Gone but not forgotten- Old Corpus Christi (Dallas, Center: beach, swimming pool)

[Jbug32]

Originally Posted by wehotex

I was beginning to think that I was the only person on this thread. The Shakeys is long gone. There is now a new Mexican restaurant there. The Sheps that you're talking about was near the intersection of everhart & staples. I think that it was replaced by eligios sometime in the late 70s/early 80s. I'm not sure what it is now, but I'll look the next time that I go visit my parents. I remember that flood too, but don't know which year it was, but definitely 1976 or before. which area of corpus did you live in? I lived and grew up in cullen mall area.

I lived near Sanders Elementary School on Pecan Valley Drive. I don't know what the area is called, maybe Country Club Estates? I looked at Google Maps and I think I see the building which used to be Sheps, is it possible that the structure could still be there? From browsing the internet, it looks like there is a place in a different location named "The Chicken Shack" and one of the reviews says that the recipe is the same as Shep's. I wonder if the owners are related in some way. I also vividly remember going to dinner with my family at the Torch restaurant but I looked it up on Google Maps also and the building is not how I remembered it which is I remember a circular driveway in front of the restaurant. I remember that because on one visit my father got out of the car and turned over a turtle who had become flipped over in that driveway. Of course, I could be mixing up memories.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Jbug32

I lived near Sanders Elementary School on Pecan Valley Drive. I don't know what the area is called, maybe Country Club Estates? I looked at Google Maps and I think I see the building which used to be Sheps, is it possible that the structure could still be there? From browsing the internet, it looks like there is a place in a different location named "The Chicken Shack" and one of the reviews says that the recipe is the same as Shep's. I wonder if the owners are related in some way. I also vividly remember going to dinner with my family at the Torch restaurant but I looked it up on Google Maps also and the building is not how I remembered it which is I remember a circular driveway in front of the restaurant. I remember that because on one visit my father got out of the car and turned over a turtle who had become flipped over in that driveway. Of course, I could be mixing up memories.

Yes, I've heard of Sanders elem. I think that is country club estates. there is a "chicken shack" on I-37N (going to SA). It has the original gentlemanly chicken sign with suit and walking cane just like shep's. i think that the Original Chicken Shack owner was a man named "Bell", who died a few years back.

[bacontoast]

Back in the mid 80's early 90's I used to take my son and his friends for a "boys-vacation" in Corpus, and while they enjoyed Holiday Inn Emerald Beach, I would mosey over across the bridge to North Beach (I think it was over the bridge) and off to the left (around where Whatburger Field is), there was this little poolhall and bar that I recall as being shaped like an Igloo. Seems like all the locals from that time hung out there and there was a very cute and friendly bartendress who wore a bikini who stated that she and her month owned the place. The place had apparently been there for many years and survived many hurricanes.
Incidently, the same bartendress also worked at Elmo's Diner(now City Diner) if that helps.
I would appreciate more information and pictures if anyone can help this old man recall the very very nice memories of those days in Corpus.

We still visit both during Spring break and 4th of July although we like in San Antonio.

Please let me know if you have any information.

Thanks,
Jerry

[gungemini]

glad to see someone is doing this thread like we are in San antonio.

KEEP OLD MEMORIES ALIVE
I miss the old texas, not that im crying but keep it alive for these young cats nowadays!

Props from San Antonio

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Kibby

The Staples Picks was at Staples & Everhart and was similar to a Sonic with pull in parking. The Downtown Pick's was totally different. Cars would line up and park in rows - when someone needed to leave, you would move your car and let them out. Imagine a large square with rows of cars - the Snapka's (other drive in on Weber) worked the same way. The downtown Picks was at the very end of downtown (near the church) probably at about Park - it later became an eat in place and then was probably torn down. It was back against the bluff. Downtown was solid traffic at night with kids cruising.

The first chain cheapie hamburger place in town was the Burger Chef on Staples across from Del Mar. Hamburgers were 18 cents.

Angelos Pizza on Staples has been there since the 1950's - I used to ride my bike up there to pick up a pizza when I was about 10. First Pizza in Corpus. Shakey's on Everhart and Panjo's on Airline opened in the 60's and were very popular. Whataburger was just really getting started in the 50's - all the locations had only walk in service. You gave your order when you entered (stood in line) and by the time you got to the register, it was ready. All burgers and buns were done on a grill. Great hamburgers - they ruined them with automation, grilled buns are the secret to a great hamburger. The Port Ave location and Staples (across from Del Mar) were the first places which actually became popular. I think that maybe Mr Dobson started the very first Whataburger (which failed) at the Angelos location but I'm not positive about that. I know he was killed while flying his plane right about the time his son Tommy (I went to school with him and knew him well) was graduating from High School at Ray. My Dad stopped every single Saturday (he worked Sat mornings) on his way home and picked up cheeseburgers, chips (no fries in that time period) and milkshakes for lunch. Saturday lunch was a special treat at our house and an absolute tradition to have Whataburgers.

Another one of those "hidden gem" places to eat in Corpus is the Hamlin Drug Store Grill - the Belaire Drug grill used to be a great place to eat also with a real soda fountain. I ate lunch there a lot when I was going to Del Mar.

Is the Put-Put golf still behine the old Parkdale Plaza? Parkdale was the beginning of the end for downtown - then the malls out on SPID did the same thing to PD. It's wierd that urbans areas continue to sprawl outward and leave empty buildings behind.

First "discount" stores in Corpus were the Gibson store at Weber and Staples (I worked there during college) and the Woolco store (really large) next to Parkdale Plaza. Hurricane Celia did in the Woolco - the roof fell in and they never rebuilt it. It also washed away a couple of places on North Beach (LaHallah, never rebuilt) and the Beach Club on Ocean which was never rebuilt. The Torch still uses the "LaHallah" dressing.

K

But wasn't something there at the Woolco site after Celia? I remember buying 45s there in 1981. There was something there. If not Woolco, what was it?

[Marlow]

Originally Posted by wehotex

But wasn't something there at the Woolco site after Celia? I remember buying 45s there in 1981. There was something there. If not Woolco, what was it?

Wasn't there a Shopper's World or something similar at the Woolco site? It's a Sutherland's now.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Marlow

Wasn't there a Shopper's World or something similar at the Woolco site? It's a Sutherland's now.

I think that Shoppers' world was over on spid betw kostoryz and chapman ranch rd. There was a shopping ctr called atlantic thrift, then maybe shoppers' world in autotown area, kind of where the long john silver's is.

[Marlow]

Originally Posted by wehotex

I think that Shoppers' world was over on spid betw kostoryz and chapman ranch rd. There was a shopping ctr called atlantic thrift, then maybe shoppers' world in autotown area, kind of where the long john silver's is.

I thought there was some big discount store where the Sutherland's is now, but I may just be thinking of the Woolco.

Have you seen the Parkdale Plaza site lately, Wehotex? It's just a big pile of rubble.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Marlow

I thought there was some big discount store where the Sutherland's is now, but I may just be thinking of the Woolco.

Have you seen the Parkdale Plaza site lately, Wehotex? It's just a big pile of rubble.

Yes, I saw it and the Coliseum now reduced to rubble. I was amazed at how much land it really is with all of the bldgs now gone. I used to love Piccadilly cafeteria when it was there. That was some great food.

[SoldierBoyBliss]

wehotex is that the funny looking red brick building that sat in what looked like the median near the water?

thats gone now? what will replace that building?