[nep321]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Gross.

Lol yes I know it's disgusting cafeteria quality food. I haven't eaten there in years.

[MrGompers]

There was a Papa Gino's in Wethersfield about 15 yrs ago on the Silas Deane Hwy. There are still a few left in Conn. there is one basically at the entrance to Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks on RT 75.

Also, Papa Gino's and D'angelos sub shops are owned by the same company now. I know D'Angelos started in Mass originally, but am unsure where Papa Gino's started.

I think the original owners of both chain's sold out sometime during the 90's. Originally to Pepsi Co I think (which also owned Pizza Hut at the time)

Little Ceasers called their garlic bread "crazy bread" not sure if they still have it or not. I used to go to a Little Ceasers on RT 66 Middletown when I was in high school. It was next door to "Middletown Lanes" which no longer exists.

[Slipperman]

Originally Posted by JayCT

There are 10 sit down Pizza Huts within 50 miles of glastonbury including Manchester, Vernon, West haven and Waterford. Check their website. Jay

there used to be a take out only Pizza Hut on Washington in Mtown but that disappeared a couple years ago. anybody know what's there now?

[CTGirlNoMore]

Originally Posted by nep321

Lol yes I know it's disgusting cafeteria quality food. I haven't eaten there in years.

I'm not a real fan of it, but my little nephew likes to eat there. Blech. The only "decent" food I like there is the breakfast stuff.

[CTGirlNoMore]

And from what I understand, in some states Hometown Buffet is called Old Country Buffett, or even Golden Corral.

[Slipperman]

Originally Posted by CTGirlNoMore

And from what I understand, in some states Hometown Buffet is called Old Country Buffett, or even Golden Corral.

"I'm hooked!".. god i hate that commercial. particularly that smarmy GC guy who's always spouting off these stupid one-liners.. "you got the hook", etc

[persnicketygal]

I don't know what made me want to peruse the Connecticut forum, other than it being my state of birth and life for 18 years, but I'm glad I saw this thread. But a little sad, too, thinking about all of these stores and restaurants and how they were such a part of my life and how so many are gone now.

G. Fox, Sage Allen -- I think I still have an old credit card from one of those stores, probably G. Fox.
When school would get out early, I used to meet my mom in downtown Hartford after she'd finished getting her hair done, and we'd go to Sage's for lunch and then pick up some items from the bakery. OMG, I can still taste their huge cupcakes and muffins and cole slaw.

In the restaurant category, the Farm Shop at the "old" West Hartford Center was a regular stop for my mom and I ("Golden Abigail" -- a cheeseburger -- yup just a cheeseburger but delicious; maybe delicious just cuz it was mom-and-me).
In West Hartford there was also the Steak Club, if I recall correctly, at Bishop's Corner.
At the "old" Westfarms there was another steak-type restaurant, next to Friendly's I think--dark place, kind of a medievally looking place. Can't recall the name, but it was huge and hardly ever filled.

I still have a goldtone ruler from Savitt Jewelers with its POMG logo on it!
And an aluminum pie plate from Sage-Allen.

Ice cream at AC Peterson Farms ... the best!

Speaking of Service Merchandise, wasn't there a similar "order and wait for the item to come up on the rollers" place in downtown Hartford? I want to say it was near an unemployment office? Not as large as Service Merchandise. I remember getting a typewriter there just before I headed off to college.

I haven't been back to Connecticut very much since graduating college, 20+ years, but the times I have, I was just amazed at some of the changes. Truthfully, I don't like the new West Hartford Center, too froo-froo--I'll keep my memories of hanging out with friends there, and at the movie theater, thank you. (I'm sure if I had never lived in Connecticut before and moved there for a job, I'd love the Center, with Crate & Barrel and all...)

The Pie Plate -- Quiche Lorraine -- was one of my mother's favorites.
And in addition to Caldor, Two Guys and Bradlees -- wasn't there a Gems?

I recall some Italian restaurants we used to patronize: Pippis (Bishops Corner?), Al-Di-La close to the Hartford line? And we got "grinders" occasionally from a little family-owned pizza place somewhere off Farmington Avenue near where the Children's Museum -- with the big whale in front -- was ('is'? i doubt it...)

One last note: At Bishops Corner, near the old Lord & Taylor (didn't that parcel become a food store?), there was a clothing store. Cannot recall the name of it, but on one occasion they were featuring some "stars" of a Saturday morning TV show, kind of an early "Barney" -- think characters in really big costumes like that (one was a hippo) and a man and woman hosting the show. Made my dad take me; it was jammed. I saw the man and woman, but I really don't recall seeing the costumed characters. All I knew was that it really didn't resemble the TV show I liked watching, and they were talking about God. Years later I find out that the man and the woman were ... Jim and Tammy Faye Baker.

Sorry for the long post!
But thank you to the original poster for bringing back some good memories. Isn't it funny that even after so many years you can still taste that your favorite childhood ice cream!

[RogerAnthony]

The Children's Museum with the Whale (Connie) in still there. It is looking to move to a new location, though.

The Lord & Taylor became Caldor. Then the bottom level became a Finast (then Edwards, then Adams) grocery store and is now empty. The upper level houses Marshalls and some other small retail shops.

[CTGirlNoMore]

Yes, A.C. Petersen's! I *think* there is still one in West Hartford, but I am not sure.

Also, remember the music store Sam Goody?

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

I just remembered another crappy department store chain that went under.

Alexander's.