Above / On Dec. 4, 1974, Creative Cakes opened at 400 E. 74th Street in Manhattan, my independent dream come true backed by several of my friends and my parents. Back then, Clayton Coots was my bookkeeper, a time when all sales were hand-written and recorded in an accounting ledger book. Sometimes time permitted creating “mini-cakes” such as this replica of the tiny 10 x 20 sq. ft. shop. located on the ground floor of apartment building, just east of First Avenue, on New York’s Upper East Side. During that holiday season, one day when “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” played on the cake shop’s radio, I found out from Clayton that his dad had written the music for the lyrics to the Christmas song most of us know by heart. (Photo by Jim Word)
Back in December 1974, I opened a custom cake shop on the Upper East Side in New York City called Creative Cakes. No space here can capture all the good fortune that helped launch the small, independent business that I sold in 1986 to turn all of my attention to our three young children.
I will, however, credit Clayton Coots, my bookkeeper, who came with a long resume of managing theater productions in New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, along with a few other surprises he shared during our special friendship until his death in 1983.
Clayton was a classical pianist, piano instructor and huge proponent of the arts. He also was an avid bridge enthusiast and bicyclist. Every week he shared his kind, witty, independent and enterprising spirit with me as my little custom cake business grew.
The reason Clayton comes to mind more often this season is because his father, John Frederick Coots, wrote the melody for “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” back in 1934. His dad also wrote more than 700 songs, standards of the 1930s and many Broadway shows. More than once, Clayton emphasized that he did not benefit from any of the royalties from his father’s works.
In between practicing his music every day, bookkeeping and helping whenever needed, Clayton also worked at a place that sold blended teas and roasted coffee up in the East 80s. (He introduced us to a delicious blend of Vienna Roast that we’ve yet to replicate.)
Clayton was his own self-reliant person; yet, over time and with trust, I heard the rest of his story.
When our daughter Ashley was two and Tep was an infant, Clayton offered to give Ashley her “first piano lesson.”
I can still picture how he sat next to her on the bench at his very grand piano in his living room. (I wish I’d been around to see how they set his grand piano in that high-rise apartment.) With loving patience, Clayton demonstrated how to play every note, one finger at a time.
After I heard the Christmas song on the radio the other day, I looked up the popular seasonal song that most of us know by heart, noting it’s been recorded by more than 200 artists.
Now you know why every time I hear “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” fond memories connect my heart to Clayton Coots.
—Stephanie Penick
Santa Claus has come to town… Find him along the Riverwalk in the Santa House
Above / Listen for the Ho! Ho! Ho! coming from the Santa House! (PN File Photo, Nov. 22, 2015)
2019 Santa House Public Hours / Webster at Jackson
No reservations are needed (free, with the option to purchase photos with Santa at $8 each or $15 for two)
- 4:30-8PM Dec. 18, 19 and 20
- 12:30-7PM Dec. 21 and 22
Swing along now with good tidings for all…
