Cato’s Army and Navy Store- Owners: Marion and Ed
The following clips are from my interview with Marion and Ed, mother and son, who are the owners of Cato’s Army and Navy store on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint. The store has been in existence for 37 years. Marion’s deceased husband with a partner, opened the shop and after this business partnership soured and dissolved Marion stepped in and became her husband’s bookkeeper/accountant, while her husband, handled the customer side of the shop.
Marion’s husband was a real people person, and according to locals, legendary in his ability to connect with everyone who walked into his shop. Why, I asked? No one could quite say why, it seemed, but after this interview, without exception, when I would tell co-workers or friends about my story on The Army and Navy Store, immediately, Marion’s husband’s name would engender accolades in the form of smiles, oohs and ahhs, and no other words except something to the effect that, “he was such a character” or, ” He was really something.”
After my interview with Marion, I was determined to find out more about this legend, and so my second visit to Cato’s Army and Navy Store is an interview with Ed, Marion’s son and partner.
These interviews with Marion and Ed gave me so much more than I could ever have expected.
Dear Readers and Listeners, I am here to tell you: Marion and Ed are really something! Please view the following videos to see WHY.