Gone but not forgotten- Old Corpus Christi (Pharr, South Padre Island: groceries, shoppers)

[3rdIQ]

Originally Posted by wheatpenny

I thought that Kaleidoscope was located in Town & Country Center?, 1970ish.

I don't think it was in a shopping center I think the building was kind of old.

I did stumble upon a Flicker Post with a bunch of good photo's of Corpus, including one of KEYS Radio. I used to listen to them at night with a radio purchased with S&H green stamps.

[3rdIQ]

Any idea where this was/is located?

[Marlow]

Originally Posted by wheatpenny

I thought that Kaleidoscope was located in Town & Country Center?, 1970ish.

I think it moved from 6-Points to Town & Country in the late 70's/early 80's.

[Marlow]

Originally Posted by 3rdIQ

Any idea where this was/is located?

That is a replica of the first Whataburger stand. It's located next to a Whataburger on Staples close to Everhart.

[3rdIQ]

Originally Posted by Marlow

That is a replica of the first Whataburger stand. It's located next to a Whataburger on Staples close to Everhart.

I like those prices !!!

[rockets63]

Does anyone remember the record shops in Corpus in the 60s & 70s? I think Kelly's Music was at SixPoints but I remember one at PortAirs and another near Parkdale Plaza.

[fourj]

I remember Sol Greene's record store in the Alameda shopping center.

[wheatpenny]

Originally Posted by rockets63

Does anyone remember the record shops in Corpus in the 60s & 70s? I think Kelly's Music was at SixPoints but I remember one at PortAirs and another near Parkdale Plaza.

I don't remember too many of those at all. I bought my first 45s in 1975 (Boogie Fever, The Sylvers?) at JC Penneys in the Mall. I remember that there was a Camelot in the Sunrise Mall (early 80s) on the 2nd Floor above the Food Court. Craig's Record Factory was another one. But, I can't remember where it was.

[jho60025]

Originally Posted by KimProvision

My family went to Snapka's; the drive~in cafe' for unruly children. What about the Chat~N~Chew on Staples, near the music store? It was a popular hangout long before Floyd's all~night restaurant where we put gravy covered French fries in our noses, for laughs. There were some little Mexican curandera herb stores, near Chat~N~Chew, which my mother liked to explore. My Aunt DeeDee worked at Parr's Drug Store at 6 points. [where that many roads converge] The A & W Root beer stand wasn't near as cool as the old~fashioned truly~frosted~mug root beer we used to get somewhere near downtown. Shakey's Pizza Parlor was loads of fun with whole pitchers of rootbeer & sing~a~longs with a guy at the piano wearing red & white stripes, a bow~tie, & a straw hat. We went to the other Burger Chef [on Staples?] by the Padre Staples Mall. Yes, for 18 cents you got a char~broiled burger to fill at the salad bar. It then became about six inches tall! Another favorite was messy chalupas at Tia's, where the chili went great on top of the salad. There was a pharmacy or dime store at Parkdale Plaza with a great soda fountain cafe' where Mama always took us. It was next to the Hallmark Store. We always went to Parkdale to see Santa Claus. [Oh, why did they have to lie to us about him?] Many eateries in CC have featured Mariachi bands. They were very good. Old Nueces Town was a kick, out by the Nueces River. There was an antique player piano with numerous old brass scrolls. They staged a mock 'shootout' every night. The kids liked it. I had a deja~vu experience there. I was next to a hearth, possibly in a cave, sharing food & talking. I miss the smell of the old hickory smokehouses with huge ceiling fans & picnic tables. Black Diamond Oyster Bar was known for the huge seafood platter on a heavy oval plate. Pelican's Wharf was a close second. They achieved 'atmosphere'. I had friends who worked at Gallaghers Irish Restaurant who got to sing at work & act out Monty Python movies on their off~time. They liked going 'floundering' in Flour Bluff. Up to their chests in wading boots, waiting to spear the fish with both eyes on one side. We used to go 'scalloping' near there; finding these with our feet & picking them up with our toes, or diving in. Later on, I worked at the Friendly Fruitarian Natural Food Bar Co~op Grocery at the corner of Alameda, Ennis Joslin, & Ocean Drive. [6101 Ocean Drive] I'll have to find the story of my major 15 year deja~vu there, since I've already written on that account. I dated the proprietor, Denis Jon Kwolek. We had dances on the castle~top roof; then raised bees up there. The cash refister was on a parade float. I worked at Sprouts Alive Cafe' & ate at the little Brown Bag Sandwich Shop & real Trolley~Car Salad Bar on the mezzanine of the Mercado Del Mar at Peoples' Alley on people's Street, near the T~head where we used to roller~skate. I worked at The Embers Restaurant & Bar on Everhart. It was a small dance floor, but always hoppin'. I worked at Browning's Higher Court Restaurant & Bar next to the 'new' courthouse. The Judge Hamilton Sandwich, with sliced avocado, tomato, & mushrooms under melted cheese & alfalfa sprouts was the top seller. I saved my change from tips to buy a guitar. I worked at Cooper's Alley in Gaslight Square, where the entertainment was good, like the food. It was wonderfully quaint in decor. I also worked at Grandaddy's Old Town Restaurant & Dance Club. I played Putt~Putt Golf, too; winning many a free game from sinking a hole~in~one on the last spot. I played at Lichenstein's, as a child, hiding & seeking in the clothing racks. I got lots of toys from Woolco: troll dolls, dolls with long, colorful scented hair, colored clay, models of the Nina, Pinta, & Santa Maria, etcetera. I felt like a big girl at their garden center with my grandpa. Sears was memorable for the ding~ding sound of elevators & the powerful fragrance & sound of corn popping. What was the name of that oriental food restaurant with the huge ornate doors & even bigger fish tank? Chun King? Wasn't it in Parkdale Plaza, also? Picadilly's Cafeteria was popular. We went there after a Disney movie. I stirred my tea too hard, putting a hole in the glass. As the tea disappeared under the tablecloth, I said, "Blackbeard's ghost is drinking my tea!"

My best friend, Lori, dated Tommy Dobson. I went to night school at Ray, taking government class there. My mother graduated from Ray, after transferring from Miller. I was a 'Mighty Mustang' from King, where we had numerous hilarious 'streakers'. That was when the song was popular... "Yes, they call him The Streak; Fastest thing on two feet... Don't look at the... Too late; she's already been hornswoggled..." That was funnier than watching people dance to 'Disco, Disco Duck... Try your luck; don't be a duck; disco, disco disco disco disco disco duck" at Godfather's; or had it changed into the Windjammer, where I also worked as a 'floater', due to standing room only. Was it Hurricane Beulah that took down Mammy's Cafeteria? All the photos I could find of it are of a broken sign & some match~book covers. What happened to the Creole mural covering the large interior wall? It was so beautiful, with intricate beach scenes of fishing, cooking, & dancing. Wasn't it a painting... or was it fabric? That was on Ayers Street next to the Ayers Theater.

I used to work at Granddaddy's too (bartender). Also ended up at Floyd's a lot...oh, that Chicken Fried Steak was something else.

[rockets63]

Anyone have a photograph of the first Nolan's on Ayers? In a old grocery store?

Think it was on a corner and across Ayers from a movie theater.

I remember standing in line there to see 'A Hard Day's Night'.