8. A Wendy’s on Queens Boulevard used to be a prominent boxing arena
On Queens Boulevard in the center of Sunnyside is an unassuming Wendy’s that actually used to be the Sunnyside Garden Arena, a popular boxing arena open from 1945 to 1977. Both professional and amateur fights were held at the arena, attracting the likes of Gerry Cooney and Jose Torres. The boxing venue attracted people from all over the city, and it also hosted everything from roller derby contests to high school proms to presidential campaign rallies.
A monument was erected in 2012 to honor this forgotten past. At the unveiling, former boxers who started their careers at Sunnyside Garden gave speeches and rang the original bell that had been preserved. The plaque honoring the 2,000-seat arena, which originally began as a tennis arena, read “This monument is in honor and dedicated to those men who fought in the amateurs and professional bouts.”