Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Fresno: dining, affordable)

[Willsatx]

Bud great menu thanks, the food there was good.

[Primo]

Originally Posted by Willsatx

As mentioned earlier Northwest Plaza on Fred rd will be history soon, a lot of history of the strip mall once anchored by JC Pennys, HEB, and I think TG&Y.

You are correct...there was a TG&Y there. And there was the Pancho's Mexican Buffet.

My Father seems to remember at one time there was both a Piggly Wiggly and HEB in NorthWest Plaza on Fred rd. Anyone remember that?

I can remember as a kid....ordering a toy from the JC Penny Catalog, then about a month later you would go pick it up at the customer service counter.

They always had the best flea market on the backside during the weekends...I havent been there in years.

[Dwangle]

I grew up at Nothwest Center (now called Northwest Plaza). Mom bought the weeks groceries at Piggly Wiggly every saturday to collect S&H green stamps. There was (I think) a Piggly Wiggly, HEB, Kresges (later it became TG&Y), Walgreens, Gordons Jewelers, J.C. Penny, Alwais Toy Box, Western Auto, Whites,a Barber shop that gave dollar hair cuts, a play area for the kids and maybe a Laundromat.

[Dwangle]

A Mexi-teria might have been there before Pancho's

[BudB]

Originally Posted by Dwangle

A Mexi-teria might have been there before Pancho's

Ate at the Mexi-teria out on Broadway near the theater once and that was enuff. Everything was swimming in cheese which some folks like but not me and there were as always too many other good and cheap places to eat TexMex. I was not sad to see them disappear and ditto for Panchos, TacoBell, etc. They may be okay in Anchorage, Seattle, Minneapolis or New York City but not never in San Antonio!!

ps; Glad seeing John L's menu touched some soft spots out there.

[Dwangle]

Originally Posted by BudB

Ate at the Mexi-teria out on Broadway near the theater once and that was enuff. Everything was swimming in cheese which some folks like but not me and there were as always too many other good and cheap places to eat TexMex. I was not sad to see them disappear and ditto for Panchos, TacoBell, etc. They may be okay in Anchorage, Seattle, Minneapolis or New York City but not never in San Antonio!!

ps; Glad seeing John L's menu touched some soft spots out there.

Hey man lighten up! This was a long time ago. We were broke and alway's looking for the most bang for the buck. Mexi-teria had on the Menu --one of everything 2.00 all you can eat 2.50. We always got the 2.00 one --that was enough for anyone. Remember this --I passed up seeing "BLIND FAITH" because they added 50 cents to the admission price--What a RIP OFF!! We had a place like John L's over on Latch. It was called "Chicken Haven". At first it was run by this big fat bald guy. He left and this Oriental family took over. From about 1965 I would get a bucket of chicken for sunday dinner a couple of times a month. Number two dinner. They sold Chinese food too(pretty much same stuff). First time I ever had Moo Goo road kill. Just kidding. I got off on my own and didn't come back till 20 years later. I walk in the door and she see's me and say's "NUMBER TWO DINNER"!!

[BudB]

Originally Posted by Dwangle

... 20 years later. I walk in the door and she see's me and say's "NUMBER TWO DINNER"!!

Can you make a guess at the approximate address where Chicken Haven sat?

[outafocus]

Chicken Haven's address was 107 Mink. It later became China Haven, and then a few other restaurants took over the site. It was recently razed, and is now parking for La Fogata.

My favorite Mexican restaurant of all time was across Mink from Chicken Haven. It was called Cano's, and was there for years. After the Canos left, it changed hands many times, but never was the success of Cano's. Most of the employees at Cano's were members of the Cano family, and they became friends over the years. It was nice to visit with them while waiting for their delicious food!

Cano's started out as a to go only shop, and when the laundromat next door closed, they took it over and made it a dining room. The place certainly was not fancy, but the food was great.

[bigdaddyjp7983]

Originally Posted by Dwangle

I grew up at Nothwest Center (now called Northwest Plaza). Mom bought the weeks groceries at Piggly Wiggly every saturday to collect S&H green stamps. There was (I think) a Piggly Wiggly, HEB, Kresges (later it became TG&Y), Walgreens, Gordons Jewelers, J.C. Penny, Alwais Toy Box, Western Auto, Whites,a Barber shop that gave dollar hair cuts, a play area for the kids and maybe a Laundromat.

I got my first hair cut at that barber shop, and went there until Ray, Rudy and the rest moved further up Fredricksburg Road, then later to Hillcrest. There used to be a lasso on the wall, and (according to my dad) the barbers used to have to threaten to tie me up on those times when I did not feel like getting my hair cut. The Piggly Wiggly was at one end of the center and the HEB at the other, as I recall, and I remember both the TG&Y (toys) and the J.C. Penney's (all my clothes through middle school) with fondness as well. It's a shame that they are knocking it down for a retention pond, as they have already built one right off Spencer Lane (and that is all that Woodlawn Lake really is too).

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by bigdaddyjp7983

I got my first hair cut at that barber shop, and went there until Ray, Rudy and the rest moved further up Fredricksburg Road, then later to Hillcrest. There used to be a lasso on the wall, and (according to my dad) the barbers used to have to threaten to tie me up on those times when I did not feel like getting my hair cut. The Piggly Wiggly was at one end of the center and the HEB at the other, as I recall, and I remember both the TG&Y (toys) and the J.C. Penney's (all my clothes through middle school) with fondness as well. It's a shame that they are knocking it down for a retention pond, as they have already built one right off Spencer Lane (and that is all that Woodlawn Lake really is too).

I used to go to that barber shop. Up until the time I was about 10 or 12 years old, Rudy was the guy who always cut my hair. Do you remember they had an old Coke machine, the kind where you pull the bottles out of the circles on one side? And a TV was always on top of the Coke machine. Another random memory, they had a flyer there which featured drawing of various haircuts as well as beards and mustaches that looked to be from the late 1800's or early 1900's, each with their own price. Menu pricing for haircuts!!!

After every haircut, my dad would buy me an Orange Ne-Hi from that machine and I'd drink it in the car on the way home.