I lived on Harold street, went to St Anne's for 8 years with all the lovely nuns. Walgreens used to have a bin of 45's and sometimes there were some treasures. The Saturday morning cartoon and b movie extravaganza were highlights, and sometimes a yo yo contest.
Wackers had a tiny post office and can still picture the portly bespectacled woman who ran it...such treasures in the aisles as already mentioned. Western Auto was full of fragrances-new tires, leather mits, footballs and basketballs. I too enjoyed Coney Island, but across the street was the venerable Record Rack where I bought my first Sinatra album, classical albums and so many more, the albums often with a plastic sleeve. a very friendly couple ran it...she had pointy glasses, a redhead I think. when I questioned the $4.00 price of an album the owner drolly commented-"You pay more for Sinatra." And I doubt if anyone remembers this, but just down the street on West Alabama, a funny little woman ran a record store out of the front of her house...you could sit on a stool and she'd play anything you wanted to hear...short cropped hair with glasses, me and my pals loved this place. Across the street was Valian's Pizza, which was my meal of choice to watch Star Trek with. On Harold and Shepherd sat tiny Toddle House where I would have a masterburger and hashbrowns. A few blocks down sat the Broiler Burger with that wonderful charcoal burger smell. Oh man,. i could go on, but as you say, it was an idyllic place to grow up and ride a bike and play football in the street, even if we didn't realize it till much later.