Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Austin: home, cinema)

[BudB]

Yes sir, "Dougies" was indeed the name of the place Mud, many thanx. I'll try to check out the current Luther's sometime soon during one of my trips to SA. Meanwhile, Vulcan Gas Company was at 316 Congress Ave. in downtown Austin and what a place it was. Knowing the operators allowed me to enter thru the rear door and hang out back stage on occasion so Mud's posters really tripped my trigger. Being back stage brought opportunities to meet such legends as Jimmy Reed, Johnny Winters, Otis Span, and others tho the visits were always brief and "trippy," if I may use that old term. I graduated from Highlands in SA with the Conqueroos' guitar player so we had some good times in those crazy days as the posters sort of suggest. "Keep on truckin' and let your freak flag fly", until the next time, BudB

[*mud*]

Originally Posted by wCat

.

Mud...refresh my memory....where was the Vulcan Gas Co?
Off Austin Hwy where Cowboys is now?

Cat, like Bud says, the VGCo was on Congress in the shadow of the Texas State Capital,
way at the other end of the Austin Highway.

Originally Posted by BudB

.
Yes sir, "Dougies" was indeed the name of the place Mud, many thanx.
I'll try to check out the current Luther's sometime soon during one of my trips to SA.
Meanwhile, Vulcan Gas Company was at 316 Congress Ave. in downtown Austin and what a place it was.
Knowing the operators allowed me to enter thru the rear door
and hang out back stage on occasion so Mud's posters really tripped my trigger.
Being back stage brought opportunities to meet such legends as Jimmy Reed, Johnny Winters, Otis Span,
and others tho the visits were always brief and "trippy," if I may use that old term.


I graduated from Highlands in SA with the Conqueroos' guitar player
so we had some good times in those crazy days as the posters sort of suggest.
"Keep on truckin' and let your freak flag fly", until the next time,
BudB

BackStage Bud. Were you there the night Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter were trading licks?? The Father and the Son.

What about the Velvet UnderGround??
Moby Grape, the Fugs, Steve Miller Band, Canned Heat, the Elevators,
lots of Texas and other Blues Masters.

Shiva's Head Band and the Conqueroo were the house bands.
We knew we were late if Spenser wasn't wailing and sawing Ebeneezer.

The ConQueroo is one of my all time favorites.

Gilbert Shelton used the Bass player Charlie as the model for Fat Freddie
the Furry Freak Brother.

mud
.

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by ged_782

I'm positive it wasn't 1976. The Terrell Plaza store remained open long after the Windsor store opened.

I remember buying a new suit at the JC Penney outlet store that was on Walzem at Crosscreek in the storefront next to Builder's Square. They had to send the suit to the Terrell Plaza store to have the slacks hemmed, because they didn't do alterations at the outlet store. That was 1985. I remember it well because I've only purchased a few suits in my lifetime, and my motivation for buying that one was because I was participating in an upcoming wedding ceremony for a family member.

Another question where was the store located? What is there now? Also I remember the JC Penny's on Fred Rd closed in the early 90's so that one survived awhile.

[rexkwandosatx]

I haven't seen this already mentioned, but I thought I would let folks know that there is a great group on Facebook called "Classic San Antonio: 1950-1999". I'm not sure if any regular GBNF-ers are active on there, but I recently joind the group and was amazed at some of the photos posted as well as some of the discussions. Check it out, you just might enjoy it.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by Willsatx

Another question where was the store located? What is there now? Also I remember the JC Penny's on Fred Rd closed in the early 90's so that one survived awhile.

The JC Penney store was located at the west end of what I would call the "rear center" building (the tallest building) in the Terrell Plaza complex, about where the Texas Workforce Center was most recently located. The store extended all the way to the back of that building, and also had an entrance from the rear parking lot. I believe there is a church located in the rear portion of the old store, and I also think they are even using the same rear door & display windows that Penney's used.

The other two original tenants that occupied that "rear center" building were Neisner's Variety Store (center portion), and a White's Store (east end). I can vaguely remember Neisner's--I think it closed in the late 60s, but I think White's survived until about 1980. White's even had auto service bays at the rear of their store!

[Dwangle]

Ok Didn't The Vulcan Gas Company become Armadillo World?? You guy's should know that!!

[maxus40]

Originally Posted by ged_782

The JC Penney store was located at the west end of what I would call the "rear center" building (the tallest building) in the Terrell Plaza complex, about where the Texas Workforce Center was most recently located. The store extended all the way to the back of that building, and also had an entrance from the rear parking lot. I believe there is a church located in the rear portion of the old store, and I also think they are even using the same rear door & display windows that Penney's used.

The other two original tenants that occupied that "rear center" building were Neisner's Variety Store (center portion), and a White's Store (east end). I can vaguely remember Neisner's--I think it closed in the late 60s, but I think White's survived until about 1980. White's even had auto service bays at the rear of their store!

The parking lot facing Fred. Road had a St. Louis Arch type structure which must have been at least 40 feet. It was a replica of that monument, it seemed like.

[wCat]

Mud and Bud.....gotcha on the location of VGC. I have a reason for asking if there was one in SA.....but before I make a fool of myself (again ) I need to check out some info. I think I'm 1/2 right, but waaaaaay off!

[wCat]

OK....I found it! LOL!...Like I said....waaaaay off.....! This map is from the late 50's Sanborn Map addition. Inside NE corner of Loop 410. This place is no longer there.....but was about same location at "Cowboys" at present.

Vapo Butane VS Vulcan Gas Co.......??? I know..close but no cigar.....and completely off from any concert venue. Just making sure I didn't miss something.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/Simone55/VapoButane.jpg (broken link)

[BudB]

Cat, i believe the name Vulcan Gas Company originally came from a business like the one on your Sanborn map. It was simply a business created to supply urban homes and offices with a stable supply of natural gas at a time when it was also used for lighting thru much of the 19th century. How Austin's long gone Congress Ave. psychedelic club got the name is a question worth asking so the next time I run into those who ran it, I'll ask. Keep on truckin'! Bud b