How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Prescott: thunderstorm, sheriff)

[azdr0710]

Originally Posted by Desertspiritsteve

The only thing left for me is the Harkins' Cinemas. They employ such nice people and keep the theaters so nice and clean. I like the freestanding theater at Goldwater north of Camelback. They show the independent films there.

mention of the well-run locally-owned Harkins theater chain also reminded me of the only remaining locally-owned food store, Bashas.....we should all try to patronize these local businesses, among the many other local ones in the valley and state....

history of each:

Harkins History

Bashas' Grocery Stores - History

any other long-time local businesses trying to hold on??....I remember Cornforth's as a great hometown business with friendly service, but I think it's gone

[desertskies]

Originally Posted by Desertspiritsteve

My worst experience was sitting over and behind some obese and physically challenged folks that brought in a cooler full of food and drink. They rummaged though the cooler looking for another sandwich or sugar drink using a BIG FOUR D-CELL LED flashlight. They passed bag after bag of potato chips back and forth rattling the bags like I'd never heard. It was surely white trash dinner theater.

Just curious...
How does one (or two) bring a cooler full of food or drink into a movie theater, passing the ticket box and the ticket taker in the process?
I can see maybe small packets of food/drinks in large pockets (concerts in the 70's proved this theory) or perhaps some brought in via a woman's large purse. The part of the four D cell flashlight is impressive, to say the least .

[Bondurant]

Originally Posted by observer53

I think the Fox and the Palms were both torn down, without being porn houses first. There was a porn movie house at Central and Washington in the 70's and maybe early eighties, I don't think it had been a regular theater before. There was another theater up Central from Washington a little ways in the 70's, I don't remember what it was called, I only remember seeing "Swashbuckler" there...

The Vista was not as large as the Fox or the Paramount... it would have been about where the theater up Central I talked about above was, but I don't think the Vista was still operating in the 70's.

How could I forget this site? Should have checked. Here's some details on The Fox.

Fox Phoenix Theatre in Phoenix, AZ - Cinema Treasures

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Bondurant

How could I forget this site? Should have checked. Here's some details on The Fox.

Fox Phoenix Theatre in Phoenix, AZ - Cinema Treasures

I looked at the very same site....

[Andrea62]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

The Nagel brothers, had a shop on Central north of the Westward Ho near Millie's Flower Shop. They later moved over to the strip of stores at the Sahara Hotel on 1st Street. Lawson was the stamp dealer, Ralph was coins, and Jack was real estate.

Thank you Roosevelt! You are correct. How did you know this? Are you a collector or dealer? Do you know my family? Actually, they were all very involved in R/E. Uncle Lawson was the philatelist. Dad (Ralph) was the numismatist, gem and bullion expert. My father was also known for doing numismatic and precious metal/gem estate appraisals for many banks and trust companies. But, my Uncle Jack, while helping with the daily coin and stamp operations, would also manage most of the day to day downtown properties. I believe the Sahara became the Ramada and was on 1st and Taylor, and they had a store there for many years. They later moved to a store on Central and Roosevelt (in a glass 3 or 4 story building), and finally to a location on 3rd St and Portland, which was mostly private client and had no signage. Thanks, again, for your comment!

[KIG877]

they keep tearing down , youll have to look at a book

[Arizona Mike]

Originally Posted by observer53

I think the Fox and the Palms were both torn down, without being porn houses first. There was a porn movie house at Central and Washington in the 70's and maybe early eighties, I don't think it had been a regular theater before. There was another theater up Central from Washington a little ways in the 70's, I don't remember what it was called, I only remember seeing "Swashbuckler" there...

I remember the one you mean but can't remember the name. I remember in the 1970s they divided it into 2 theaters, but used the same screen and just ran a wall down the center. So the screen was a little off center in each theater, and you had to crane your head to the side all though the movie, which could give you a neck ache. I remember walking downtown or catching a ride and watching a lot of the really low budget Run Run Shaw Kung Fu flicks there, like "Chinese Hercules," "5 Fingers of Death," "Street Fighter," "SuperManchu," etc.

The Vista was not as large as the Fox or the Paramount... it would have been about where the theater up Central I talked about above was, but I don't think the Vista was still operating in the 70's.

The big theaters that I remember from growing up are all gone - The Cine Capri on 24th St. and Camelback (there's a "new' one now that's part of a multiplex), the Kachina in Scottsdale, the old Fox Theater downtown, the Palms (which was the first movie theater in Phoenix to end segregated seating, BTW), the Camelview Plaza, The Scottsdale Cinema on Scottsdale Road just north of McDowell, the Sombrero Playhouse revival theater - the Valley Art Theater is probably the longest-running theater that still shows films. (It was also in a movie itself - the interior was used in "Murphy's Romance" with James Garner and Sally Fields.). Even the smaller mall theaters are mostly gone - Thomas Mall, the old Tower Plaza theater next to the ice rink, Los Arcos, All the drive-ins are gone, except for one off Grand in Glendale.

[roosevelt]

In 1970 there was a theater on the south side of Washington between 1st and 2nd streets called the Continental. The Studio Theater closed in the 50's; it was just east of Lerner's. The three Mexican theaters east of Diamonds all closed, Ramona, Rex and Azteca. The Strand was across from the court house and ran cowboy movies. Nearby was the famous Coney Island cafe that moved all over Phoenix in later years.

[roosevelt]

This is where I used to go swimming, a wonder I didn't get polio.

[SrLerxst]

Hello roosevelt,

Would you please upload the scans again of the 1957 real estate brochure of Lake Mohave Ranchos you have that you posted on this topic back about Dolan Springs, AZ back in 2009:

Dolan Springs, Arizona--Don't Go Here![/url]

The links to the attachments are invalid, plus I notified the webmaster.

I have a similar brochure that is undated, however, it would have to been issued in late 1960 or later based on the date of a letter by the Govenor of Arizona.

Thank you very much.

Re:

Dolan Springs, Arizona--Don't Go Here!

Here is the original 4 page 1957 brochure plus a photo of Tom White. (There were two more brochure's in full color later using models from Los Angeles)

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