Gone but not forgotten in San Antonio! (Fort Worth, Commerce: retired, top)

[tcs]

Randy's Rodeo used to be a bowling alley, the ground was so unstable and the alley moved. On the site with the Gone but not PHOTOS, there is a shot of Strangers Party House. Remember the Strange's Ice House that was on the corner? My dad would take me with him (1957 or so) when he went to buy red wax wrap bologna and fresh sliced bacon at times with some of the hide still there. What about the Recovery Room around Medical Center.
Delaneys Ice House on Huebner and Fred Rd.
The Sunbeam Lady School Signs.
Smudge Pots!!!

[OzzyRules]

I'd be curious to know where the first McDonalds in SA was, and if it's even still around.

[mperez41]

Originally Posted by debdeb525

I've been reading for the past 2 hrs and have thought of some things.

The orange freeze at Whopper Burger, used to give you a brain freeze. I believe there was on on Blanco/410. I believe there is a Mexican restaurant there now.
The Do Drop Inn (I believe under the Commerce bridge? ) Had the best bbq sandwiches.
The original Malt House on Zarzamora and Buena Vista?
Do you remember the GASS Shoes? ca 80's You could step on a piece of paper and the emblem would be on the paper (from the dirt on your shoes)
What about the knee high socks that had scenes on them? I had a pair that showed the ocean and sand.
Pheasant blouses?
Bell bottom jeans that would cover your shoes?
Candies hi-heel slip on shoes?
The wedge heel platform shoes made famous by Laura from General Hospital? on the subject of shoes, the high heels that were clear?
Wearing your comb in the back pocket of your jeans?
Feather earrings?
Writing your boyfriends name with ink on the top of your hand?
I know this has been mentioned (earlier threads) but what about Toughskin jeans? I had some red and green ones?
Shopping for school clothes and putting them on layaway?

If I think of anything else, will post later

Anyone still remember the Black Cow on San Pedro Ave?

[mperez41]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

How about that club just north of IH10 on West Ave. I think it was active in the 80's "Los Padrinos". It was a blues and rock club, now I think it's a used car lot or something. Had a lot of good times there on Friday and Saturday nights.

Now that brings back many good memories, as I recall the two girls that owned the club moved to California and opened a club identical to Los Padrino's.

[mperez41]

Originally Posted by debdeb525

Stics, the drive in on 24th was the University. I think the snack bar was built underground. My aunts and uncle would take us often. I also remember taking popcorn in a big paper bag and going in our p.j's. God those were the good ol' days.

If it's the drive-inn on 24th and Culebra that was called the Varsity Drive Inn and directly in front of the Varsity was Mr. Pizza and across the street where Valero store is at that use to be Jim's Hamburgers.

[maxus40]

Originally Posted by tcs

Randy's Rodeo used to be a bowling alley, the ground was so unstable and the alley moved. On the site with the Gone but not PHOTOS, there is a shot of Strangers Party House. Remember the Strange's Ice House that was on the corner? My dad would take me with him (1957 or so) when he went to buy red wax wrap bologna and fresh sliced bacon at times with some of the hide still there. What about the Recovery Room around Medical Center.
Delaneys Ice House on Huebner and Fred Rd.
The Sunbeam Lady School Signs.
Smudge Pots!!!

wow,

I posted those pics of the Strange Party House marquis. What can you tell me about that place?

[BellaMae Pax]

Been gone from SA too long..does anyone remember the recipe for Sombrero Rosa's "Fuego" Salsa????... Or does anyone know how to make an even close approximation??-Thanks for any help?-"BellaMae Pax".....Viva San Antonio!!

[maxus40]

Originally Posted by mperez41

If it's the drive-inn on 24th and Culebra that was called the Varsity Drive Inn and directly in front of the Varsity was Mr. Pizza and across the street where Valero store is at that use to be Jim's Hamburgers.

might you have any pics from or at the Varsity Drive-in?

[stik]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

I may be wrong or mixing it up with something else, but wasn't this on 4-10 near the airport, close to where the Papadeaux is now? I think (again, I could be wrong) this may have become a Boston Sea Party before closing down.

