April 1st, Paul and Sonia Diamond, Sonia's mother, and Ben and Devorah Schuster came to the US after WW II. For 5 weeks all of them lived at 2308 Eutaw Place with aunt Jesse and uncle Henry Turk. Cousins prepared a separate apartment for the Diamonds and Schusters at 1833 Linden Avenue.

Ben and Devorah Schuster moved to Flatbush, New York and Ben taught in a yeshiva. He taught there for half a year. Devorah became pregnant and was unable to work. They lived in a "privileged kitchen" — apartment where a few tenants share one kitchen.

Paul worked in Washington, D.C. at his cousin's (Harry Zeitelman) restaurant across the street from the White House. Paul went to night school for a few months, in D.C., to learn English. He quit his job with Zeitelman and went to work for another cousin, Nathan Zuriff. It was a small store that sold socks, scarves, etc. Paul got paid $35/week. When Zuriff was supposed to give him a $5 raise and didn't do it, Paul could not continue working for "peanuts." Sonia worked in a sewing factory making $18/week, but she became pregnant and got sick which forced her to stop working.

They moved out of Linden Avenue and moved to Baltimore Street & Eden Street. Nathan Zurrif owned the building. The living conditions were poor, so Paul and Sonia moved out after 1 month.

January 1st, Paul and Sonia Diamond bought their first store on 174 West Cross Street. They paid $4,000 for the store, which was old and falling apart. They borrowed most of the money from Paul's uncles and aunts (aunt Becky and uncle Joe Savitz, the Turks, Sol Goldstein, the Aliker's and the Roskes') and signed a note to pay it all back to them. Paul and Sonia also had saved $500, which they had from gifts. They lived above the store until they sold it in 1949. Their first son, Abe Diamond, was born Friday night April 2, 1948 at 11:38 pm. And the bris was on Saturday.

Ben and Devorah came back to Baltimore. The uncles and aunts bought them a corner grocery store on Druid Hill Avenue. They lived above the store for 5 years. The only source of heat was a gas stove. Their first child, Sylvia (Elhai), was born April 5, 1948.

In March, Dave Diamond arrived in Baltimore from Europe. He had tuberculosis and went to Mount Pleasant Hospital on Mount & Fayette St.

Paul and Sonia bought a store at Harlem Avenue & Mount Street and sold the old store on West Cross Street. Their second son, Marvin Diamond was born on October 31, 1950.

Ben and Devorah's second daughter, Berly (Hershkovitz), was born April 14, 1951.

Dave sold his old store and bought a store on Fayette Street & Baltimore Street with a partner, Saul Sirok. After a while, Dave did not want to be in business without Paul and Ben.

Paul and Sonia's third son, Sidney Diamond, was born July 9, 1955.

Ben and Devorah's son, Dr. Alvin Schuster, was born February 20, 1955.

Dave Diamond married Ruth Trieger. They moved to Oakford Avenue.

Paul and Sonia Diamond moved into their home on Highgate Avenue.

Ben and Devorah's third daughter, Paula Schuster, was born July 9, 1957.

Paul and Sonia's daughter, Susie (Ben-David), was born December 11, 1957.

Paul and Ben bought a self-service grocery store together in Druid Hill.