Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Houston: low income housing, engineers)

[Azure110]

Northern Tool over Harbor Freight any day...less Chinese junk.

[huckster]

Sure I remember them, too. Radicke.
What about Mr.C Auto Parts? This was a store where the guy behind the counter knew cars and surely knew what to give you without a computer. Many times go to the part and hand it over without a book to look at. I don't think they are in business any more, Mr.C that is.
I knew a couple of brothers who worked at a Mr.C and used to soup up Ford Falcons by putting V-8's in the things. Man those little sleepers could fly. I recall once....
One day in the early seventies-we were on Austin Highway, four of us in a Falcon when up pulls a Road Runner.
With four people in the car the tiny Falcon pulled him by at least 7 or 8 lengths. They never expected this.

Nowadays I think those brothers are auto restoration business someplace out FM 476 the last time I knew.

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

Anyone remember Otto Dukes? They had more stuff for power tools than anyplace I've seen - good luck trying to find someplace like that today.

Or Radicke Auto Parts on Fredericksburg - "Mutt" Radicke, then his son Bubbie.

[TexasRedneck]

Originally Posted by huckster

Sure I remember them, too. Radicke.
What about Mr.C Auto Parts? This was a store where the guy behind the counter knew cars and surely knew what to give you without a computer. Many times go to the part and hand it over without a book to look at. I don't think they are in business any more, Mr.C that is.

Yeah - used to do a lot with them, as well. They had great warranties, too.

[TexasRedneck]

Originally Posted by huckster

But of course I remember Otto Dukes, the name was huge here a while back.
Harbor Freight is the closest one gets today unless one moves north.
Alas it is a sign of the times. The Chinese rule.

Ugh....Harbor Freight isn't even close - they have the cheapest garbage you can possibly find. I'll order it in from out of state when I need to get something good if that's what it takes!

[huckster]

I once bought a pneumatic chisel at Harbor Freight which I had to return the very same day I purchased it.
At 8 dollars the power tool was 1\5 the price of a Craftsman.
When I attempted to use the new it chisel would not stay in the gun unless you had it pressed against the bolt I was trying to break off. If you accidentally vibrated off the bolt or went at the bolt off center the chisel would fly out every time.
I got the bolts off anyway and returned it where they took it back without a question.

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

Ugh....Harbor Freight isn't even close - they have the cheapest garbage you can possibly find. I'll order it in from out of state when I need to get something good if that's what it takes!

[mollymcdowell]

The teepee steakhouse! For one sad year my mother, brother and I lived in San Antonio after my parents separated and we were so out of money --- Somehow my mother knew Ms. Ludema Williams -- she would invite us to the teepee as her guests -- and I especially remember my brother and I so so so so happy to cut into a lovely steak and baked potato dinner which we never could have afforded in the "real world" --- Ms. Williams knew somehow how bad things were or maybe she was just that way -- but how generous and sweet of her --- I remember like it was yesterday -- although i was 13 --- how delicious those meals were and how special it felt to be guests of the house for an evening -- I think we went ten or twelve times that year --- kindness to those who are struggling is seldom forgotten.....<3

[Carlotta Winans Clark]

Thank you for sharing your memories! I am the youngest daughter of Charles and Carolyn Winans. As I sit here, trying to write her obituary-she just flew off this realm last week-I was searching for some details of the stories with which I grew up.
Such strong, wonderful, and adventurous parents I had! I would love to read more, if ya'll are still willing.

[Basse Bud]

Does anyone remember Jack's A & W Root Beer stand on East side 0f West Ave, a block or so south of Basse?

Interesting that Jack hired male car-hops, because customers would pull in, order a Root Beer and sit and chat
with the female carhops for hours! ( The location had parking for about 6 cars).

Actually made really good hamburgers, the A&W franchise was the easier (cheaper?) way to open a burger joint!

[ranchodrive]

I remember A & W but I don’t recall going there.
I do remember the Prince Drive-In on Broadway close to the Playland Park, across
was the Butter~Krust plant.
Reason I remember this location is because I also worked there. Later the name was changed to
Mustang but not quite sure.

[madrone2k]

This is an interesting thread, but I have to confess that I have not read all of the 472 previous pages :-) Also, I'm a Houston guy, but maybe some of my memories will be interesting. My mom lived for a while in SA in the late 40s while my dad was shipped off to Korea as an army medic. That was before I appeared on the scene.

I remember a family trip to SA when I was a kid and we saw My Fair Lady at a theatre near Breckenridge Park, I think. I was impressed by the Japanese Tea Garden, but I dunno if it was ever as nice after the freeway was put in next to it.

As a young teen, I had a ViewMaster 3-D disk of SA that was pretty cool. Houston Street before it went down and came back.

Alluding back to an earlier post, I remember exploring Old D'Hanis back in the 70s. Very cool. I'm not sure how many of those old stone buildings still exist. Somewhere, I probably still have photos of the ruins of the Catholic church there with prickly pear cactus growing from the limestone walls.