time, and friends of Ted -- mostly in the player hobby
or business, but many just friends from many walks of life -- would
come for a little while or for hours.  They drank beer or soda, sang,
listened to the players or Ted's large collection of old recordings on
original machines, or joke around.  And laugh!  Ted's loud, infectious
laugh reverberated through the happy throng.  Like yawns, they were
quite contagious!

Every Autumn, Labor Day would see the big firemen's parade down the
street right in front of PPHQ.  There would always be a big crowd
in the store and on the sidewalk to enjoy the parade, and spend the
afternoon in conviviality, if not sobriety.  Christmas, New Year's Day,
Independence Day, and other holiday weekends would be the same:
a good excuse for a grand reunion.  Would that we could have another.

Ted Spangenberg had many friends and instigated many friendships.  I am
still in contact with many whom I got to know or know better there.

For several years in the 1970s, after the closing of our Yesteryear
Museum, many of our volunteer workers opened the Yesteryear Nostalgia
Shop.  It was next door to Player Piano Headquarters and across the
street from Olde Tyme Music Scene, run by our friend Don Donahue,
another lover of music and players and himself a bon vivant, wit,
and all-around great guy.  This conclave was a mecca for lovers of
recordings and mechanical music.

All are gone now.  Lost forever but long remembered is this marvelous
opportunity for many friends to congregate and enjoy the company of one
another.  I for one miss them all.

Ed, thanks for the memories.  Hope this fills you in and provides some
pleasant recollections for other readers who may have experienced
similar friendships and get-togethers in their own areas.

Lee Munsick