It has become apparent to The Maven – just by recent responses – that a trip to Cosby's hockey store was like visiting a second home; sometimes even warmer than Madison Square Garden, itself.
George Grimm, author of "Guardians Of The Goal," – among other Blueshirt books – offers his thoughts about what we sometimes considered "The Ranger Store," which was Cosby's.
Grimm: "Gerry Cosby, the founder, got to know me and let me walk around and just look at the sweaters and touch the equipment. I once even met Rangers defenseman Jim Neilson there one Saturday afternoon.
"Gerry's son, Mike, gave me my first REAL job interview in the office of the old MSG store almost six decades ago. He didn't hire me, but he has been a great friend ever since. I have so many memories of the store and the people who visited.
"One of the most popular guys was Thomas Barnwell, better known as "Tom The Bomb," a great friend of hockey people. I once did an "Inside Hockey/Retro Rangers piece on him and his brother Billy and Mike Cosby on the podcast, sharing their memories of him.
"Looking backward, the sad thing is that I don't think that there are any more stores like Cosby's anymore. Fans – who today buy everything on line -- are missing something very special.
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There's no forgetting that it's Friday and that means it's Ask The Maven time. Today's question is delivered by Fred Crespi of Staten Island. Take it away Fred:
"That 'something very special' still brings smiles and warm memories to those of us who ever stepped into Cosby's"
P.S. From The Maven: As we used to say, "Meet me at Cosby's"