You know you're from Peoria if... (Pekin, Bartonville: house, camp, moving)

[Granny Sue]

Originally Posted by peoria 80s girl

You know you were a teen in the 80's in Peoria if....
you went to Second Chance (Stage 2) every sunday night for teen night
you cruised main down by Bradley up and down on a saturday night
You remember Agatucci's pizza
you remember the cinnamon rolls at Jumers
you crave a coney dog special or tenderloin sandwich from Lou's
talking christmas tree at Bergners
"parking" on grandview drive
partying at the strip mines
drag racing on the rural roads near Dunlap
going to Tanners to pick apples and pumpkins
double steakburger and an orange freeze from Steak and Shake
Monicals!!!!
Emo's
Getting your hair done at Plum Pretty Pretty Parlor in Peoria Heights
the Heights woodpecker
Vonochan's train car restaurant, eating in the train
driving up to Oakbrook to shop because there was nothing but Bergners and there wan't much to choose from
shopping at The Whale (a co-ed prep shop) near vonochans
going downtown to Alexanders steak house
Jim's steak house
Famous Recipe chicken with honey on the biscuits
swimmins at Twin Lakes in Pekin
The Fair.....and bad 80's concerts like Peaches and Herb
Willow Knolls Country Club
Aaahhh... memories

I graduated from Limestone HS in 1980......I remember a number of these....these was a burrito place near Bradley that we'd go to while cruising Main.
I spend many an evening at the dirttrack there off of Kickapoo Creek(crick) rd.
I was also one of the original crew members of the "new" McDonald's in Bartonville.......I just aged myself didn't I?

[linicx]

I'm not sure but I think the dirt track is where the National TT Finals are held every year. You didn't age yourself Granny, my kid graduated the same year.

[mdand3boys]

linicx: I believe Granny Sue was referring to Peoria Speedway, which is still located on Farmington Road, next to Kickapoo Creek. It has a relatively new owner who has made a number of nice changes and upgrades the last couple of years.

[peorian]

Remember the black bear lounge at Jumers, Shakey's pizza parlor, sledding in Bradley Park, the musical bells at St. Mark's Church, tasty freeze, riding your bike through the Bradley campus -- knowing when to go home by the time of the clock, Mr. donut, the nighttime view of downtown on I 74 coming in from Bloomington, the pour house, the go kart race track on Kickapoo Road, throwing snowballs at city buses trudging up MacArthur Highway... Great thread!

[linicx]

How about sleding and flying model planes at Detweiller, Bocchi ball at Glen Oak, the first McDonald's in Peoria, and CAT Big Band? How many remember Christmas at Block & Kuhl, Kresgee's, Ramada Hotel, Quadrant Club, the original YWCA, World Drug. 2am bowling over Peoria Auto Parts every weekend, Bishop's Buffet, Colonial Day Old Store, Sear's candy counter and underground parking, the A&W on Prospect, Allen's where you could*get ice cream cone .. before Emo?

Rome has 7 Hills. If you count Tazewell County there's about 14 in the Peoria area. Who can name them?

[Ddemoss]

I grew up in rosie and poos' big 500,and spent every christmas and thanksgiving there. They are my aunt and uncle. I know the merry go round..also grew up on the dirt track,and played on the infield when it flooded. any one remember the peoria song,and how cool it was when you flipped it;then it played backwards? also grew up in the kitchen at gold lion (about the finest dining in peoria), my dad helped start b92,and before that, I helped turn the building into a printing company in the early 80's. growing up wanting a bike from the cyclery and not venture..knowing that you weren't gonna get a white castle,but there was always steak and shake at the top of main or mr G's hotdogs...ZELLER ZONE!..the smell from the brewery downtown..games at the fieldhouse and pointing out the gar
goyle after..apple cider at the old neighborhood behind bradley during christmas(west bluff,high st.)..
paddleboat rides..I have a million of em

[Ddemoss]

noticed no one has mentioned having a big a** beer and tenderloin at schooners..."COME ON DOWN TO NEIL NORTONS! SUMPIN GOOD'S GONNA HAPPEN TO YOU!"

