Remember these? (Center: design, buffet, bikes)

[LJBMom]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

NorthTown Mall over on Webbs Chapel at LBJ was similiar to Big Town. I remember going to the movies there as well as all of the stores there. Montgomery Wards was there and they even had the cafe in their store. I can see all of it just like it was yesterday.


Richardson Square Mall. Owned by Simon who also owns Firewheel Town Center. They really upped it a lot in the years before it was torn down and it was starting to pick back up. They had a Ross, SuperTarget, new Barnes & Noble, Sears and for awhile a Stein Mart (LOVE that store) and Dillards. I remember when it had TWO Dillard's with one being in the old Joske's location. They redid the inside food court as the mall never really had one. It was gaining in popularity but we all kind of new when Firewheel opened up it would not last long. Simon chose to tear it down basically. They made deals w/ the tenants there like Barnes & Noble to move to the new Firewheel mall by closing up there.

Nowadays Richardson Square still has the Sears, SuperTarget, Ross and a new Lowe's. It is basically a large strip center w/ the large box retailers instead of the typical mall small stores. The Chick-Fil-A in front of it does a SLAMMING business (what CFA doesn't, lol).

Do you remember when NorthTown had put those indoor water slides in?

I remember Carousel Raceway, I went there a few times in high school, it was a lot of fun!

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

It's odd how everyone older than me calls it "Webbs Chapel." I knew the original Webb's Chapel, which was actually on what is now Valley View between Josey and I-35, was named that, but the street signs and spoken usage I've always heard is "WEBB Chapel." Is this a recent change?

I think that intersection has a Burlington Coat Factory, a Cordon Bleu cooking school, a bank, a Taco C, and a Whataburger. Across Webb Chapel is Cinemark 17 and the Cinemark IMAX, and just across Forest is our local El Fenix.

It's still called Webbs Chapel on Google maps... at least part of it. Dunno if there was a change:
webbs chapel road dallas, tx - Google Maps

[barney lee douglas]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Lochwood had a pretty good movie theater back in the day - JC Penney moved 'up the street' to there from E. Grand at I-30 (R.L. Thornton). There was another JC Penney at Casa View. Next to Lochwood was a pretty cool arcade/game place called Carousel Raceway. And there was a Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome Citzen's Bank by that (owned by the Cothrums).

Northtown had some pretty good shows at its theaters (how many were there - anyhow multiple theaters - beyond two - was a new concept then). Strange how there was a Wyatt's on Forest and another on Webb's Chapel!

Wyatt,s was not at North Town Mall. Furr's Cafeteria was there. Only bad memory I have of North Town was when I met my parents for Supper at Furr's and came out to my 1959 Winsor Chrysler and someone had jimmied the vent window open and stole my 8 track tape case!

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by LJBMom

Do you remember when NorthTown had put those indoor water slides in?

I remember Carousel Raceway, I went there a few times in high school, it was a lot of fun!

Yes, I remember the water slides. Never went to it though during that time.

Carousel Raceway......... that sounds familiar but I can't place it.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

It's odd how everyone older than me calls it "Webbs Chapel." I knew the original Webb's Chapel, which was actually on what is now Valley View between Josey and I-35, was named that, but the street signs and spoken usage I've always heard is "WEBB Chapel." Is this a recent change?

A lot of folks older than I say "Samuells" instead of "Samuell" as in the street, the park, the 'farm' and the high school - I've often wondered about that one..

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

A lot of folks older than I say "Samuells" instead of "Samuell" as in the street, the park, the 'farm' and the high school - I've often wondered about that one..

I've heard Samuell's Farm, but usually called it Samuel Farm. Greatest field trips a kid could imagine--and from what I'm aware most DISD schools don't go there. My brother went to the same school as I did 7 years later and they no longer went to Samuel Farm, which was an annual event for us.

