The Nassau Farmer's Market opened in l954 on Hicksville Road on the present site of Waldbaums, Hicksville Road. The 600 foot long shed-like building had 400 stalls selling everything from produce to clothing and furniture. The merry-go-round was a big attraction for the children as was a small movie theater. Fond memories still remain among the residents who remember the fresh vegetables, fruit and bread on Friday and Saturdays. Strolling the stalls in the evening became a night out for the family. Unfortunately, a suspicious fire destroyed the entire market in l987. A shopping mall was proposed and built the following year.
The Farmers Market began as a place where fresh produce was sold, then expanded into plumbing supplies and home-improvement items for the nearby Levittown development. During the 1960's it evolved into a general department store with a wide variety of wares.
The market - on State Route 107 across from the main plant of the Grumman Corporation three miles south of Exit 41 of the Long Island Expressway near the eastern end of Nassau County - attracted as many as 40,000 shoppers a week. It was one of the first in the New York metropolitan area to provide such innovations as baby sitters for shoppers. It also offered roving musicians for holiday celebrations.
Above found on the nytimes.com site
Reflections on a half century of Nassau development - Jerry Spiegel, chairman of Spiegel Associates.
In 1953, he opened the Nassau Farmers' Market, which became an instant success. Ever the showman, he became one of the first developers to hire celebrities to attract shoppers. Though appearances by Eydie Gorme and Eddie Fisher were successful, he claims his most popular promotions involved a customer's monkey and a "Guess the Weight of the Pig Contest," where the winner got the pig.
Above from an article on the bnet.com site. 
Courtesy of my Aunt Sherrie, who BTW used to live in Huntington many years ago, a comprehensive list of places on Long Island that used to be and what exists in its place today.
What Places Used To Be On Long Island
| Was | Is |
|---|---|
| Mays | Tri-County Flea Market |
| Commack Arena | Target |
| Busy Bee | Kohl's |
| Jolly Rogers | Shopping Center |
| Levittown Roller Rink | Staples |
| Billy Blake's | Stop and Shop |
| Taco Bell - Lindenhurst | A&W Root Beer Stand |
| Drive In - Copiague | Home Depot |
| Westbury Drive-In | UA Westbury Stadium Theater |
| Mid-Island Movies, Hicksville | Broadway Mall, IKEA |
| Jann's Ice Cream, Chevys, Hammerhedz | Bob Stores, Levittown |
| Spit/Uncle Sam's, Levittown | Bally's Total Fitness |
| OBI | A Big Empty Lot!! |
| The Bay Shore Farmer's Market | now a Best Buy |
| Howard Johnson's by the Airport | now a diner |
| 2002 Roller Rink | now the Attias flea market |
| Bethpage Farmer's Market | Waldbaum's |
| Cheers - Deer Park Ave. North Babylon | Beachtree Restaurant |
| West Islip Movie Theater | A&W restaurant |
| Islip Speed Way - Drag races | Houses |
| Zahn's Airport Farmingdale | Industrial Park |
| National Speedway in Suffolk | now condos |
| 110 drive-in (LIE) | now office complex |
| Lollipop Farm (children's zoo) Syosset | now Borders |
| Farmers Market (Bethpage) | now Waldbaum's |
| Island Garden(Hempstead)(Nets played) | now Shoprite |
| Putt(Farmingdale) | now Wendy's |
| Roosevelt Raceway | now stores, stores, & more stores |
| Grumman (Bethpage) | senior housing, vending supply, offices |
| Mitchell Air Force Base | now Nassau Comm College, Coliseum, offices |
| Calderone Theatre (Hempstead) | now a church |
| Arby's - Centereach | Chock Express |
| Nunley's in Baldwin | Pep Boys |
| Massapequa Movie Theater | Infinity Car Dealership |
