Denver in the 1960s and 1970s (Memory Lane) (Aurora, Westminster: movie theaters, community college)

[Chris Braden]

The Zanzibar, which was on east Colfax Avenue in Aurora near Havana Street (on the north side of Colfax), in long gone. I believe the building has also been torn down. Just a note of trivia; a scene from inside the old Zanzibar Lounge appears in the Clint Eastwood movie "Every Which Way But Loose" showing country singer Charlie Rich performing.

[gonealongtime]

Wow, I haven't visited this thread in maybe one year, but it's still going strong.

(circa 1975) Anybody remember the hotel Mollie McGee's? It was formerly the Ramada hotel at Colorado Blvd. and about Alameda. I was the Resident manager there at the tender age of 19.

The back side of the London House disco!

[Johnny Barracho]

let's go WAY back - anyone remember the GEM store on south broadway and Littleton Blvd? How about the Fuji En restaurant on Lincoln south of Colfax? Bears Stadium before the south stands were built? Bear cub badges? Duffy's soft drinks? Mancinelli's market in Little Italy? Kings Food Host restaurant on Littleton Blvd with the phones used to order? They did that at Round the Corner, too (remember the FRIES?!?!)? Dove hunting off county line road and university? Andy's Smorgasbord (now Shotgun Willie's), Fred and Faye on TV? Kid's TV personality Johnny Satellite? The music festival at Bears Stadium with Hendrix, Joplin, etc maybe 64 or 65? Freddy, Henchi and the Soulsetters? Chocolate Hair (before they became Sugarloaf! They played at Mullen High School's Homecoming in 69 or 70)? Tommy Bolin, David and Candy Givens = Zephyr? Barry Fey? How about KBTR radio (AM 710) and KIMN radio (AM 950)? I still have a hits chart from KBPI when the Stones' "Satisfaction" was #1! Land of Oz pinball parlor in Cinder Alley at Cinderella City? Centennial horse race track? the South Drive In theatre? KFML radio station and Steve Burke DJ? Rainbow Music Hall? Ebbet's Field (great prog bands like Strawbs, PFM, Camel, Caravan, Gentle Giant, Renaissance)? the Family Dog? Independent Records of Lakewood? Lakeside Amusement Park before it sucked? $10 lift tickets at Loveland Basin? no mousetrap at I-25 and 6th Avenue? the Denver Rockets basketball team? the Colorado Rockies hockey team? the Tropics nightclub (I met Sonny Liston there)? Denver Drumstick restaurant at Oxford and Santa Fe (remember the train? and the pop-up sign to get the waitress's attention?)? Der Wienerschnitzel (they were all over and still a few around - I've been eating at the one on So Broadway and Dartmouth since 1965 for sure - at least 20,000 chili dogs with onions! Used to be 3 for $1.00)? Star Yelland on TV? the Hungry Farmer restaurant on Alameda and Wadsworth? Dipper Dan ice cream parlor Orchard and University?

[Johnny Barracho]

The memories keep rolling in...Gasamat filling stations which were coin operated? Slot Car racing at Celebrity Sports Center? How about the White Castle burgers on so broadway in Englewood next to the Gothic Theatre? Shakey’s Pizza Parlors? (I still have a songbook from there that they gave you to sing along with the funky piano player), Ferrell’s Ice Cream and the MASSIVE sundaes? The Old Chelsea Theatre downtown (I saw deep throat there)? Cooper Cinerama theatre on Colo Blvd – I saw Mad Mad World, Brothers Grimm, Gran Prix, Around the World in 80 Days there? Laserium at the Gates Planetarium? KFML's show “Highstreet” where the listeners turned on the Channel 2 movie and turned the sound down after the DJs got stoned and ad libbed to the movie? Speaking of Channel 2 (KWGN) – they used to broadcast the Canadian Football League games – Joe Kapp and the B.C. Lions? And Creature Features? BT&R (Budget Tapes and Records – last one was at Alameda and Sheridan I believe – also one at Old Hampden and Broadway)? Bronco Burger on in Broadway Estates Shopping Center? Frank the Pizza King on so Broadway and Union? He’s still there… Eskimo Ski Club? Big Top stores?

[dynimagelv]

Tri-State Auto Show and the Sabers of Denver....1960-62 A GREAT car show.

[mrgoodwx]

I've been retired for 4 years now, and have had some good times in Denver over the years, but my introduction to Denver was a very rocky one. I just laugh about it now, though, as it sounds crazy.