I also remember going out there on Halloween and they had a little carnival thing with a haunted hayride. Probably nothing exciting, but it seemed cool to a 2nd grader.

I also remember going in the "Bug Bus" to the DISD Environmental Center once we reached 5th grade or so. It was always fun to head out there and do stuff like get in waders and get in the pond, or disect creatures. I believe it's still running, out in Seagoville or thereabouts.

[TXNGL]

I also remember going in the "Bug Bus" to the DISD Environmental Center once we reached 5th grade or so. It was always fun to head out there and do stuff like get in waders and get in the pond, or disect creatures. I believe it's still running, out in Seagoville or thereabouts.[/quote]

Yes, Seagoville. And up until this year they ran a science camp there for a few kids chosen from each school who were going into 5th grade. My daughter went last summer and it was incredible. Unfortunately that program has been cut out. Don't know if the environmental center will be cut entirely, I hope not. Terrific place.

[W James III]

My memories of Dallas,

Channel 27, 11 and 33 were all local channels yes that’s funny,

Cable TV was new in the mid 70’s with three options, View, OnTv, and Showtime.

Iola Johnson what a hoot, and 4 country reporter with bob Philips. PM magazine, and the likes of Harold Taft, Chip Moody, and Vern Lunquist on sports.


Plano

A&P grocery store at the corner of 14th and Jupiter, which was converted into Plano lanes bowling alley and the only thing at that intersection were two gas stations.

In the late 70’s Braums ice cream and Country Burger sat next door to each other just west of 14th at Jupiter in Plano. Country Burger had the best hamburgers that were wrapped in brown paper and thrown in a brown paper sack. You dare not order their large coke because it was the size of what later became known as a Super Big Gulp. Their hamburgers were a great bargain.

On the NW corner of Plano Road and Park Blvd sat a Gibson’s store, an early form of Wal-Mart, and a Kinney Shoes, which later became a Discount Tire Store. “Kinney Shows for back to school, buy one get one half off”, and their shoes sucked so bad you didn’t even want to be caught with them on, but had no choice.

In downtown Plano on Ave K was Republic Bank of Plano which was the only real bank around at the time. I learned to drive on an old gravel road (Carpenter Road) that was out in the middle of nowhere and the city later changed the name of Carpenter Road to Legacy Drive. When Deer Field was built it was out all by itself, and I still have an aerial map of the area from 1980.

Ave K at 18th Street was a Safeway with the old arched wooden beams and in the strip shop was Nathan White’s is where many had to buy their Gym shorts for school. On the SW corner was an old stately home that had a barber shop inside, I got my hair cut there a few times in the 70’s Jack in the Box was on the SE corner and there was a Del Taco just a few doors down

“Queen of Hearts” in Downtown Plano is a historical fixture. Kennedy Upholstery, Harrington Furniture, and the old original Harrington Funeral home was located there too. Then it moved down 15th street towards Central and when the funeral home moved in 72’ to 18th and Jupiter the old location became a day care center. (Scary thought huh?)

I remember Jupiter Road being all farming fields. Bowman Middle School was on the outskirts of town and there were no homes around it. There was a farm house on the corner of Renner and Jupiter, and Earl Craddick lived in a farm house on Plano Road between Renner and Plano Parkway as I would read his mail box every time I rode by. His house was demolished to make room for Bush Freeway. Shiloh Airport was out off Shiloh and Renner Road.

Collin Creek mall wasn’t there yet and the only thing there was a single screen movie theater on what is the north side of CC mall, I went to see a movie there when I was a child when it was new. There was a Kentucky Fried Chicken and a strip mall on the SW corner of 15th at Central.

On the south side of Plano Parkway at Central was Elmer Fud’s or Fudrucker’s hamburgers, I always got those two mixed up. Sound Warehouse where I bought LP’s and 45’s and you could still get 8 tracks.

When Collin Creek Mall Opened the River Walk at Collin Creek Mall and Art Explosion is where all the trendy gay teens wanted to work. We always had to go by just to get a laugh and check out the cool posters and gadgets.

