Neisner's Variety Stores (Houston, San Antonio, New Braunfels: buy, live, shops)

[Speeder77]

Hello everyone!

I'm starting a new thread, because the one I found discussing my subject was closed.

Who remembers Neisner's variety stores?

Father managed a shoe store at Terrell Plaza in the late 1960's and 1970's. I worked for him on Saturdays, cleaning his store windows and displays, and vacuuming the carpet. I received $1.50 for three hours work and I was turned loose on the plaza.

I wandered the plaza as a kid, visiting the Whites Auto store, Pat's Drug Store, Dick's Hobby shop and Neisner's.

At the time, this was the only Neisners store I knew of. Winn's was the San Antonio heavyweight, with Woolworth, Kress, Kresgee, GC Murphy, and Ben Franklin stores here and there. There was only one in my childhood and it was at Terrell Plaza.

It was small, crammed, and fun. For years, they had a arcade game that featured a wild west theme and a pistol mounted to the rear of the game. You put your money in and tried to shoot out the tilt over silhouettes in the windows of the building. The pistol fired ball bearings that tended to fall below the target, so you compensated by raising the barrel.

Later, they had a game with a submarine theme. You looked in a periscope and pressed a button on the handle to fire torpedoes at the enemy. It was pretty crude by today's standards, but back in the day, it was pretty cool.

I remember that they had aluminum trees at Christmas, including one you could buy for a dollar. I bought toy and model train accessories at the store in the early 1970's.

In my forties, I learned that they had a big store somewhere downtown, and I always imagined it was south of downtown. It turns out it was at the location of the former Antique Sampler mall. I shopped there a few times w/o realizing it had been a Neisners.

Other San Antonio venues - Yes, Fargo's on Evers and Wurzbach was the bomb. Never ate at Johnny Ringo's stands, but did eat at Whopper Burger and Jay's Charbroiled burgers on San Pedro and Wonderland mall.

Tandy owned Radio Shack and there was a Tandy Leathercraft store at Wonderland. What was the name of the record store on the lower level at Wonderland?

Did anyone else see the small ice skating rink that was installed for some sort of performance in the late 1960's or early 1970's? It was small but transportable.

Who else ate at the Orange Julius on the upper level, and raced cars at the slot car track on the lower level?

[outafocus]

There was a Neisners at McCreless Shopping City.

[TexasRedneck]

Spent many a day at the old slot car track there at Wonderland! Saw the track years ago at another venue, but don't recall where it was.

[huckster]

Remember the slot car track at Wonderland from when we lived near Ingram and the inner loop, the track was huge - and the defunct Neisners, yes. All of the small retail shops are gone now from the fifties and sixties, many soon are to follow I think. Dept. Stores took the place of all the little bitty shops I suppose.
Now. The Dept. stores are vanishing. Radio Shack is completely gone and Tandy's Leather Shops has been gone for a long time.
Fredricksburg Rd. was a very busy in that area and that was almost the end of the city limits there at Loop 410. We knew, even way back then to watch out and look for Balcones Heights cops and their fondness in handing out tickets in that area. That was a real money maker for them and they prowled the area constantly for traffic criminals. I vividly recall that much, very, very well.

[TrapperL]

FWIW, Tandy is alive and well in the Bandera Rd and Lp 410 area. I was there just 2 weeks ago and spent more than I wanted. They also have classes every weekend for the novice that would like to learn how to tool leather.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by TrapperL

FWIW, Tandy is alive and well in the Bandera Rd and Lp 410 area. I was there just 2 weeks ago and spent more than I wanted. They also have classes every weekend for the novice that would like to learn how to tool leather.

That's right. It's on Mobud Street. I've been there, although not recently. I think Tandy Leather also still has a shop on Walzem, in front of Harbor Freight.

[huckster]

I first learned how to use leather working tools in 7th grade shop from Mr.
Windell, Trap. At least I believe it was shop class, unless it was Art Class. Maybe it was art class , I can't remember anymore. That was a long time ago.
I used to go to Tandy's for stuff. It is difficult to believe they still exist. I remember making, a pocket comb case out of tooled leather, of all useless things. What else could kids make, I suppose ?
I remember one time a kid put some wood on a belt sander and let go and it hit Mr. Windell in the mouth and split his lip. I felt really bad as Mr. Windell was always very,very kind to me, even if I was not so good at woodworking. I felt so bad for Mr. Windell... I once saw Mr. Windell lose his temper with a kid and backslap the kid across the arm. He deserved it. I beat hell out of him also. Today that man, that the stupid kid became there on the southside is a physical wreck and not very much of a financial success to say the least.
Another time I woodplaned by hand a cutting board's edge down too far untill it was too narrow. Mr.Windell had to glue two pieces of wood together for me with a huge clamp for to finish the project. He had so much patience.
I did a far better job at making a steel chisel using that small forge we had. That was big fun I recall thinking. It took a lot of hand sanding with oil and emory cloth, but I had more patience back then.

Either way I don't use leather working tools for a long time now. I was better at leather crafting than wood working, this is sure. Still am no carpenter. I am sure you are great at it.
Bandera and loop 410?
OK. Well I can hardly believe it as I have not seen a Tandy's in so long, but I don't doubt you. Trap.
I will look for it. No leather tools though.

Originally Posted by TrapperL

FWIW, Tandy is alive and well in the Bandera Rd and Lp 410 area. I was there just 2 weeks ago and spent more than I wanted. They also have classes every weekend for the novice that would like to learn how to tool leather.

[ranchodrive]

I remember Neisner Department Store at Houston Street and Broadway downtown.
The basement pet shop was famous for it's Chimpanzees. It closed in the 1980s.

The Antique Sampler store moved into the building in 1987, but relocated when rthe
air-conditioning gave out in 1991, according to Express-News archives.

[outafocus]

McCreless Mall was originally called McCreless Shopping City. Neisners was in what became known as McCreless Mall. McCreless Shopping Village was at New Braunfels and Fair.

[TrapperL]

I first learned how to use leather working tools in 7th grade shop from Mr.
Windell

I don't suppose that was at Hot Wells Junior Hi? I had a shop teacher there by that name. Don't remember him very well but I remember the name and taking leather craft there.