| My Fathers Place | strip of stores |
| Malibu Nightclub | private beach, Lido Beach |
| Reds nightclub | now a closed PC Richards, Hempstead Tpke., Levittown |
| Orbachs | The Source Mall |
| Rumrunners Nightclub | Empty lot |
| Loehmann's Plaza - Lake Grove | DSW Plaza |
| Loehmann's Plaza - Copiague | Home Depot Plaza |
| Nassau Mall | BJ's Wholesale Club |
| Melville Mall | Melville Plaza |
| Gardnier Manor Mall | Gardnier Manor Plaza |
| Huntington Square Mall | Huntington Square Center |
| Shirley Mall | Shirley Plaza |
| Centereach Mall | Wal-Mart Shopping Center |
| Clearmeadow Mall | Wal-Mart/Stop & Shop |
| Korvette's (Hicksville) | Broadway multiplex |
| Korvette's (Massapequa) | Wal- Mart |
| Mays (Massapequa) | Kohl's |
| UA the Meadowbrook | Commerce Bank |
| Commack Drive In | King Kullen |
| A & S (Hempstead) | Home Depot |
| A & S (Babylon) | National Wholesale Liquidators |
| Commack Bruno's Bowl | Commerce Bank |
| Modell's Shoppers World (Commack), (Patchogue), (East Meadow) | Home Depot |
| Freeport Municipal Speedway | BJ's |
| UA Syosset Triplex | Office Building |
| UA Cinema 150- Syosset | Health Club |
| Massapequa Drive- In | The Old Sears Shopping Center |
| Mid Island Bowl | Duane Read |
| Woodbury Bowl | TJ Maxx |
| Stern's (Commack, Hampton Bays & Hicksville) | Macy's |
| Stern's (Garden City - Roosevelt Field Mall) | Bloomingdale's, Furniture Gallery & Galyan's Trading Co. |
| Stern's (Massapequa) | Wal-Mart |
| A&S (Huntington, Manhasset & Valley Stream) | Macy's |
| A&S (Garden City - Roosevelt Field Mall) | Bloomingdale's |
| Macy's (Huntington - Walt Whitman Mall old location) | Bloomingdale's |
| roll and ice Copiague | car dealer ship |
| Moonraker restaurant (Syosset) | Boulder Creek Steakhouse |
| Vanderbilt Disco, Plainview | OTB |
| Music Lounge, Main St., Farmingdale | Office Building |
| Mini Cinema, Uniondale | now a church |
| Gertz | Stern's, then Macy's (Hicksville) |
| The old Reds | La cage Hempstead turnpike Levittown |
Here's a little quiz...
...to see how much you remember about some less-than-important things from a few decades back. It's just for fun, no scoring involved. Even the wrong answers may bring back a memory or two. Have Fun (but no peeking!).
1. What builds strong bodies 12 ways?
A. Flintstones vitamins
B. The buttmaster
C. Spaghetti
D. Wonder Bread
E. Orange Juice
F. Milk
G. Cod Liver Oil
2. Before he was Muhammed Ali, he was...
A. Sugar Ray Robinson
B. Roy Orbison
C. Gene Autry
D. Rudolph Valentino
E. Fabian
F. Mickey Mantle
G. Cassius Clay
3. Pogo, the comic strip character said, "We have met the enemy and...
A. It's you
B. He is us
C. It's the Grinch
D. He wasn't home
E. He's really mean
F. We quit
G. He surrendered
4. Good night, David.
A. Good night, Chet
B. Sleep well
C. Good Night, Irene
D. Good Night, Gracie
E. See you later, alligator
F. Until tomorrow
G. Good night, Steve
5. You'll wonder where the yellow went,
A. When you use Tide
B. When you lose your crayons
C. When you clean your tub
D. If you paint the room blue
E. If you buy a soft water tank
F. When you use Lady Clairol
G. When you brush your teeth with Pepsodent
6. Before he was the Skipper's Little Buddy, Bob Denver was Dobie's
friend,
A. Stuart Whitman
B. Randolph Scott
C. Steve Reeves
D. Maynard G. Krebbs
E. Corky B. Dork
F. Dave the Whale
G. Zippy Zoo
7. Liar, liar...
A. You're a liar
B. Your nose is growing
C. Pants on fire
D. Join the choir
E. Jump up higher
F. On the wire
G. I'm telling Mom
8. Meanwhile, back in Metropolis, Superman fights a never ending battle for truth, justice and...
A. Wheaties
B. Lois Lane
C. TV ratings
D. World peace
E. Red tights
F. The American way
G. News headlines
9 . Hey, kids, what time is it?