Tino’s Mexican Restaurant inside Collin Creek Mall and I remember eating at Tino’s when it was originally located on Ave K near 15th street before CC Mall was built.

One of my favorite restaurants in Plano was Cheddars located off Central just north of Park although it was on the access road and hard to get to if you didn’t know the area, it was a great place.

Joe’s BBQ barn was located at Park BLVD and Preston Road, nothing else was out there, it was all fields and Preston was two lanes and there was a stop sign at park. If driving from McKinney to Lewisville along 121 it was so far out in the middle of nowhere that it was considered the outback. Along 121 there were many “adult" services and I remember one that was an old gas station converted to “New York, New York” and I always laughed at the place and even they once had a gorilla in a suite waving at cars.

At the corner of 121 at Preston road it was a 4 way stop and there was an old rusted out panel truck that use to sell fruit that was finally abandoned by its owner. Frisco was a one horse town and nothing was out there. On Preston road which was 544 at the time just before Frisco was another notorious ***** house that was located on the left in a mobile home with a red light on the front porch. Our family knew the judge in Frisco and he was always complaining and trying to rid those places but they weren’t in the city limits so his hands were tied.

Richardson

There was no George W Bush freeway, it was all fields.

I went to see the new movie “Corvette Summer” at the Canyon Creek movie theater, and it seemed every neighborhood had its own theaters back then.

Renenr at Jupiter was all country farming fields with a four way stop signs. Plano Road north of Campbell Road was so rural (Only Owens Farm was out there) that it was 55 MPH two lanes and the hill on Plano just past Owens was a huge drop. I remember going to Owens when Jerry Owens was there working the farm. RIP Jerry!

Campbell Road at Central Expressway way, there was a McDonalds, (Original designed Spanish looking) Taco Bueno and a Handy Dan Home Center. Behind these facing Campbell Road was a K-Mart.

Gandy’s Country Chicken opened around 82 and had the best cinnamon rolls. My aunt would buy a box of them and bring them over when she visited. Mmmm

Beltline at Central, sat the old Sun Rexal with a clock on its sign, that shopping center had a JC penny’s and a Sears, that strip shopping center was built in the 50’s or early 60’s and even had a Western Auto, “Beep beep”, “we’ll be good to you”

Also I am sure everyone remembers Kip’s Big Boy on the corner there at Belt Line and Central, that just goes without saying.

The New Richardson public Library which at the time seemed very futuristic, and right near there was Baskin Robins on a side street.

Who could not forget across Central the notorious Como Motel where the “Sexual affair” took place on the shag carpet that lead the Wiley Ax Murder of Betty Gore by Candice Montgomery? That was international news when it happened in what 79?

There at Spring Valley was an O’Jadies (spelling?) Mexican Restaurant and back behind it was a Thunderbird roller rink. There was also a Sizzler Steak house there.

Pipe Organ Pizza has been mentioned many times already and the movie theater that was right near in on the south side of the Promenade that eventually turned into a dollar theater. Yes Beltline at Coit Road use to have a traffic circle.

TG&Y (Toys, Games, & Yo Yo’s) and it was a cool place!

In the mid 70’s I Remember staying in the “Nice” Ramada Inn Motel just south of Spring Valley on the east side of Central Expressway. Texas Instruments was located behind it and was one of their corporate clients, before other hotels arrived to that area. In Keystone Village was Asle Art, which was cool.

Richardson Square mall when it was nice, Ok it never really was nice but it was new, and across the street was Skaggs Alfa Beta, later Skaggs Albertsons, then just Albertsons, and today who knows what it is?

Old Central Express Way South of LBJ to downtown was a death trap with the short on ramps, geez our driveway at home was longer than those entrance ramps and you had to be going 55mph just to get onto central and god forbid someone stopped to wait until it was clear to get on central as you would be there for an hour behind them because the traffic on central at that time was already bad. By the late 70’s it was a parking lot you avoided at all costs.

