WYSOKENSKI – Joseph February 1, 2009; loving son of the late Chester and the late Josephine Wysokenski; loving brother of the late Chester Jr., late Anna, late Bronislaus (Charlotte) Wysokenski; loving uncle of Donna M. Wysokenski and Doreen A. (Steve) Rudnicki. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial Thursday at 10 AM at Corpus Christi Church, 199 Clark St. No prior visitation. Interment in St. Stanislaus Cemetery. Joseph was the owner of Wysokenski Grocery Store at 86 Mohr Ave, Buffalo, NY. Funeral arrangements by the URBAN BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, INC., 6685 Transit Rd., East Amherst, NY.
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I grew up right around the corner from the Wysokenski’s Store on Mohr…it was always a hub of activity with neigborhood kids spending their extra pennies on a wide assortment of penny candy. It was the first place I stopped on my way home after collecting for my Courier Express route. Joe and Anna Wysokenski…brother and sister…ran the store.
I believe it closed early in the 2000s…I am glad I did have the opportunity to take my own children to the store on visits to my babcia.
My prayers and condolences to the family.
HT Andy G. from Corpus Christi for passing info along…
Joe and Anna had one of the last Polish-owned grocery stores around. The old stores had their distinctive, neat style, a far cry from today’s “delis” that are plastered with sloppy beer ads, graffitti, etc.
I still remember the sound of the doors as they opened in these places, often opened by pushing a plate adverstising a newspaper or other product and the smell of fresh Cohen’s kaiser rolls as one stepped inside.
Andy Golebiowski
What memories! I lived at 63 Mohr and the Wysokenski family were our landlords. I played with Doreen and Donna. We got along great and my best friend lived above the store. In those days (late 60’s – early 70’s) my parents had a “tab” there, took home meats and cold cuts and paid for it on payday. Life was so simple back then. I too stopped in there with every penny I could find to get something from their great variety of penny candy. I can still now feel the sunshine on me as I pedeled my bike past the store on those endless summer days….
Thanks for those nice comments guys. Joe’s sister Anna and brother Brownie passed away almost three years ago.
We had to sell the store when they went a nursing home. It was the same as when you guys were growing up. Nothing was changed. It’s sad to see the state of the neighborhood now. How can that area come back to life?
Steve,
Thanks for commenting here…it is nice to see the impact the store had on people who grew up in the neihgborhood lives.