How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (title company, Greek)

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by Brenda-by-the-sea

I remember back when Phoenix was actually a nice place to live. People from other parts of the country envied you when you said that you lived in Phoenix. That was another time, now long past.

Phoenix still is a great place to live. People come from all over the world to live here. Thats the problem.

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by 1937Gal

Wasn't this The Fox Theater?...Mother used to drop me off for Saturday Cartoons, and in the mix was Lew King's Talent Show. I remember Maxine Johnson and Wayne and Jerry Newton....then one day Jerry's voice changed and Wayne was on his own. Some say Wayne's voice never changed.

Heres a great shot of the Fox.
My dad used to take me there to see the Indy 500 on closed circuit TV in the early 60's.

and Lew too!

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Here is a place I never heard of because Bell Road may as well been on the moon in 1950's. Interesting place, lumber, hardware store, and all you could eat (one dollar) for lunch and even a motel. Looks like their dance floor was outside on the dirt. The only time my uncle used Bell Road is when he went to Prescott from Scottsdale.

Attachment 79746

The place is still there, but the dollar lunch is definitely out! We went there in the mid 90s with some friends when we were out honky-tonkin one night. Haven't been back since then.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by Westside Willie

Heres a great shot of the Fox.
My dad used to take me there to see the Indy 500 on closed circuit TV in the early 60's.

and Lew too!

Well here is an interesting picture of the Fox, the movie is The Green Glove 1952.

You can see the fence where Penney's is about to be built. Also Dr. Pease, Dentist; he was there until 1975 when they had to buy him out to get him to move so the Fox could be torn down, I guess no one in Phoenix appreciated Art Deco then. Diamond's changed their name from the Boston Store in the 40's.

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Well here is an interesting picture of the Fox, the movie is The Green Glove 1952.

You can see the fence where Penney's is about to be built. Also Dr. Pease, Dentist; he was there until 1975 when they had to buy him out to get him to move so the Fox could be torn down, I guess no one in Phoenix appreciated Art Deco then. Diamond's changed their name from the Boston Store in the 40's.

I loved downtown Phoenix. I can visualize each store clearly even now. Mother used to take me to Boston Store to buy my clothes and I believe the children's clothing department was on the Mezzanine. I can still hear the lady elevator operator saying "Mezzanine, please step out". I saw many movies at the Fox, The Rialto, The Palms and oh my, the wonderful Orpheum. Mother would say "watch the movie, NOT the ceiling" because you might recall the Orpheum ceiling had clouds that moved. As a teen, we loved to take my mother's 1947 Chrysler and drive down that winding parking garage at the "new" JC Penney store. As a teen we loved to drive behind the court house and hear the jail residents yell at the people walking down the street. Does anyone remember Mama's Little Boy Freddie?.... the teens would flock to that radio "station" and stand in line just to get inside, see the big man in the Hawaiian shirt and take our dedication for a song. Then we would dash to the car as fast as we could so we could hear our dedication to that certain boy crush.
Ahhhh old Phoenix..I miss ya.

[1937Gal]

Originally Posted by Jim 1946

EXACTLY!

Do you or anyone remember the exact address?

This always is the time I smack my forehead, yell DUH and wonder why I didn't keep some of those 1950 phone books...!! At the back of our high school year book there were pages of advertisers....and many times I will dash to my high school year books (1951-1955) to discover the name of the business I was desperately trying to remember. It seems to be the pub was just south of the small hotel on the southwest corner of Central and Osborn.

[desertskies]

Originally Posted by 1937Gal

I loved downtown Phoenix. I can visualize each store clearly even now...
Ahhhh old Phoenix..I miss ya.

I'd make a note to get a slice of pepperoni pizza at the Woolworths lunch counter. I remember a New York gentleman who owned a book and newspaper store about three doors west of Woolworths on Washington St. Made a mistake of "reading" one of his newspapers on display and he told me to buy it or leave.
Downtown Phoenix showed character and charm. A literal oasis in the desert. To see how it was then (appearance), just watch Clint Eastwoods "Gauntlet". The buildings pre-US Airways Arena/Chase Field are prominent in some shots.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by 1937Gal

This always is the time I smack my forehead, yell DUH and wonder why I didn't keep some of those 1950 phone books...!! At the back of our high school year book there were pages of advertisers....and many times I will dash to my high school year books (1951-1955) to discover the name of the business I was desperately trying to remember. It seems to be the pub was just south of the small hotel on the southwest corner of Central and Osborn.

There was the Vinton Manor at 3312 N. Central, I have a postcard of the place somewhere. Must have been close to the Pepsi Cola bottling plant at 3200 N. Central; they had a large curved glass front on the building and you could stand outside and see the bottling process.

Some other bars I remember are the Top Hat with its neon sign, The New Yorker, and 307 which later moved its location but kept its old address name.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by stacileigh

I miss Compton Terrace, anyone remember that venue? I saw Phish there back in the 90's... LOL

The original Compton Terrace near Legend City, or the newer one at Firebird Lake? Saw Foghat (opening act, Blackfoot) at the original in 1980.

Now, as a result of this discussion, "Stone Blue", the opening tune Foghat played, is in my head. Argghh!!!

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by desertratz

The place is still there, but the dollar lunch is definitely out! We went there in the mid 90s with some friends when we were out honky-tonkin one night. Haven't been back since then.

Is the Rusty Nail, "out Bell Road Way, off Avenue 19" still there? Big in 1980 due to the resurgence of C&W as a result of "Urban Cowboy".