I remember The Golden Eagle Restaurant but I forget now where it was?

Addison

All I remember was Beltline road going out there and all that was located in Addison at that time was the old Addison school which at that time was still the school, before it became the Magic Time machine. Right next door was Jim’s Restaurant which was similar to a Kips Big Boy.

Preston Wood Mall wasn’t even built at that time.

Later there was a nice Italian restaurant on the second floor of a shopping center off Beltline on the south side called Sergio Luchiano’s (Spelling) that was nice place to eat at.

Who doesn’t remember Dalts? I loved their Chocolate Malt Cake, Mmmm That place was great, but I liked the crowd at the Dalt’s off Inwood Road at Lovers better. Sakowitz Village? They filmed an episode of Dallas there and JR had a cell phone that was the size of a cinder block, and looked like it weighed the same.

Dallas

Chili’s second location located at Midway and Beltline with the train that went around the top of the bar, and how on a Friday night we were willing to wait two hours for a table, only to feel rushed to eat and go so the next people could eat those greasy fries that were then fired in lard and not vegetable oil. Smoking was allowed but wasn’t noticeable over the smell of the fries and food. The square cardboard beer coasters they used on the tables we played with and flipped in stacks to see how many we could flip at one time without them all falling all over the place.

The toll road ended at LBJ and the Galleria wasn’t there yet either. Does anyone remember at LBJ at the toll road a little store with a bright yellow awning that sat almost on the intersection, I think it was “Your Florist” or something like that?

On the NW corner at LBJ at Midway was Treasure City Department store, and Wyatt’s Cafeteria that later became Lubby’s. Does anyone remember the Italian resauarant and bar at Midway and LBJ where the murders took place? Ianias? There was also a Co Co’s restaurant there on the service road. Also does anyone remember Jo Jo’s?

Forest at Webs Chapel was Polar Bear Ice cream, (Mmmm) and across the street was the old Webs Chapel shopping Mall.

Crystals Pizza on Inwood at Forest, there was also a Pizza Inn there too facing forest lane.

The twin 60’s towers with the Playboy club off central although the building had a number 15 on it I think.

The Dr. Pepper Plant when it was still in operation. (Ouch) and how about the huge lighted sign southbound on central just past Mockingbird for the lighting company that was so bright and had so many rotating lights? Juts past Centennial Liquor store sign, does anyone remember what that lighting company was?

Baby Doe’s Matchless Mine was a fun place to eat dinner with the billboard with the waterfall next to it which has been mentioned.

Someone mentioned milk delivery and I remember Borden’s delivering milk to some of our neighbors in glass jars each morning.

Speaking of Jingles, “We’re growing as big at Texas, Joskey’s” (as I remember Joskey’s name was new to the area)

Shopping at Sanger Harris and the brown paper bags they put your items in and then folded over and stapled the receipt to the outside which was their way to deter shop lifters.

Going to Tom Thumb and getting groceries in brown paper bags (they had like 15 different size bags) and my mother always asking for Double bags that we later used for trash bags for leafs in the yard or elsewhere around the house, plastic bags were years away in the future as coke bottles were stacked by the door and you got money for your “Money Back Bottles” and “Rondo” was a new short lived Coke drink, and Tab was still sold in glass bottles. Page Drug were located in a separate locations but later they merged to become Tom Thumb-Page, then just Tom Thumb.

Uptown Area

I remember it when it was still a black neighborhood and nothing was there but homes east of McKinney Ave. I remember when the Hard Rock opened on McKinney and how over night that entire neighborhood changed.

