Sold 1920's Iver Johnson Superior Truss Bridge Roadster

[billygoat!]

When my dad bought his small bike store, Jack's Bike Shop, (1959) in Brooklyn, NY, the seller (Jack Gutman) was teaching me things about the business. The store sold Schwinn and several other brands. Jack explained to me that Schwinn & Rudge were the best (current) bikes, though the best of all was Iver-Johnson. With all the bike repairs that arrived at my dad's busy store, I hadn't seen an Iver Johnson until the late 80's, at the Trexlertown, PA bike meet. Now I know what Jack Gutman meant, about it being the best. They were a "firearms" company, and the bikes reveal a firearms level of quality. BTW, Jack was a WW-1 veteran, and he showed me a huge crater in his leg. I was shocked. Especially since it didn't slow him down at all.
He was a super-friendly guy, that just loved throwing compliments. He told my dad, dozens of times, that "you could be president". He must have been about 5'1" with (always) a "stogie" in his mouth. He worked for my dad, for a few years. The store, which was open Sunday's, had to "grease" the cops
on car patrol, in order to remain open. About four of them took turns, collecting their "payoff". One each Sunday, without fail.

 

[mymikesbikes]

When my dad bought his small bike store, Jack's Bike Shop, (1959) in Brooklyn, NY, the seller (Jack Gutman) was teaching me things about the business. The store sold Schwinn and several other brands. Jack explained to me that Schwinn & Rudge were the best (current) bikes, though the best of all was Iver-Johnson. With all the bike repairs that arrived at my dad's busy store, I hadn't seen an Iver Johnson until the late 80's, at the Trexlertown, PA bike meet. Now I know what Jack Gutman meant, about it being the best. They were a "firearms" company, and the bikes reveal a firearms level of quality. BTW, Jack was a WW-1 veteran, and he showed me a huge crater in his leg. I was shocked. Especially since it didn't slow him down at all.
He was a super-friendly guy, that just loved throwing compliments. He told my dad, dozens of times, that "you could be president". He must have been about 5'1" with (always) a "stogie" in his mouth. He worked for my dad, for a few years. The store, which was open Sunday's, had to "grease" the cops
on car patrol, in order to remain open. About four of them took turns, collecting their "payoff". One each Sunday, without fail.

Did he ever tell you how much of a payoff for the cops it was??

 

[billygoat!]

Did he ever tell you how much of a payoff for the cops it was??

$5 or $6, 60 years ago, though more in later years, though I don't remember what amount. It was "business as usual" for Brooklyn cops, of decades ago. BTW, the store was in East-NY section of Brooklyn, where it was predominantly Jewish, so closing Sunday's should not have been mandatory.
As an aside, I befriended a cop in the Coney-Island area, during the mid 60's. He made his "rounds" while on duty, to collect from every business or brothel that was doing the slightest thing "against the law". The really weird thing is, that decades later came the MOVIE, "Car-54, Where Are You" and it mimics this same cop, to a T. 100%!!! What a great & funny movie

 

[IngoMike]

Thank you @billygoat! & @mymikesbikes for hijacking my for sale thread, I appreciate the story, but it should have been posted elsewhere.