Last Night at Faber's Fascination. Henderson Building, Coney Island. Sept. 6, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr
After more than 50 years, the fabulous lightbulb lettering on the front of Faber’s Fascination, an arcade that was one of Coney Island’s oldest year-round businesses, will no longer light up Surf Avenue. The arcade’s last day of business was Labor Day. On Tuesday, arcade machines were being hauled out and trucked away. The sign is the last vestige of Nat Faber’s arcade empire, which dates back to the 1930’s, though the Fabers got into the business in the early 20th century. The iconic marquee is on the front of the historic Henderson Building, owned by Thor Equities and currently being subjected to pre-demolition asbestos abatement. Faber’s was the last remaining tenant in the building.
Faber's Fascination sign in 2006 photo. © Mister Pony via flickr
Nat Faber’s arcade once occupied the entire first floor of the Henderson Building. Faber’s Sportland had the corner location where Popeye’s Chicken flourished for the past two decades. Faber’s amusement empire once encompassed arcades on Coney’s Boardwalk and at Surf and Kensington Walk, as well as Rockaway’s Playland, Long Beach in Long Island and the heart of Times Square. In 1935, according to a report in the Billboard, “Following a year’s preparation, Nat Faber opened the showiest sportland in New York’s Times Square. Flags and bunting decorated the front and a series of ads in the New York Times heralded the opening. This is the fourth sportland Faber opened between 1933-1935.”
Last Night at Faber's Fascination. Henderson Building, Coney Island. Sept. 6, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr
In 1939, Faber’s Fascination in the Henderson Building got its name written in blazing, chasing lights! By the early 1950’s the arcade was advertised as the only air-conditioned place of its kind in Coney Island. Nat Faber installed 48 new Fascination tables and new balls, and flashed the place with merchandise brought in from Los Angeles. He prided himself on having the top mike man in Coney Island. Faber’s Fortune next door got redone as Faber’s Sportland with Skeeball, Shuffle Alleys and Pokerino.
Most establishments encouraged patrons to book or open a points/coupons savings account within the store - as evidenced by the reverse side of this Faber 's Store ticket. Back in the mid 1950s, Faber boasted that they had been in business for 40 years and were operating in such places as Coney Island as well as the Seaside and Edgemere sections of the Rockaways. Photo & caption courtesy of rockawaymemories.com
Stan Fox, whose brother operated four arcades in Coney island, recalls Faber telling him, “There isn’t room on the Boardwalk for another arcade.” Stan’s brother coolly replied, “You’d better shut yours down.” In those days, Coney Island was busy enough to accommodate more than one Fascination parlor. In addition to Faber’s, there was Moe’s Fascination operated by Moe and Sadie Silverman. There was Eddie’s Fascination. A lot of people ask Stan Fox, who was Eddie? If you know, please drop us a line. But Faber’s was the one with longevity. The location in the Henderson Building was operated by the Faber family until 1971 or 72.
“When Hy Singer bought the building he tripled the rent,” says Fox, who notes that Nat Faber’s son Stanford, then in his 40s, struggled to keep the business going. “I don’t know if it was the stress, but he had a stroke and a few weeks later he died.” While the game Fascination hasn’t been played at the Surf arcade for decades, the sign, and its twin, Faber’s Playland, remained. Somebody, anybody, please rescue the Fascination sign! We contacted Tod Swormstedt, founder of the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, who assured us that this type of sign can be saved.
On Monday night, a skeleton surveyed the soon-to-be closed arcade. Henderson Building, Coney Island. Sept. 6, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr
Too bad the City doomed the Henderson building as well as the former Bank of Coney Island to demolition last July by rezoning the parcels for 30-story high rise “hotels.” If ATZ had a dollar for every time we’ve used the word “doomed” to describe a building owned by Joe Sitt, we could buy a round of Coney Island lagers for everyone in the Freak Bar and proceed to cry in our beer. Instead we urge you to join Save Coney Island’s David vs. Goliath effort to convince the powers that be to re-purpose the building as part of a historic district. Last month the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation wrote that “the historic core of Coney Island appears to meet the criteria for listing to the Registers as a historic district.”
UPDATE September 11, 2010:
Coney Island signage: Faber's Fascination signage coming down! Photo © missapril1956 via flickr
As we noted yesterday in the comments below, the letters have been removed from the Fascination sign and the two Sportland signs! The signs are being dismantled piece by piece and saved from Thor’s demolition by Carl Muraco, who owns the arcade. He told ATZ that he plans to sell the letters and possibly the entire Fascination sign if there is a buyer for it. The arcade machines are also for sale. We hope that these Coney Island artifacts end up in the collections of people who appreciate them, including the Faber family. We’re happy the arcade owner was able to take down and “save” the signs from demolition. At the same time, it’s heartbreaking to see the building being emptied of tenants and stripped of its personality. The sign on Popeye’s was also removed. It makes the impending date with Thor Equities’ wrecking ball seem that much closer. As soon as the ongoing asbestos abatement is completed and certified, Thor will be able to get a demolition permit.