On the SW corner of Thomas Street at Allen Street sat a porcelain Gas Station (the ones that had those wall tiles that were made of the same material that bathtubs were finished with) and a liquor store sat on the NW corner. The owner of the Liquor store was a man by the name of Nick Camarodi (Spelling?) who was the cousin of Joe Campisi. He (Nick) told me that on that corner back in the 20’s and 30’s was a watermelon stand and it was a thriving neighborhood.

The Hard Rock Café was originally a church. Another ironic note, Lawry’s Prime Rib in Dallas on Maple Ave was originally a Funeral home, who wanted a slice or Rib? We use to eat there all the time as my grandmother loved that place (Now it’s located in Addison) It was just west of the Stoneleigh Hotel and the Stoneleigh “P” at that time and the “P” had great hamburgers.

Nightclubs and bars

Does anyone remember KU’s on McKinney? Or Shannon Wynn’s “8.0.”, I felt old when I went to those places as the crowds were all college kids, or people with fake IDs. I loved the paining at 8.0. above the jukebox title “Tornado Feeding” depicting tornado with a bunch of mobile homes and trailers caught up in it.

I saw mentioned the Frogs on Greenville, I thought that place was called Frogy Bottoms?

Yes the Stark Club and Grace Jones, what about Empire Club near Deep Ellum or on the outskirts of Deep Ellum, never was into those clubs or that scene I was stuck in the “Preppy” scene but knew of those “shady Goth places” (LOL JK)

Many people are too young to remember the Cabana Hotel that sat off Stemmon’s which was owned by the mafia. The Beetles and the president stayed there but the federal government eventually took it over and converted it into a day jail and probation center. Now it’s operated by the government which is organized crime it its own right.

Oak Lawn and Turtle Creek being right next to each other sure caused a great learning experience for a young boy. “Mom, why are there no girls in this area and the guys kissing each other?” then one block away is the Mansion on Turtle Creek with Roll’s parked in valet parking.

The Melrose Hotel I remember being an old run down hotel before it was saved and restored. The year it was restored (84?) we had mother day’s brunch there. It wasn’t impressive so we returned to the Mansion the next year for brunch. Remember the S&S tea room?

Yes I use to eat at the Lucas B&B on Lemon at Oak Lawn, and remember the waitresses all wearing beehives even after they were out of style and the place serving the best pies. It was run down by the 70’s but still neat and all in tack. The original (first) Steak & Ale on Lemon Ave was a regular place to eat too because of the salad bar and bread.

Ramon’s bar on Lemmon Ave was a seedy dive that catered to an interesting crowd (mostly straight blacks) and we went there to experience the flavor of soul and the cheap watered down drinks.

Later there was an Uncle Julio’s on Lemon and across the street was the new Fridays Plaza, which Fridays left years ago.

My father’s favorite meal was “The George Poston Special” at Los Vaquero’s Mexican Restaurant in Highland Park Village; I swear he knew everyone there by their first name, and all their children’s names and birthdays too. Now it’s a Mi Cocina, which my mother still enjoys. Café Pacific and Patritizio’s were fun too and were located in HP village and owned by Jack Knox.

Remember Cutter Bills Western Wear off LBJ neat Preston, where they served champagne when you bought something expensive, which was everything they sold. Culwell & Son where I bought a dress shirt for $280.00 back in 1984. Hey it was the 80’s and materialism was alive and well.

Good Eats in their original “old” location and when they moved Lucky’s Café open in the same location, not sure what’s there now. There was a Safeway on lemon at Oak Lawn to and the much mentioned Esquire Theater. I have pictures of most of these places.

The name of the restaurant escapes me, but it was there on oak Lawn just north of Lemmon on the right and it stayed open after all the bars closed and we would end up there working off our drunken stupors after leaving 8.0. or the other clubs in the area. It was owned by Gene Street’s son. You had to be gay tolerant in that neighborhood, and we always were. I think the name was Snookies or something like that?

Well I have rambled enough if I can think of more I will post it.

[FarNorthDallas]

Very nice, James. I enjoyed the read!!

[TXNGL]

Great post James!