The Times Square branch.  This place was still going strong in 1972 when I moved to New York, a year after this picture was taken.  It holds a special place in my heart because of some strawberry shortcake I had there once on my birthday with my sister Lee.

I have eaten strawberry shortcake on every birthday of my life as far back as I can remember birthdays.  It has always been my favorite dessert and somehow it became a birthday tradition.  On one birthday in the 1970s my sister and I had a celebratory dinner at a place near Times Square where strawberry shortcake was on the menu, but when we ordered it after we had our main course they’d run out of it.  It was nearing midnight, and we ran around Times Square from restaurant to restaurant trying to find some before the witching hour signaled the end of of my birthday.

Ho Jo’s had it — we ordered and ate it on time.  The tradition was upheld.  Thank you, Howard.

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