Related posts on ATZ…
November 29, 2011: Fascination: From Coney Island to Nantasket Beach
April 29, 2010: Photo of the Day: Interior of Coney Island’s Doomed Henderson Music Hall
April 21, 2010: Thor’s Coney Island: Tattered Tents, Deathwatch for Historic Buildings
March 3, 2010: Thor’s Coney Island: What Stillwell Looked Like Before Joe Sitt
Amusing the Zillion 
Fascination will be sorely missed. It lit up the block and made magic for many years!
Just another nail in Sitts coffin to push him ahead of O’Malley as the most hated man who called Brooklyn home.
[…] Is Greenpoint Hospital Plan on Hold? [Brooklyn Paper] 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Rises [TRD] Coney Arcade Closes After 50 Years […]
Great story!
Nat Faber was my father-in-law.
When I was discharged from the US Air Force in 1952, and after becoming engaged to Nat’s daughter Joan, I was “recruited” by Nat to work weekends as a “mike man,” while I was attending LIU as an accounting major).
At the same time, my wife worked in Sportland next door.
Nat had two sons – Stan – who managed Fascination – and Marty – who managed Sportland. They are both deceased. He also had three daughters – all are alive and well.
Fascination (and Coney Island) were exciting places, and I enjoyed my time there very much.
Sam Person
Thank you for writing! The Faber story is fascinating. It would be great to have an interview with you & your family about Faber’s in the Coney Island History Project’s online Oral History Archive.
http://www.coneyislandhistory.org/news/?p=436
You can make an appointment by emailing info@coneyislandhistory.org
This is such upsetting news. Thank you for the great reporting, as usual. I am so upset that this is really happening. I will miss the blinking lights of Faber’s Fascination. It will be surely missed by everyone.
Thanks everyone for your comments. Together with the Eldorado Skooter marquee, Fascination’s gorgeous sign lit up the block. And it was one of the few amusement businesses open year round. In addition to Thor’s impending destruction of the building, the disregard for the livelihood of people whose businesses have been in the building for 25, 30 and 50 years is appalling.
The good news is that the letters are being taken down by the arcade owner! There are three signs in total. There are two that say Faber’s Sportland.
Wow, that’s a bummer! I was just there on Monday and had I known it was the last day, I would have gone in. I remember the one in Times Square and the one in Long beach quite well, having grown up there. I hate what Joe Sitt is doing to Coney.
The sign is gone…
http://whatyourdonotknowbecauseyouarenotme.blogspot.com/2010/09/ddc-day-xxv-extended-summer-fun-is-dead.html
But is it ok to have fun at Luna Park? My kids did
Thanks for coming out to Coney with your kids! It’s true–after Labor Day = No Lines at Rides!
The Fascination letters are being taken down and “saved” by the arcade owner! He will sell them as well as the arcade machines, unless he’s lucky enough to find another space.
I am Lillian Faber, Nat’s grandaughter and Stan’s daughter.
This story really touched me and brings back many many memories.
Memories of the summer’s where I worked at Sportland in Coney Island.
Memories of working with my Dad at what I call the Faber Family House in Neponsit Rockaway where merchandise was kept for the various locations.
Given the opportunity and space I could write and write about the memories. In fact this article has brought back some that I had forgotten.
I truly hope those flashing lights be saved and that my family’s business brings fond memories to lots of others…
I know it does me.
Lillian Faber
Thanks for writing, Lillian. It’s wonderful to hear from you and other members of the Faber family. I’m happy to report the letters were taken down and “saved” by the arcade owner! All of the letters on the three signs are down now
Lillian,
Not sure if you remember me or not, but we went to Hudde together. I was searching names of old friends on Facebook and came across this article.
Now live in the Atlanta area but have brought my daughter to Coney Island a number of times. Sad that Faber’s is no longer there for her to see. It was always one of my favorite destinations when I went there as a kid. In fact the ski-ball technique I have taught her was leanred at Faber’s.
Thanks for the memories.
Mark Podhorzer (Hudde class of ’64)
Almost a year later i see your reply….I do remember the name and I think the face. If you find me on facebook get in touch. it seems that another story may be forthcoming and glad you had fond memories of Faber’s
This Sinrod is sad to see it all go. Great memories of Saturday’s trying to make an entire dollar last the whole day.
JK Sinrod
theconeyislandkid@gmail.com
http://myconeyislandmemories.com/
The notion of ‘Play Fascination” always conjured up some kind of strange, raw excitement… such was and is the nature of Coney Island. Never really knew the game, just saw it as the definition of the entire place (Coney) Great article Tricia & so sad, so final.
I guess the words ” roll the ball, light the lights” won’t mean the same anymore. All that we remember as children will be gone.
[…] Faber’s Fascination, the last remaining tenant in the Henderson Building is now gone. The glimmering sign on Surf Avenue was taken down and only ghost letters remain. As Thor Equities prepares to demolish the building, they leave a wake of memories. The Henderson building has greeted me and countless others to Coney Island. It is going to be missed. More about the Henderson Building can be read at one of my favorite blogs, Amusing the Zillion. […]
I forsee a place in hell, next to Fred Trump, Robert Moses, and the schmuck that took the Dodgers to LA, for Joe Sitt.
