Bygone Louisville stores/restaurants (Valley Station: middle school, salary, woodpecker)

[missymomof3]

I can't remember if I have mentioned it but there used to be a Buddy's Bakery in Shively that is something else now

[Scottoro]

You're welcome, MissyMom.

I reread my post and realize now that in my hasty typing I made a few misleading comments:

The Kaufmann-Strauss store was never a Ben Snyder's, of course. BS was at the other end of the linear collonade, parallel to Dixie with a Colonial ante-bellum effect in keeping, one supposes, with the Kentucky Colonel on the old neon sign at the entrance to the center. Kaufmann's, however, eventually became a Stewart's, then an Ayre's. For some time it was a Burlington Coat Factory. It was never a large store, but it had a refined, mid-century modern architectural design. It was the last major addition to Dixie Manor, completed, I believe, around 1960. Also at one point, Kaufmann's expanded into the A & P footprint, though intially it was a Stop and Shop, which even sold lobsters.

I also omitted the name of the drive-in built at the southwest edge of the county -- it was the Valley Auto Theatre. I read somewhere on the internet that the screen was sold to the Holiday Drive-In in Mitchell, Indiana. From the pictures on their website, you can definitely see that the screen tower posts are the same, though it appears that it is no longer as wide as it once was. Home Page

Now let me ask a question: does anyone remember the Family Fair discount department store in Algonquin Manor Shopping Center? It famously blew up around 1966 from a gas leak in the garden department and burned to the ground. Family Fair leaves no legacy. I have not been able to find any information about the company anywhere on the internet. Algonquin Manor was built around 1960, the last major shopping center built by the same group that built Dixie Manor, Iroquois Manor, Indian Trail and other shopping centers in Louisville. It was very similar in style to Dixie Manor, with the island stores, but was never a success. It was probably most famous for a very large bowling alley with lanes flanking both sides of the building and that did remain open for many years. Family Fair's demise signalled the end of Algonquin Manor. I imagine there must have been another department store but I can't recall it. I know there was a Rose's store. The Rose's chain was mid-way between a five and ten and a discount department sore. Another one was located for many years in The Mall (on Shelbyville Road), which the food court now occupies.

Adjacent to Algonquin Manor the Parkway Drive-In theatre.

By the way, there were two Blue Boars downtown. One was on Fourth Street and had large murals of Louisville.

Scott

[tigerlillydownunder]

My mom talks about shopping at Rose's all the time--apprently it was the place to go for really great stuff at bargain prices....

Also, I can well remember Ben Snyders, because they had the front doors which faced Dixie (directly across from that antebellum/Colonal sign...) and the rear doors which is now the side "drive-thru"entrance for the medical mall. I remember going there with my mom when she'd go to pick up stuff she'd ordered from the catalogues--I always was humoured at the bedroom displays because the beds were very short--I thought they were bed for dwarfs! Mom tried for the longest time to tell me it was just to show how the bedding looked when it was made up, but I just didn't buy it!
well, what can I say--I was just a dumb little kid with a hard head! lol

And Missy, I remember that Buddy's Bakery--my mom used to get my birthday cakes there when i was very little. They always used the "starpoint" icing technique that you NEVER see nowdays....I have a picture of a Holly Hobby cake somewhere around here......I should find it and post it! lol

Cheers!

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by tigerlillydownunder

My mom talks about shopping at Rose's all the time--apprently it was the place to go for really great stuff at bargain prices....

Also, I can well remember Ben Snyders, because they had the front doors which faced Dixie (directly across from that antebellum/Colonal sign...) and the rear doors which is now the side "drive-thru"entrance for the medical mall. I remember going there with my mom when she'd go to pick up stuff she'd ordered from the catalogues--I always was humoured at the bedroom displays because the beds were very short--I thought they were bed for dwarfs! Mom tried for the longest time to tell me it was just to show how the bedding looked when it was made up, but I just didn't buy it!
well, what can I say--I was just a dumb little kid with a hard head! lol

And Missy, I remember that Buddy's Bakery--my mom used to get my birthday cakes there when i was very little. They always used the "starpoint" icing technique that you NEVER see nowdays....I have a picture of a Holly Hobby cake somewhere around here......I should find it and post it! lol

Cheers!

tigerlily there is a picture somewhere of a doll cake when I was about 8, it was an actual doll and her dress was the cake! You just don't get things like that anymore.

[JefferyT]

I remember that Ayers in Dixie Manor. It was a nice modern design, particularly that neat ceilieng done as sort of a solid sheet of light.

Ben Snynders was neat because of the way it was fitted on the site, at an angle. They had this circular treatment on the interior, at the cosmetics counter and that modernist/50s style can lighting pattern and chandelier over the cosmetics area, if I recall right. Now we would call it retro.

[tigerlillydownunder]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

tigerlily there is a picture somewhere of a doll cake when I was about 8, it was an actual doll and her dress was the cake! You just don't get things like that anymore.

I know those cakes! I never got to have one, and forget what they were called, but here in Oz, they are called "Dolly Varden cakes"--ladies will take a new Barbie/other doll and have her "dress" baked up! lol

OT--It's a shame that those things aren't around much anymore; that took real talent. Now everything is an edible image or plastic figures stuck on the cakes.

[missymomof3]

tigerlily if you are on facebook, there is a group called I grew up in the South end of Louisville during the 70's,80's and 90's you should join.

[JefferyT]

Heh, I should join too! Do you have a link to it?

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by JefferyT

Heh, I should join too! Do you have a link to it?

Here ya go :Login | Facebook

[JefferyT]

Thanks! This should be fun. :-)