Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Houston: subway, paint)

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by FastFerrari

any of my young folk out there remember when the site on 281 and Blanco..was Gen-X...NorthPole and many other various club names..o yeah and the Observatory!...lol

Do you mean Bitters and 281? By the bowling alley?
I don't think Blanco crosses 281 inside the city. Of course, I also didn't know Huebner ever crossed Blanco, so what do I know?

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by Willsatx

GWhopper you are the man, is 2 and 3 Century South?

The first two are Central Park Fox, the last three are Century South.

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

The first two are Central Park Fox, the last three are Century South.

Thanks keep the pics coming.

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by Willsatx

Thanks keep the pics coming.

I'm doing my best. Here is one from South Park 4. You gotta love the cheesy light displays.

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by 940

This thread is for those who have lived in SA for some time now or maybe just have memories of places that no longer exist. It might be interesting to some of the newer folks who have no idea what used to be here, whether it was a beloved place or just something different that you can't find anymore.

I'm in my early 40s but I remember all the old movie drive-ins that used to be everywhere in the city. We used to frequent the old Bandera Rd Drive-In that used to be located at the SE corner of Bandera and Loop 410 where the old Target building sits empty. We also used to go to the Fredericksburg Rd Drive-In about a mile past Crossroads Mall (the old Wonderland Mall) just south of Loop 410. I remember the Woodlawn, the Mission and the Valley Hi theaters also.

For those that live on the far west side near Potranco Rd, there used to be a business just about 1/2 mile south of Potranco outside 1604 where you could drive back into the woods and target shoot. It was called appropriately enough "A Place to Shoot"...original, eh?! That wouldn't go over so well now with all the new homes being built, of course.

Also, at the eastern corner where Potranco Rd and Talley Rd deadends, was an old country gas station and store named "Reds" with old 1930s or 1940s gas pumps. It was owned by Mr and Mrs Red Laidley and they stocked everything from some basic groceries to farm and ranch equipment and feed for livestock. Most people don't know this but if you can find an old scary movie entitled "Race with the Devil" starring M*A*S*H TV star Loretta Swit and also starring Peter Fonda, you can see just how rural Potranco and that area used to be. The film was made around 1973 and the premise of the film involved two couples trying to get away from devil worshippers who caught them spying on one of their sacrifices..anyway..the scene shows them driving on Potranco towards Talley Rd in their RV and stopping at Reds for gas and information. You get a great shot of what the interior of this old country store looked like and you see both Mr Laidley and his elderly wife who had bit parts in the film. In the distance, you can see empty farm land and not the sea of homes that inhabit the view now.

The old gas station there off Culebra just to the west of 1604 that I hear was finally demolished for a new Jim's was called "Dan's"...it was similar to the store just mentioned above..Red's...everything seemed to have just one name! It serviced all the farms and ranches on FM 471 from where the old Grissom Rd intersected to the east all the way west towards the county line.

Anyone else have any old memores? I'll add some more later!

The above is the post that started it all...

Thank you 940!

This thread must be some kind of record. We are actually just a month and a half shy of our first year anniversary. 940 started this and I think we owe him a great debt, as I know all of us have enjoyed this thread greatly. If you look at the posts over the last 48 hours, it is going stronger now then ever before. I think there is something special here. We should all try and get together to share memories and history. I know the City-Data people in San Antonio have been trying to put together a mixer for awhile, but I suggest we plan our own. For a location I put forward Karem's Restaurant, as I reported to this post earlier will be 'Gone but not forgotten" at the end of this year. Someone else has to pick the date, since I travel a lot for my job and can only commit to weekends.

[irnag]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

The above is the post that started it all...

Thank you 940!

This thread must be some kind of record. We are actually just a month and a half shy of our first year anniversary. 940 started this and I think we owe him a great debt, as I know all of us have enjoyed this thread greatly. If you look at the posts over the last 48 hours, it is going stronger now then ever before. I think there is something special here. We should all try and get together to share memories and history. I know the City-Data people in San Antonio have been trying to put together a mixer for awhile, but I suggest we plan our own. For a location I put forward Karem's Restaurant, as I reported to this post earlier will be 'Gone but not forgotten" at the end of this year. Someone else has to pick the date, since I travel a lot for my job and can only commit to weekends.

I'll be in town during the week of Thanksgiving.

[Primo]

Lets not forget S.P.O.T San Pedro Outdoor Theather....Corner of West Ave and Bitters. I don't remember going to that Drive in, but i used to work with a guy that worked there as a teenager. For some reason my parents only took us to the drive-ins that required you to bring a trunk full of shotguns and pistols to protect you from the hooligans.

I also remember the rifle range that was in on the corner of Nakoma and West Ave(where the present day park is). Hard to believe that was there up until the early 80's.

Also in that area....where the Albertsons used to be(current day America's best Pizza)...It was a grocery store called Skaggs.

[Primo]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

I think the picture frame shop was called Artique. I found this caption on an item on ebay today:

"These unique VINTAGE items are from an estate!

Featured here are a set of two precious custom framed, handcrafted needlepoint pictures - one is a holly branch with red berries and a small ladybug with the words "holly" and "foresight" stitched on the top and the bottom. On a stone-colored, muslim fabric background. The other is an adorable angel in a red dress holding a gold star; also on a stone-colored muslim fabric background. Each measures 6" x 8".

Each print is framed in a silver wood frame, and backed with a paper backing and hook. Sticker says "Artique - Colonies North Mall, San Antonio". VERY vintage - mall has been gone for more than 25+ years!"

My mom knew the lady that owned that Frame shop...actually all the paintings in my parents house are from there. Reason being...our next door neighbor was a professional artist...and her friend, I believe her name was Maggie or Marge...owned that frame shop. Anyway....all of her artwork was framed in the Legendary Colonies North Mall. I will have to check the back of my parents paintings for further evidence.

[Primo]

We talk alot about places that are gone.....what about some of the odd ball characters everyone sees around town? A few years back the morning show on 99.5 KISS did a show where people called in and discussed.

- Cowboy Bob (the guy with the bull whip on San Pedro and Hildebrand)
- Bongo Joe (drummer downtown)
- Fearless Defender of Vance Jackson ( A mentally handicaped man that stood with a small radio to his head in the neighborhood close to where Vance Jackson dead ended on Fredericksburg). This guy stood there for probably 30 years that I know of. My Mom claims he was in a catholic pre-K school with her.

They mentioned several other, that I can not recall at this time. Anybody else come to mind.

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

I'm doing my best. Here is one from South Park 4. You gotta love the cheesy light displays.

Wow I saw that pic and had a flash back to watching Pee Wee's big adventure there, thanks once again Gwhopper.