It may sound slightly cheesy but as another member of the family (while I’m not technically a Faber, Nat was still my great-grandfather), I always found more than a bit of pride in seeing Faber’s Fascination still standing every time I stepped off the train in Coney Island. It was also fun to be able to point it out to my friends, who always got a kick out of it.
Although I’m too young to have the kind of memories Sam and Lillian have, I’m still saddened to see it go. I know the city is somewhat akin to a living being, constantly growing and changing, it would be nice if we didn’t have to see buildings like this lost to the wrecking ball in the name of expensive new condos that are just going to sit empty or generic lifeless amusement park ‘attractions’. But as a very smart man once said, “so it goes.”
linked you at my joint. This is horrible sickening news. Unbearable, like much of this city has become.
It’s very sad stories.. but you have to move on and stop living in the past. These trashy buildings has to be taken down so new modern buildings would be build.
i always recall this building with excitement as i actually got to play fascination on downtown market street in san francisco in the mid-nineties so it had some living, breathing meaning to me. i just saw it today with the sign down. boo! i wonder if there is a single fascination parlor left, i’m willing to bet the one in san francisco is not there anymore as san francisco seemed to be facing similar changes to those in nyc. does anyone know? you can always catch a glimpse of faber’s fascination in times square in the opening scene of ‘taxi driver’ where it has been immortalized.
Thanks for your comment, David. After learning more about Fascination, I was also curious if any Fascination parlors were still in existence. As far as I have been able to find out, there are two which are open year round: Nantasket Beach in Hull, Mass (south of Boston) and Seaside, Oregon…
https://amusingthezillion.com/2010/10/06/traveler-where-you-can-play-fascination-year-round/
I’ve been told one can also play Fascination at Playland-Not- at- the-Beach Museum in Calif. and Knoebels Amusement Park in Pa and a few other parks. Let me know if you get a chance to visit!
The San Francisco Fascination parlor is no more. It closed in the early 2000’s, perhaps as late as 2004 or 2005 (I played my last game there in 2001 or 2003 when in town on business). There was also a parlor in Santa Cruz, CA on the boardwalk–that closed in October 2007 (the very day I was arriving there on another trip, but too late to actually make it to play a game).
During a visit to Coney Island (2008, maybe), I got excited when I saw the Faber’s Fascination sign, then sadly discovered that Fascination there was also gone.
Thanks for the comment on my photo–funny that Google thinks it’s so much more significant than flickr!
This is wonderful reportage. Such a shame that so much history is disappearing before our eyes. Our children will have such all this faded beauty in photographs, if at all.
You’re welcome! One of the few consolations is that Coney Island seems to be one of the most photographed locations on earth. Not much happens here without one or more photographers documenting it
Here’s a link to David’s beautiful B & W photo of the partially removed Fascination sign. Love the angle and the framing!
My wife and used to play fascination 6-7 nites a week. We were considered regulars.I was so good at the game once or 2x they used to lock my machine down, so Stan told me to take a rest. My favorite table was #26. Alot of the times Stan was kinda mean to the customers, once in a while he just kicked them out. He was fond of me and my wife because my parents owned a dress store on Kingshighway. When he came in the store to buy a dress for his wife, we gave him a great discount. The people he kicked out went to Eddie’s across the street. I live in Las Vegas and there is a Fascination in the Circue Circus Hotel upstairs. What a great time we had. When you won a game the mike man would say 4 packs of cigarettes or anything marked. Great game-Sid Schein…
Wonderful anecdotes! Wish we could travel back in time to the Fascination parlor in Coney and I could watch you play the game. Thanks for commenting
so wait, there is a fascination still in existence in las vegas. is this the only one left? when i was in my early twenties i got to hit the one in san francisco but i’m sure that’s gone by now. does anyone have any written references to the game btw? i did a search a while back online and found basically nothing so it’s always remained a sort of mystery.
For 4 years, while I attended Brooklyn College, I worked in FABER’S SPORTLAND, a kind of Siamese twin to FASCINATION. Marty Faber, Stan’s brother, was my boss. I have nothing but fond memories of SPORTLAND and of Marty, a very decent man who went out of his way to drive me home on the night of a snow storm. I still can’t shake from my mind-nor do I want to- Henny’s voice over the FASCINATION microphone: “Come in, sit in, give it a try.”
Wonderful, thanks for sharing your memories! I don’t know if it is mentioned in this article but I took a trip to Hull, Mass, where there is still a Fascination parlor in operation, It was originally brought from Coney Island.
From 1955 to 1958, while I was attending Brooklyn College, I worked for a fine boss, Marty Faber of FABER’S SPORTLAND. I was also lucky enough to be with a number very likeable fellow employees: Norman, Burt, Ira, Morty (all about my age) and Meyer, the “older man” among us.
I recently saw a picture of my grandmothers on a beach in NYC and on the Boardwalk there was a sign that said FABERS POKER. The picture is from 1944. Did this becomes FABERS Fascination? And does anyone know which beach this was?
We had a Faber’s skee ball and knish place on the boardwalk in Long Beach, under the name Izzy’s Knish —who was Izzy Faber….