How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Mesa: advertise, service)

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by jack swilling

Ah, Donofrio's Restaurant! My mama would take me to Donofrio's for spaghetti and meatballs when I was a nipper in the early 50s. I remember the starched, white tablecloths and the swanky plates and the silverware that seemed so heavy that it was a small effort to lift.

Was that the Donofrio family which was into ice cream? And I wonder what were the various locations of the Donofrio's Restaurants over the years? When did they stop service, if they did stop?

I'll bet a certain someone has a menu somewhere.

The Donofrio's and Grosso's were relative's and made their ice cream in the same factory. Donofrio's flowers were on Central and another on 2nd St. and Roosevelt. The candy shop was on Van Buren and 15th St. then Central. Donofrio's was at the Washington location in the 20's, maybe 30's. They had a whole lot of paintings by a Taos artist on their walls, his name was Rollins.

[jack swilling]

Well, was the restaurant at that location in the 50s? Or, was our restaurant another?

[roosevelt]

I ran across this ad, who remembers that far back to the 50's when Pettijohn's was the largest carpet dealer in Phoenix. He was on TV all the time doing his own commercials; almost put people to sleep, he was so laid back. Then Carpetime came along and the rest is history.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by jack swilling

Well, was the restaurant at that location in the 50s? Or, was our restaurant another?

I can't find a Donofrio's restaurant for 1957 or 1946 at all. I think Grosso had a restaurant on Van Buren at the time. They were famous for their candy.

[jack swilling]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

I ran across this ad, who remembers that far back to the 50's when Pettijohn's was the largest carpet dealer in Phoenix. He was on TV all the time doing his own commercials; almost put people to sleep, he was so laid back. Then Carpetime came along and the rest is history.

Attachment 97452

I guess two runners-up to Mr. Pettijohn would be Lou Grub(b), advertising his Chevrolets in a roundabout way--sometimes he did not quite get around to mentioning automobiles--and Frank Petty, the weatherman on 10 o'clock news, advertising Yuban Coffee. He made Yuban sound so good that you wanted to eat it, rather than drink it.

[1937Gal]

I have little flashbacks of things gone by.... am I dreaming it up or did the Donofrio Flower shop on Central (just south of Van Buren as I recall, west side of street) have ice cream in the back of the shop?...In the 50s, I loved Upton's as well...it was on Van Buren ...north of that was my church, First Presbyterian...and instead of giving the tithing in the basket, we teens would go to Upton's for a thick yummy chocolate malt. My mother and father were not at all happy when they found out I wasn't putting that quarter in the basket.

Originally Posted by jack swilling

Ah, Donofrio's Restaurant! My mama would take me to Donofrio's for spaghetti and meatballs when I was a nipper in the early 50s. I remember the starched, white tablecloths and the swanky plates and the silverware that seemed so heavy that it was a small effort to lift.

Was that the Donofrio family which was into ice cream? And I wonder what were the various locations of the Donofrio's Restaurants over the years? When did they stop service, if they did stop?

I'll bet a certain someone has a menu somewhere.

[jukebox47]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

I ran across this ad, who remembers that far back to the 50's when Pettijohn's was the largest carpet dealer in Phoenix. He was on TV all the time doing his own commercials; almost put people to sleep, he was so laid back. Then Carpetime came along and the rest is history.

Attachment 97452

I remember the name but I don't remember the commercials. Was Carpetime the guy who always had a piece of carpet and would run a saw over it to show how durable it was?

[slowesthand]

Originally Posted by jukebox47

I remember the name but I don't remember the commercials. Was Carpetime the guy who always had a piece of carpet and would run a saw over it to show how durable it was?

Yep, thats the one! The commercials would always start.." What Time Is It... It's Carpet time".

If you check You Tube there are some of the old adds on there.

[AZBradley]

Carpetime [ 04 ] - Phx, AZ - TV commercial (1985) - YouTube

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by AZBradley

Carpetime [ 04 ] - Phx, AZ - TV commercial (1985) - YouTube

What flashback! Wasn't her name Wanda or something like that? We used to curse those commercials because they interrupted our late night movie every 5 minutes or so it seems, just like your cable movies nowadays.