Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Fort Worth: camping, groceries)

[woodywood]

Originally Posted by john559

Those photos bring back memories....I lived in San Antonio in the 1970s.....attended Nelson Elementary (off Culebra and Zarzamora), and junior high at Mann Jr. High. I went to HS in California and came back to SA after HS to attend UTSA. Some of my memories are along Zarzamora Avenue.....Elmo River's Gulf Station, Jif-E-Mart (which was a new concept at that time), La Casita Mexican Restaurant, Little Flower Shrine, Varsity Drive-In, Fred's Fish Fry, Roseroom Cafe, and does anyone remember First Mate? Loved their fish!!!! I remember walking to school along Woodlawn Lake, and crossing near Peacock Military Academy. I love the memories!!!!!

Since you grew up there I'm sure you remember Mamie's Fish Joint, or possibly Kindred Sausauge Kitchen right next to Meyer's glass

[Jer32]

Found this thread via Google and have spent the last few hours reading. I grew up in SA from age 6-22. My family and I arrived in 81. My first memory was going to Ingram Park Mall and seeing a McDonald's INSIDE the mall. I'd never seen that before. I remember going to see movies at Century South Theater. Remember the mob riot at South Park Mall when Menudo had an appearance there? I went to 2 high schools (Southwest & Fox Tech) my freshman year ('90) at SW we beat John Jay in football by a field goal and it was like a big thing cause that was our first year playing the Northside schools in sports and we went into it feeling like we were gonna get crushed. Then when I was a Sr. at Tech we were the first HS to play a game in the Alamodome. Also I remember when the Bonham ran radio ads and when KTFM would do live broadcasts from Rock Island. I remember watching the teen dance show Jammin on channel 5 on Saturdays.

['Lifer]

Originally Posted by 940

Hey Retro..I'm not remembering the entire ditty from Countywide but the one line you posted does give me an inkling of something I used to sing long ago!
Maybe some of the other posters to this thread that have longer memories than us can help with the words to that.

I barely remember First Mate but Fargo's is another story. Back in the 70's and early 80's that was the Marshall High place to be after a Friday night high school football game. I have an older sister who graduated from there in the late 70's and at that time, there was no Clark High. To show how sparsely populated the NW area was, the Marshall zone included all areas from east of I-10 towards the Churchill boundary west and southwest towards Potranco Rd outside of Loop 1604. My sister's friends all seemed to live off Wurzbach and I-10 and they could be found at Fargo's just about every weekend. After certain big football games against rivals Churchill, Holmes and Jay, I was lucky enough (as an 11-12 year old) to be included in all the partying and pizza-eating. I thought they had the best pizza in the world and the little theater with the old b&w silent films and old cartoons just added to the allure!

I also remember the Handy Andy car port. After a day of shopping either at North Star or Wonderland, we'd do our grocery shopping there because there really weren't a lot of options out on the far nw side of town back then. I remember my parents appreciated the convenience and customer service.
By the way, I'm not sure if you've seen this old post card of mine. I've saved it to the computer and it's been posted in different forums and threads already but here it is again. The view is looking towards the N/NE up I-10 from the 410/I-10 interchange back around 1962. Handy Andy and its car port is clearly in view...also, notice how there's a total lack of development further north across 410 and I-10 from Wonderland!
For those who don't know, Wonderland is now Crossroads Mall after a major remodel some years back.

Too cool seeing that postcard of Wonderland Mall.

Anybody remember a Tandy Leather store inside?

[drummerdude]

Originally Posted by willstown

Gallaghers was a fun place to work in 78-79. Way fun group. The band Odessa played there a lot. Keith Beitler and Howard Cole ran the I-35 store.
Stephan, Rick Tellez, Susan Schertz, Mike Wassaf, Maurine, and a cast of characters worked there. The Bar was cool, 10cent low table level pong and breakout.

I worked at the one in Houston in 81. Too bad they disappeared. The I-35 has been a Pawn Shop for years.

Kramers was once on Walzem and then in the strip mall on the North side of 410 East of Perrin Beitel. It was a hot spot during Desert Storm in 91.

Yeah I remember Gallaghers all too well, How about Virgie Stevens. and I think she had a buddy named Kathy or Karen. I remember someone busting up a roll of pennies in the parking lot one night. I think only Will would know what I was talking about. whats up bud!

[Chellehubcap]

Originally Posted by Jer32

Found this thread via Google and have spent the last few hours reading. I grew up in SA from age 6-22. I remember watching the teen dance show Jammin on channel 5 on Saturdays.

OMGaw!!! I danced on Jammin

How lame..

[mexicajun]

Originally Posted by googie2525

Ha, the Bone Club! I saw GG Allan there in, I think, 1987. Scared me to death!
Isn't it a Subway now? You remember the "Fearless Iranians from Hell," they were always playing there. Wow, forgot about that place!

G.G. Allin first played in San Antonio at Club Oasis(the next block down from Hogwild Records) in May 1989. L&M Bookstore now occupies the building. The Subway sandwich place is a block down from where Club O was. Fearless Iranians From Hell did play there quite abit.

If anyone cares or is even remotely curious, I'm trying to document San Antonio's punk rock/underground music scene from the 1970's--80's. I'm seeking music, video, articles, stories, photos, flyers, fanzines, etc. There's currently a website where you can see some of the archive which is only a few flyers at the moment.

Check out the San Antonio Texas Punk Rock Archive here- http://www.sanantoniotexaspunk.com

[OzzyRules]

I have not been to Magic Time Machine restaurant since I was a kid. Does anyone know if they still have pictures of unclothed ladies on the walls? I can hardly believe it but that's exactly what they had ALL OVER the walls of the men's restroom.