A. It's time for Yogi Bear
B. It's time to do your homework
C. It's Howdy Doody Time
D. It's Time for Romper Room
E. It's bedtime
F. The Mighty Mouse Hour
G. Scoopy Doo Time
10. Lions and tigers and bears...
A. Yikes
B. Oh no
C. Gee whiz
D. I'm scared
E. Oh My
F. Help Help
H. Let's run
11. Bob Dylan advised us never to trust anyone
A. Over 40
B. Wearing a uniform
C. Carrying a briefcase
D. Over 30
E. You don't know
F. Who says, "Trust me"
G. Who eats tofu
12. NFL quarterback who appeared in a television commercial wearing women's stockings.
A. Troy Aikman
B. Kenny Stabler
C. Joe Namath
D. Roger Stauback
E. Joe Montana
F. Steve Young
G. John Elway
13. Brylcream...
A. Smear it onB. You'll smell great
C. Tame that cowlick
D. Greaseball hea ven
E. It's a dream
F. We're your team
G. A little dab'll do ya
14. I found my thrill...
A. In Blueberry muffinsB. With my man, Bill
C. Down at the mill
D. Over the windowsill
E. With thyme and dill
F. Too late to enjoy
G. On Blueberry Hill
15. Before Robin Williams, Peter Pan was played by
A. Clark GableB. Mary Martin
C. Doris Day
D. Errol Flynn
E. Sally Fields
F. Jim Carey
G. Jay Leno
16. Name the Beatles
A. John, Steve, George, Ringo
B. John, Paul, George, Roscoe
C. John, Paul, Stacey, Ringo
D. Jay, Paul, George, Ringo
E. Lewis, Peter, George, Ringo
F. Jason, Betty, Skipper, Hazel
G. John, Paul, George, Ringo
17. I wonder, wonder, wonder, who
A. Who ate the leftovers?
B. Who did the laundry?
C. Was it you?
D. Who wrote the book of love?
E. Who I am?
F. Passed the test?
G. Knocked on the door?
18. I'm strong to the finish
A. Cause I eats my broccoliB. Cause I eats me spinach
C. Cause I lift weights
D. Cause I'm the hero
E. And don't you forget it
F. Cause Olive Oyl loves me
G. To outlast Bruto
19. When it's least expected, you're elected, you're the star today...
A. Smile, you're on Candid CameraB. Smile, you're on Star Search
C. Smile, you won the lottery
D. Smile, we're watching you
E. Smile, the world sees you
F. Smile, you're a hit
G. Smile, you're on TV
20. What do M & M's do?
A. Make your tummy happyB. Melt in your mouth, not in your pocket
C. Make you fat
D. Melt your heart
E. Make you popular
F. Melt in your mouth, not in your hand
G. Come in colors
Okay, that's it.
Here are the right answers.
2 g - Cassius Clay
3 b - He Is Us
4 a - Good night, Chet
5 g - When you brush your teeth with Pepsodent
6 d - Maynard G. Krebbs
7 c - Pants On Fire
8 f - The American Way
9 c - It's Howdy Doody Time
10 e - Oh My
11 d - Over 30
12 c - Joe Namath
13 g - A little dab'll do ya
14 g - On Blueberry Hill
15 b - Mary Martin
16 g - John, Paul, George , Ringo
17 d - Who wrote the book of Love
18 b - Cause I eats me spinach
19 a - Smile, you're on Candid Camera
20 f - Melt In Your Mouth Not In Your Hand
It might help if you are over 55; this is no "pushover".
