How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Tucson: present, memorial)

[jukebox47]

Originally Posted by dgsaz1950

I believe that the 16th and Buckeye Rd Smitty's was the first. It opened in 1959 0r 1960

Part of the first Smitty's and the Walgreen to the south are now the headquarters for Customs and Immigration. I found the same picture and used it as the beginning of the course of construction photos for the renovation.

Then and now photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/dgsjms/...Wny7_18s2B0gE#

dgsaz

Neat picture, brings back a lot of memories. Very near there was the Calderon Ballroom also at 16th St and Henshaw. We never went in there; we were too young and some people said it was a really tough place.

Just to the East was a Pete's Fish & Chips. One night at Pete's a liquor control officer (I think Moore was his name) was killed there as he tried to break up a lover's quarrel or family fight. Moore frequented the nearby Drive-In theatre and was always looking for underage drinkers.

To the West was the Rodeo Drive-In Theatre at 12th St and Henshaw. It was a rough place but exciting to work at through high school.

To the South was one of those Go-Kart Tracks that sprang up for several years around Phoenix. I would enjoy watching them but never quite had the 50 cents to spare for 10 laps.

[PhureeKeeper]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

Impressive piece of history there. I just don't remember Smitty's #14 at 60th and Thomas, only the one at McDowell and Granite Reef. Note the Superstition Freeway ending at Stapley, for the longest time it ended at Price, and no freeway connecting to LA.

The Smitty's that was on Granite Reef & McDowell is now the site of the Scottsdale Senior Center and an adjacent Assisted Living facility.

[BEJ]

My older sister lived on the corner of Granada Rd and Granite Reef. We visited quite often and would go out the back gate, across the east parking lot, and into Smittys. It was like a general store for many years. Great place to just cruise around or shop.

[slowesthand]

any morning we got rained out at work (worked outside), we would head for the nearest Smitty's coffee shop for breakfast.

You couldn't beat their prices, if I remember right!

[Al_c]

Smitty's was the first real "Supercenter", have it all shopping! At the McDowell & Granite Reef location you could buy a handgun, get your groceries, by a t-shirt, socks, shoes, swim trunks, and get your oil filter and motor oil all in one trip to the grocery store. You couldn't do that at Walmart until 1997.

[Rigglets]

when I was 3. We would visit Phoenix in the '40s and '50s since my grandmother and aunt lived there. I can remember driving from Miami/Globe down into Mesa and seeing the miles and miles of orange groves. In the spring the entire valley smelled wonderful. When I moved there in '61, I got a job at Phoenix Title and Trust. I would walk to Van Buren and Central and see the Indian women sitting on the sidewalk outside of Woolworth's, selling their jewelry. My aunt managed the Lerner's at Chris-town so I knew that shopping center well. Remember when Montgomery Ward was at the west end and Korricks was at the east end. Bell Road stopped at Scottsdale Rd. There was a firing range on the NE corner. My husband and I would go dance at the big ballroom down on Central and the river. The sides of the building could be pulled up to allow ventilation. This place had big bands.

[OceanaMan]

Originally Posted by kgb1956

on an older post, yes it was a cameo with Steve Miller at Feyline Fields and they played "Lucille" I believe. I also remember Steve Miller doing a version of "Fly Like An Eagle" that instead of the synthesizer opening, used his guitar with an echoplex which was so much better than the album version.

Not sure of the date, but I went to a Steve Miller concert at the Travelodge Theater around '69 -'72-ish.

[OceanaMan]

Originally Posted by kgb1956

Di Meola was in Return to Forever that year and didn't solo except for acoustic guitar later in career. I'm curious as to who this could be though. There was John McLaughlin but he was with Mahavisnu and not solo. I was thinking of Rory Gallagher and he's not fusion but somehow I remember seeing him without a band in Civic Plaza. I wasn't too impressed but he was ok....Possibly??

John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra played in Tucson once, back in the day, and Buddy Rich was with them.

[OceanaMan]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Three Palms had three palm trees, a date palm in front and 2 fan palms in back. Amazing how many people wondered why it was called that when it is obvious. They had a tall vertical sign on the top of the building and they forgot the 'E' on Drive In. They specialized in all kinds of sandwiches and carried Gold Ribbon ice cream.

The Palms Theater had the same question; in that case there must have been a dozen palm trees lining each side of the theater!.

The Zombie was $1 (one quart of ice cream, bananas, 5 diff. fruits plus nuts) and the Sissy Zombie was 50¢ at the Polar Bar.

Speaking of the Polar Bar, proprietor Derald Fulton and his buddies went on to found the Lucky Wishbone drive-ins in Tucson in late(?) 50's. Always worth the drive down for some steak fingers!

[OceanaMan]

Originally Posted by morgninca

I might be mixing two shows up. I remember the Blind Faith concert very well, Ginger Baker did this amazing drum solo that seemed to last forever. And the other you mentioned must be the other because I remember Cactus being there too. One of the first concerts I remember at Celebrity theater (whatever it was called at that time) was I believe in 1969 with BB King and I think Albert King too.

Morgan

Thanks for the memories! Maybe you are mixing up concerts, if I'm reading your post correctly. The only Blind Faith concert in AZ was at the Coliseum, and Delaney and Bonnie were the warm up act. Bonnie fell off the stage and hurt (broke?) her arm, cutting their set short. Yup, Blind Faith and especially Ginger Baker were fab.

Cactus may have played a number of gigs, but the one I went to was at the Coliseum where they opened for Quicksilver Messenger Service on 7/8/71. I was blown away by Cactus; Quicksilver paled in comparison. My roommate was an artist who sometimes did concert posters, and he did the one for this concert. Let's see if I can figure out how to insert a photo in this message...