It seems like a family oriented place now. Maybe at the time it was not? They did have employees dressed in costumes, which naturally drew kids. I just don't know.

Very strange.

[Swingtime]

I just found this forum and it's really bringing back memories. I think I'm probably older than most of the folks posting here, because I think of GW Jrs and Alfonzo's as relatively new. LOL

I remember walking home from school every day and watching Capt. Gus. What a cool show! Joe Alston - aka "Capt. Gus" - was a neighbor of a woman my mom bowled with at the Wonder Bowl (which, by some miracle, is still in operation) at the Cozy Cove Trailer Court.

I grew up in the shadow of the KTSA radio towers in the early/mid-'60s so Austin Highway was my family's old stomping ground. We shopped at Piggly Wiggly, Winn's and Niesner's, when we weren't going to the PX or Commissary at Ft. Sam. I used to love the tropical fish department in the back of Winn's - I was just learning about aquariums at that time, and poor Lucia, who worked there, was always having to field my questions! (I remember calling her one day to ask if I was going to have to help deliver my guppy's babies.. sheesh She was always so nice, though.)

One day there was a storm that blew down and crumpled 2 or 3 of the KTSA towers in '66 or so. Some said it was a small tornado, but I'm not sure.

Does anyone remember Self's Hamburgers on Austin Hwy.? They were little burgers that sold for 10¢-15¢ and were very good. At those prices, Self's wasn't there very long. We used to frequent the Whopper Burger on Harry Wurzbach, and sometimes the Taco Kitchen (5¢ tamales!) in the same strip center on Harry Wurzbach that housed the TG&Y. We also went to Youngblood's and the TeePee.

Who remembers watching "Swingtime," the local dance show, on Saturday mornings? My brother's band, The Cornerstones (later The Union Jacks) played one morning. I sure wish there were VCRs back then; I'd love to see it again!

One of my favorite things about Austin Hwy. were the old motels and motor courts. My favorite was next to Maloney's Ice House - the Belvedere maybe? - which featured a neon "bathing beauty" diving into a pool. My dad used to stop into Maloney's and stock up on sodas and chips for our Sunday night drives and I'd sit in the car admiring that moving neon sign. I could have watched it for hours. Later, we'd go for a "drive in the country," which meant out Perrin Beitel Rd.! We'd go out to the cement plant -- there was NOTHING between Loop 410 and the cement plant back then! Sometimes my dad would take us to the Bun 'n Barrel afterward for burgers and malts. They had car hops who'd hang the trays on your car window. I remember the glasses the malts came in were real, honest-to-goodness fountain glasses!

My mom worked at North Star Mall (Guarantee Shoe Store, then Pants Parlor) right after the mall opened. I remember parts of Loop 410 weren't even finished at that time (c. 1960-61). There was an H.E.B. store at the west end of North Star Mall at that time. You could buy your groceries, go bring your car to the door, and have your groceries loaded into your car! Talk about full service... I believe the Handy Andy in Central Park Mall may have offered the same service - can't remember. I used to love the pet shop in Central Park Mall. It was called Shearton's, and was next door to the Baskin Robbins. Their aquariums were upstairs in a loft that overlooked the rest of the store, which was interesting.

Later, we moved across town and I attended Robt. E. Lee H.S. We used to party downtown at the Jam Factory. Anyone remember it? How about The Rock by the airport where you could park your car and watch the planes landing? They flew right overhead, and it was LOUD. I believe it was near the San Pedro Drive-In.

Does anybody recall a great little knick-knack store on San Pedro called Gizmo's? I used to love that place! They had great little trinkets from Mexico, including miniature clay chimineas that I used to burn incense and candles in.

Someone mentioned the Tandy leather store at Wonderland.. I remember it well! They sold these little kits to make fringe purses - all the rage in the '60s. One night my parents bought me one. :-)

What great memories...

[OzzyRules]

I remember the Tandy leather store at Wonderland, but I never went there. I never understood the Tandy / Radio Shack connection. What was the association between leather and electronics?

The grocery store at North Star mall was there well into the 1970's. I remember a little side shop to the store where you could buy products with green stamps.

From the Central Park mall Handy Andy I remember these things:
1. The smiling sun face high on the wall.
2. The lobster tank.
3. The delicatessen.
4. The little bookstore in the back corner, near the mall access.
5. The clerk would take the plastic number from your shopping basket and give it to you to hang on your rearview mirror so they could bring you your groceries when you were ready to leave the mall. One time we got home with someone elses groceries. I remember they had cooler stuff like candy that my mom rarely bought.

[Swingtime]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

I never understood the Tandy / Radio Shack connection. What was the association between leather and electronics?

I never understood it either, but I found the connection: http://www.radioshackcorporation.com/about/history.html (broken link) It's still pretty weird.

Your mention of H.E.B. reminded me: in the early '70s, a guy I went to school with got caught shoplifting sausage from there. (Sausage?! ) Don't ask me why that came to mind. There was a Medlar's across the corridor, too. I used to buy coins from them. My favorite restaurant in that North Star was La Fuente. Roddy Smith finally sold it around 1990 - don't know who the original owner was. I started going there in 1970, and their food was amazing right up until the time they closed.

The Handy Andy in Central Park Mall was really nice. They had "gourmet" items you couldn't get anywhere else, except maybe Penn foods on Callaghan. Your description of the interior of the store really brought back some memories! Dan Cook must have lived close by, because we used to run into him quite a bit there.

I forgot to mention Gulf Mart, Spartan's and Kiddie City. Those were some great places.