It was the summer of 1971, and, just out of high school, two of my buddies joined me in my 1965 VW beetle as we left Mississippi hell bent on seeing the mountains of Colorado. My hair was down over my ears, and one of my buddies had hair down to his shoulders. We drove into Denver and went from motel to motel, attempting to get a room for the night. No one wanted to rent us a room. At one place, we saw a woman in the motel office, and she ran through a door and out of the office as we were walking into the place. She wouldn't come out. At another place, a guy asked "Why do you look like that, with all that hair?" My buddy told him we were in a rock and roll band, which was true. But, the guy wouldn't rent us a room.

We finally found a very run-down place in the worst part of the city, and got a room for $7. It had a hole in the wall where we could see into the next room. I'll never forget waking up the next morning, and looking over to see an eyeball looking at me through that hole in the wall.

We went to a hamburger joint downtown that evening, and there was a sign on the wall stating customers had a 30 minute limit to eat. I do remember seeing lots of guys hanging around outside the place, and, next to them, our hair was actually pretty short.

I got disoriented heading back to the motel, and ended up making a U-turn in an area where there seemed to be no traffic. But...turned out...there was a cop nearby who caught me. As he was writing a ticket, I asked him if he could point me in the right direction to Colfax. I couldn't remember where the motel was but knew I could find it if I got back on Colfax. In response, the cop put his nightstick up against my head and told me that if I opened my mouth again, he would bash my skull. I may have been young and foolish, but at least I knew when to keep my mouth shut!

The next day, we went to the nearest VW dealer to get the oil changed in the beetle. I had not even stopped the car before a worker ran out of the building toward me, hollering "Get that piece of sh__ out of here! So...we drove all the way to Cheyenne where the VW dealer treated us well.

It was about 15 years before I went back to Denver again...with short hair, a nice suit, and a set of slides to make a presentation at a conference. I went to Denver a number of times during my work career, and always had a good time.

[gonealongtime]

Remember May D&F downtown? I was their star sales person in furniture!

[Larae]

What was the name of the small hamburger joints that had the secret sauce? The original one was downtown and I think there was one on south broadway. It's not white castle.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by gonealongtime

Remember May D&F downtown? I was their star sales person in furniture!

Congratulations! I remember that store very well, it is too bad it got torn down.

Originally Posted by mrgoodwx

I've been retired for 4 years now, and have had some good times in Denver over the years, but my introduction to Denver was a very rocky one. I just laugh about it now, though, as it sounds crazy.

It was the summer of 1971. .....

The above phrase says it all.
Great story, MrGood.
That was a crazy time in Denver. There was a lot of friction between The Law and The Longhairs.
I was at this concert in June 1971, and the menacing vibes from the police (from the very beginning) were rather strong.

Originally Posted by Larae

What was the name of the small hamburger joints that had the secret sauce? The original one was downtown and I think there was one on south broadway. It's not white castle.

I want to say Rockybilt, but I am not sure that is correct.
I do remember Griff's Burger Bar on S. Broadway. It's still there!
When we first moved to Denver in 1968, our dinner, for the first week or so, was from Griff's.

[Scott5280]

Originally Posted by Johnny Barracho

The memories keep rolling in...Gasamat filling stations which were coin operated? Slot Car racing at Celebrity Sports Center? How about the White Castle burgers on so broadway in Englewood next to the Gothic Theatre? Shakey’s Pizza Parlors? (I still have a songbook from there that they gave you to sing along with the funky piano player), Ferrell’s Ice Cream and the MASSIVE sundaes? The Old Chelsea Theatre downtown (I saw deep throat there)? Cooper Cinerama theatre on Colo Blvd – I saw Mad Mad World, Brothers Grimm, Gran Prix, Around the World in 80 Days there? Laserium at the Gates Planetarium? KFML's show “Highstreet” where the listeners turned on the Channel 2 movie and turned the sound down after the DJs got stoned and ad libbed to the movie? Speaking of Channel 2 (KWGN) – they used to broadcast the Canadian Football League games – Joe Kapp and the B.C. Lions? And Creature Features? BT&R (Budget Tapes and Records – last one was at Alameda and Sheridan I believe – also one at Old Hampden and Broadway)? Bronco Burger on in Broadway Estates Shopping Center? Frank the Pizza King on so Broadway and Union? He’s still there… Eskimo Ski Club? Big Top stores?

While I was just a young kid at the time, I do remember many of those things pretty well.Thanks for the memories. I stopped in at Tamarac Square the other day to go to an Old Chicago restaurant; don't think I have even set foot in that mall since 1990. There was only one store open in the entire place,that and the old movie theatre. I remember my friends mom taking us there to see Private Benjamin with Goldie Hawn. Every now and than I see tiny glimpses of old Denver. On a recent trip through old town Arvada I noticed Griffs Burgers ..still open..WOW..