[Earlyretired]

Must be be something wrong with me... At an outside non union ESOP, (100% Employee owned)

I made my $$$ Forging a lot of Steel for Cat parts In Cicero and Franklin Park, now I want to move near Peoria...

Hell Id do the jobs they want to hire here in Il for non union pay and Cat Stock;0)

[linicx]

CAT hasn't had a foundry near Peoria for a number of years. I think there is only one or two small gray iron foundries in the area. You do have to remember Peoria is not Chicago in any way, but we offer plenty to those who do move.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by runninfiend

For Peorians only...


You never go to Chiefs games but would raise holy hell if the team ever left town
You drive to Bloomington and hang out there for a change of scenery
You remember the Manual Rams basketball state championships
You've ever been to the Heart of Illinois Fair
Mayor Maloof is the only mayor you'll acknowledge
You're familiar with the term 'Molinarmy'
Going out to eat is your #1 thing to do with friends
You've been to Bicycle Safety Town
You consider University Street during evening hours as 'rush hour traffic'
You rep the Bears and Cubs as if you live right in the middle of Chicago
Whenever you tell someone you're from Peoria they immediately ask you how far it is from Chicago
You know the bad things they say about Pekin
You're always telling everyone you plan on moving to Chicago but for some reason still live in Peoria
You can't imagine life without Caterpillar
You get that warm fuzzy feeling when you're approaching the city from I-74 when you're about to cross the bridge
Your idea of 'twin towers' are totally different than everyone else's
You're totally into the bar scene only because there isn't really any other scene to be into
You still don't understand the whole 'Peoria Heights' thing
You wonder why Bloomington always gets everything years before Peoria does
You're adamant about the fact that Peoria is equal distance between St.Louis and Chicago
You've attended the Festival of Lights
You really can't give a good answer to the question 'why do you live here'?
The Shoppes at Grand Prairie is about as fancy as it gets
You never go to Rivermen games but would raise holy hell if the team ever left town
You just found out Peoria has an indoor football team
You remember the glory that was the Gus Macker tournament downtown
Two words: Steamboat Days
You realize that if everyone quit complaining about what Peoria doesn't have and participated in what Peoria does have, it wouldn't be so bad a place
The downtown area is still a little cool to you for some reason
The awesome view at the lookout tower in Peoria Heights gets you every time
You can always impress visitors from out of town by taking them on Grand View Drive
You shake your head when approaching and leaving the Greater Peoria Regional Airport
You know the words to the 'Goldie & Gus' song
CityLink will always be known as GP Transit to you
The numerous one way streets downtown are just a bit much and still give you fits when driving around down there
You still call Nova Cinemas 'Landmark'
Dating someone who went to another high school than yours made you pretty damn cool
You bought new outfits for the following occasions: Fee Day, Gus Macker, the Fair, Taste of Peoria, Steamboat Days, the Manual vs.Central basketball games
You can count the number of times District 150 schools closed due to bad weather on one hand
You think going to ICC for a couple years then transferring to a big university is a good idea
That KMart at Evergreen Plaza will always be Venture to you
You've went to the grocery store with someone from out of town and they're baffled that you can actually buy any type of booze you want from the freakin grocery store!
It gets no hipper than hanging out at Barnes & Nobles or One World
You LOVE Avantis food
You remember when the Tree of Lights was actually something worth looking at instead of what it is now
You remember spending Saturdays cruisin for hotties at Northwoods Mall
You know at least a few people whom you grew up with that had a kid before the age of 21
You know at least a few people whom you grew up with that had a kid before the age of 18
You could answer the question 'What is Richard Pryor's hometown'? When most people in the country couldn't
You would never go to Bradley because it costs too much
You cringe at the thought of what might be swimming around in the Illinois River
You've been somewhere and tried to make yourself look cool by saying you're from Chicago instead of saying you're from Peoria
Culver's is the ****
You'll call people you know to tell them where the cheap gas is
The car you're driving was obtained somewhere on or near Pioneer Parkway
You remember KZ93.3 radio station
You remember the 'all new' B92 radio station
You LOVE the Bob & Tom show
You know what the term 'Brown Bag It' is

funny