Not sure exactly, but I do know that Boston Sea Party used to be in the old toy store building on 410...i remember because I was PISSED the toy store closed...for the life of me I cant remember the name of the store...but I do remember that in my small mind it was the most wonderful place I had ever seen...shelves of toys as far as the eye could see and higher than any adults head I knew...it was like I was on dope at 7 years old!
Boston Sea Party was a nice replacement memory though...I remember it as the first place I ever tried caviar...as weak as it was...but it was indeed real caviar. That was a cool place and way ahead of its time...quality seafood in a buffet setting...pshaw! Get outta here! Only the chinese know how to do that properly! Or so it is now proven...or seems.
The name of that toy store is going to haunt me until I remember it though...it was the mid 70s...hrmmmm...dammit!!!!
I do remember Best Products on Blanco replaced them as the premier toy place...and when the whole Star Wars craze hit, thats where I got all my stuff...along with my first pellet gun. I can fondly remember walking up to the "grown ups counter" and placing the order for the pellet gun...you couldnt just pick it up off the shelf! It was a catalog store unless you were in the toy department! If you were buying toys they had an express lane by God! and they werent messing around! Get yer damn Darth Vader action figger and get the hell out!
I have read a few of the others, and one thing I havent seen mention of, though I could have missed it...is Shakey's Pizza on San Pedro..my family has some history there...one of the old piano players used to come to my grandparents house when I was a kid and they would all sit around and get drunk and he would play the piano and sing...they keep telling me I was there, but damned if I can remember it, but they have the pictures to prove it.
Anyone remember Joe Anthony's Italian restaurant on San Pedro...dont remember the name of it...but it was a damn good pleace to eat and reasonable for a classy place. It was down the street from Apple Records...I think...hell I dont remember a lot of that stuff...it was on San Pedro between Joe Conrads and 410...if you know where Joe Conrads was, you will know what I'm talking about.
To put it into context...when those giant boots in front of North Star Mall were built, I watched them building them at the back of the mall from the back door of the Wallgreens my uncle worked as a grill cook at...yes, at one times even malls had drugstores with old fashioned soda shops! I got to watch them build those ostrich boots first hand...they look nothing like they did back then...been repainted and restyled...but its still cool to drive by them now and again and say I saw them back then...when they were just skeletons in a parking lot behind the mall.
Ok, something else just occured to me...seeing as Central Park Mall has pretty muc been leveled... I live in Corpus Christi now, so when I come back home every few months something else is either torn down or re-modeled. But I do remember a day when Central Park Mall was the ****...I used to get my hair cut there...then walk down to the Radio Shack and play with the toys...then stroll down to Sears to check out all the toys...all within the time it took my grandmother to do the grocery shopping...yes, there was a Handy Andy attached to the mall...and to correct someone else on the board, Handy Dan was a hardware store at Vance Jackson and 410...where Northern is now...Handy Dan was NOT a grocery store. And there was a First Mate in the parking lot...and a Sizzler...and a Cork and Cleaver down the street at Cherry Ridge...and Castle Golf & Games and Malibu Grand Prix...and yes...right across the highway the historical Northwest Theater!! Back in my day it was the Northwest 6...and if memory serves it was the largest indoor theater in the city...now it is slowly becoming a dilapidated 12-16 screen...i haven't been on that side of town in a while so I'm not sure what state of disrepair its in.
However, the Northwest 6 was where I saw Rocky when it first came out...and who remembers the Theater at Wonderland?? My uncle waited over two hours with myself, his future wife, and her sister in tow, to find out Star Wars was sold out on its opening night. So they took us kids to see one of the Herby movies at the drive in...got us kids out of the car...and shut us up for a little while.
I saw someone mention the Shenendoah Skate Center...I havent come across anyone in a while that knew what I was talking about when I mentioned that place! Holy crap! Everyone thought I was crazy!
I spent the better part of my grade school years there...I remember I celebrated my 13th birthday there...it was sad though...the place was on its way out, as was skating in general as a form of entertainment...I remember blowing the candles out on my cake and thinking to myself...this is it...my last day as a child...it was just a subconscious thought, but was really true...the skate center closed shortly after...KISS took off the makeup...and my childhood ended.
But I do have many fond memories of San Antonio from my high school years...Hemisphere Arena concerts...concerts at Hemisphere park during Fiesta La Semana Alegre...
Much of my memories of San Antonio are biased memories...Playland Park is merely an inhereted memory, and anyone born beyond 1970 saying they remember riding the rides is full of bull unless they can remember prior to 3 years of age...because I was born well before that and cant remember a damn thing about Playland other than seeing it.
I do remember riding the rides at Kiddie Park in Alamo Heights on Broadway...near the Zoo and all that...my grandfather used to take me there and put me on the little roller coaster and I would scream..."YOU GOTTA CREAM!!! YOU GOTTA CREAM!!!" what I was really saying was...if yer scared you gotta scream...my grandfather never screamed...nor did I.
My grandfather is still alive...and so am I and many of the people who lived with me through my life. I cherish what I have left of my life in San Antonio...and still have many contacts there and San Antonio will always be my home...born and raised.
No matter where I roam, I will always be San Antonio born and bread.
Thanks for reading my ramblings!
Stik!

[tcs]

All i can rememebr of Stranger's Ice House is a single door and the meat counter. It smelled like a smoke house too. I was very young less than 10 but do remember very well my dad said, GOING TO THE ICE HOUSE, we got in the 53 ford something and off we went.

Now on to Stik's post. As I was reading it I could see and smell the air from those places he was describing. The boots, Playland Park, Hemisfair Arena concerts (we know that smell) and every Handy Andy had the same smell, like the meat department. Mom always shopped the HA at Wonderland before the mall was built. While at the store all I wanted to do is look down into the basement. They had a conveyor belt that brought groceries up. That was another world.

The Wonderland theater, wow, I went to TMI and our band played at the Grand Opening. I dont remember the movie that was playing. My uncle was a projectionist there when they closed the place. Not too sad, there were plenty of movie houses around.

First Mate had great fish filets, there was one on blanco ???? During my high school days I worked at Lafayette Radio at 4701 Blanco Road across from the Dons and Bens. This was 1970-71. Great times and great friends.

1975-76? I spun records at the Crystal Pistol. My roomate had the Friday Night gig and I had Saturday Nights. Now those days were a blurr, but what cool times they were!!

I moved from SA in 1989. Worked for Albertsons in the Division Office and when Alb built the Fort Worth Warehouse they moved the office also. Like Stik said, No matter where I roam, I will always be San Antonio born and bread. It's cool to dream about the old days in SA, will never forget them.

Stik, want to hear some more...make your post #2.