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These photos dating from May 31, 1973, show three buildings on the 900 block of Brookline Boulevard during and shortly after a fire that gutted Brookline News Agency, Tryson's Shoes and Sesto's Barber Shop. To the right of Sesto's is Zitelli's Boulevard Gardens, which survived the fire with damage confined to the basement. Melman's Market, now called Brookline Market, one building further left suffered only minor damage.

The fire originated in one of the basements and spread to the barbershop, then engulfed the adjacent buildings. Several families were forced to flee the early morning inferno in their nightclothes. Six firemen were hospitalized, suffering from injuries or smoke inhalation. The fire burned out of control for over two hours. Damages were estimated at $75,000.

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Newsies, Tryson's, Sesto's and Zitelli's were razed in the months after the blaze, leaving an open pit that was to become the Mazza Pavilion, a senior citizens housing and public parking complex, finished in 1982. The building to the right of Zitelli's houses Health City, a discount store at the time, and is now the home to Brookline News.

I vaguely remember my mom taking me to buy shoes at Tryson's, but I do vividly recall the portly gentleman who sold the shoes, Mr. Gutkind. He moved on to a shoe store in Homestead, and for a few more years we made the trip east for shoes. The building that housed Tryson's Shoes was, for many years, home to Bryant's Hardware, a long-time Brookline establishment which had only recently moved to another boulevard location.

The building next store that housed Sesto's Barber Shop was also steeped with Brookline history. For over a quarter century, Al Sesto was a respected leader in the community. He was a member of the Brookline Businessmen's Association and along with good friend Frank S. DeBor was a strong supporter of the growth of the Brookline community.

After his death in 1967, Al's wife Sadie, who worked for many years at the Ritz Beauty Salon, operated the shop for a couple years, then sold it to a man I remember only as "Eddie the Barber". Ed kept the name Sesto's after the ownership change. Sadie Sesto continued to work at the beauty shop until she was well into her eighties. She passed away in August, 2000.

My father used to take me to Sesto's for haircuts. For kids, instead of a barber chair, I remember this decorative red horse where we sat while Eddie worked the scissors. There was also a kindly black gentleman named Earl, who for many, many years shined shoes at the shop.

We are not sure what happened to Earl, but Eddie the barber opened a new store in Castle Shannon near Linden Grove.

Thanks to Celeste Auen for some of the information on this page. Celeste is the granddaughter of Al Sesto and still lives in Brookline.

"When the shop burned, one of the fondest connections with my grandfather was gone. That shop held some wonderful memories for me. The red horse was one. Another memory was the man who shined shoes. I knew him as 'Uncle Earl.' He was a wonderful, gentle man that we loved as a family member. I don't know what happened to Earl, but he has a very special place in my heart."

"I love living in Brookline. I was born and raised here and feel that this is where I belong. I have always felt a strong sense of community here."