Well, for me it was Macy's at 34th and Broadway. The reason is that it was right across the street from my mother's office at 110 Broadway (you can actually see the front of the building and address during the Macy's Day Parade). So, all I had to do was cross the street. The 5th floor was a huge (to my young eyes) toy department, and at Christmas time what I thought was a pretty big display and layout of primarily Lionel trains. I bet that a lot of NYC was sold there.
I'd hang out on the 5th floor even when it wasn't Christmas; until they would throw me out. My most memorable ejection was when I was trying out the Pogo sticks, and I crashed into a display. Well, they had enough of me that day.
Another time a truant officer came up to us and asked why we weren't in school. We told him that it was Brooklyn Day, and our schools were closed. Being in Manhattan he didn't believe us or that there was such a thing as Brooklyn Day. After he made a couple of phone calls he came back and told us that we were right. He was pretty friendly at that point. Despite being a New Yorker and being doubtful at first he was always nice.
I didn't discover Madison Hardware until I was made aware of it while in the Lionel showroom. The best part was that it was just a short walk away. As a kid I never really thought that much of it since there wasn't a layout and the train displays were rather unimpressive. To add to that there were two grumpy old men in there. Yes, they get much acclaim, but to a kid from Brooklyn they were rather rude (kid= no money). The following dialogue is almost verbatim:
Me: Can I see that train?
Grumpy Guy (GG): Are you going to buy it?
Me: I don't know. I'd like to see it.
GG: If you're gonna buy it I'll show it to you.
Me: Well, I don't know. I'd like to see it.
GG: Are you gonna buy it?
Me: I'd like to see it first.
GG: Either you buy it or get outta here.
So, I left.
I have stories of going there to buy parts as a kid, but those are other stories.
I went back there years later, and I was able to act like the out of towner (which I was at that point) with my schiksa wife and two kids. I met two old guys who were actually quite pleasant and doting on the kids. I had money to buy stuff.
Alan