Gone but not forgotten in Jacksonville! (Holiday, Middleburg: stores, airport, moving)

[convextech]

Anybody remember Charles Chips? they used to drive around in a big brown truck like the UPS truck and deliver those big beige cans of chips door-to-door.

[ggregchap]

Convex, they were big dull yellow trucks, so I guess almost beige....and yeah, it was a treat to get a can of the chips or the pretzels. And believe it or not, I can remeber the Fuller Brush man that made a routine route thru our neighborhood and would always leave some gadget when he left. And I can remember that if you traveled past St. Johns Bluff road on Beach blvd, there was NOTHING until you passed the U S Divers shop on the left....and crossed the Intercoastal....just woods....

[convextech]

Yep, on our way to the beach on Sundays to buy beer cause we couldn't get it in town! Hello JAX liquors!

[Parkerclassof72]

Originally Posted by convextech

Anybody remember Charles Chips? they used to drive around in a big brown truck like the UPS truck and deliver those big beige cans of chips door-to-door.

I don't think my family got Charles Chips delivered to our door here in Jax, but we did in Newport News, Va., where I lived until we moved to Jax in 1968. We always got a can of chips and a can of pretzels. Every once in a while, we got a can of cookies.

ggregchap, I do remember the Jax Journal. I miss an afternoon paper. I still get the am paper.

And I remember the Fuller Brush man who worked Arlington. A little bald guy with big ears. We saw him often enough to know his car, and knew when he bought a new car.

[K-State Jay]

Have enjoyed reading about Jax in past years. Moved to area in 1982 and was part of initial management team at Annie's Santa Fe and later at Houlihans Old Place both at Regency. Have maintained home in area while living in different parts of country past ten years. Back now full time.

[jimbo13]

haha.. my dad used to work for charles chips...

[Florida Ex-Pat]

Someone earlier mentioned Argyle Forest in OP- and the Dairy that used to be there- I always remember calling that 'Grey's Dairy' because I remember it being owned by the Veternarian Dr. Grey's family- He was the vet we used for our horses.

I remember when Blanding was still a 2 lane road through there when the dairy was still active- there as a tunnel under Blanding so the cows could get to the feed lots on the east side of the road.

My first girlfriend and I used to go 'parking' back there when they first opened up Argyle Forest before all the houses and businesses were built there

I believe I was in school the day that the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were buried at Memory Gardens there by the mall, but we used to cut through there during the nights going between the mall and my friends houses in meadowood and hang out by Ronnies grave. I'm not sure if this is true, but there was always this story that Linda Blair was arrested at the funeral on Cocaine possession charges- I don't know if that is true.

When I attended Orange Park High, '75 to '79, I remember the actor Robert Morse (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) used to be at the school from time to time- I never knew why or how he was connected to OP, but I would see him around the drama people.

My grandfather worked his whole life at King Edward Cigar factory, and my Father and my uncles and aunts grew up 2 blocks away on 17th street, just down from the main gate of the plant. I remember the smell of cigars all my life, and I still get 2 boxes a year from there for free lol.

I grew up on the 'Westside' of Jax- before I-295 was built and wrapped around the city- My dad had a little convenience store out off Wilson blvd- and I remember riding our bikes out on the new blacktop of the highway between Wilson all the way back to Normandy and then back down Foreacre to the store.

I mentioned earlier that my sister went to NFB Forrest, but she actually graduated from Ed H. White the first year it was open.

I Remember when there was nothing on 103rd St past the 'Biff-Burgers' and the New NFB High School- Pine Woods til you got to Old St Augustine and then just a couple of shacks.

We had horses, so almost every weekend we would either be at 'Clay Mavericks' when it was 'way out' Blanding in the middle of the woods between OP and Middleburg- there is a Chevy dealer in that location now if I remember. There was also the 'Southside Saddle Club' I think, somewhere out by JTB I think- I have never been able to find where is was located when I am back home.

I remember when the Independant Life building was being built, and I remember when the Train Station Terminal Building was a derelict. I remember seeing many Georgia-Florida games in the 'old' Gator Bowl.

I rememeber when there was still a real Alvarez Street by Treaty Oak park and the area around the Gulf Life, Hilton areas by Friendship park. That road was named after some family member of ours, I still have a picture of one of the street signs that used to be up- now its pretty much a parking lot and alley.

I remember when Blanding was still just a two lane road pretty much through OP all the way to Middleburg- I rememeber when you crossed over the Black Creek bridge there in Middleburg heading south, there was an old Airliner fuselage that was used as a changing room or something to go swimming there in the famous 'bottomless' creek.

Later when I was in High School, when we would ski on the creek, there were always several places we knew not to fall,.......becasue that's where the gators would be.......

I remember the Dorcas Drake Christmas parties and toy drives every year at Christmas when I was a kid.

I remember one of the highlights of the year was the Fair in October at the Gator Bowl and Colusseum. And of course, the Circus.

I remember when Jax Int'l Airport opened and when they closed Imeson. I remember going to the zoo and always stopping at the boiled peanut stands just outside the zoo entrance.

I remember even into the 80's there was this hole-in-the-wall Seafood restaurant that was out Main Street, and on maybe Trout River Dr? I think it was a ladies first name- anyway this place would give you a ton of fried shrip for like 10 bucks or something crazy- it was the best becasue it came right out of the river -My dad and I used to go there every week.


This is a great thread to dust off all those old Jax memories- who knows, somewhere along the line some of us might find out we were in the same place at the same time!



-Chris

[Old Old Timer]

I lived in Jacksonville around 1955-59. I lived in an apartment at the corner of San Marco and Nardo as well as the apartment building next to it on San Marco. I was just wondering if the apartment buildings are still there. Down the streeet was a popular bar, the Village Pump and the San Marco theatre. I don't really remember the square with the lions too well, but it must have been there at the time. Anybody know if the apartment buildings still exist? I'm a really old lady now, but had some wonderful times there.

[bonnielass]

Originally Posted by Florida Ex-Pat

I remember even into the 80's there was this hole-in-the-wall Seafood restaurant that was out Main Street, and on maybe Trout River Dr? I think it was a ladies first name- anyway this place would give you a ton of fried shrip for like 10 bucks or something crazy- it was the best becasue it came right out of the river -My dad and I used to go there every week.

I think you might be talking about Jackie's Seafood. My dad and I would go all the time as well. I used to beg him for quarters to play the jukebox.

~Bonnie

[Florida Ex-Pat]

Originally Posted by bonnielass

I think you might be talking about Jackie's Seafood. My dad and I would go all the time as well. I used to beg him for quarters to play the jukebox.

~Bonnie

Thats exactly the place!!

Is it still there? Probably not- hell I think the last time I was there was in the 80's lol

Come to think of great seafood places- I remember there was a place at Julington creek- but I forget the name. And of course I grew up eating at Whities Fish Camp on Dr's Lake (Well, Swimming Pen creek actually)