Long ago on independence square (Lexington, Crane: bars, nursing home, steel)

[MRG Dallas]

Remember this?

" In the parking lot facing North at the Jones Store end was an iron height beam at the top of a ramp that led down under the mall heading south. Trucks would enter this tunnel to deliver the goods to the mall's biggest stores.

At the bottom of the ramp, basement level for the mall, were a series of loading docks and doors
and steps. Major stores like Jone's and Penney's and Ward's, Newberry's, Harzfeld's, and the
Concourse level had dock doors or package doors out into this cool dark tunnel. If you bought
say a refrigerator from Ward's, you were given a ticket, and told how to go into the tunnel,
find the Wards dock, park angled, climb the stairs and ring the pickup bell. Someone would
come, take your ticket, and bring your purchase to their dock, help you load it and off you go.

The other end of the tunnel led to a ramp that surfaced / came above ground right next to where
Mont. Wards met the Safeway on the North side. Trucks would exit there and go onto Sterling
Avenue to leave the mall"

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Remember this?

" In the parking lot facing North at the Jones Store end was an iron height beam at the top of a ramp that led down under the mall heading south. Trucks would enter this tunnel to deliver the goods to the mall's biggest stores.

At the bottom of the ramp, basement level for the mall, were a series of loading docks and doors
and steps. Major stores like Jone's and Penney's and Ward's, Newberry's, Harzfeld's, and the
Concourse level had dock doors or package doors out into this cool dark tunnel. If you bought
say a refrigerator from Ward's, you were given a ticket, and told how to go into the tunnel,
find the Wards dock, park angled, climb the stairs and ring the pickup bell. Someone would
come, take your ticket, and bring your purchase to their dock, help you load it and off you go.

The other end of the tunnel led to a ramp that surfaced / came above ground right next to where
Mont. Wards met the Safeway on the North side. Trucks would exit there and go onto Sterling
Avenue to leave the mall"

Only vaguely. I could not have described it as you do. I do recall wondering how the stores were serviced and one day just happened to pass by that truck entrance.

Safeway was free standing or somehow was on the edge of the mall, I think. I went there to check it out. I discovered they had a gourmet food section of perhaps five feet long and from floor to top shelf. I purchased a can of chocolate covered fried grasshoppers as a lark. They had a lot of other exotic stuff including Fried Iguana Meat in Mole Sauce. A few years later I had the occasion to go in the Safeway again, and the gourmet section was gone. Probably not very many takers.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Damn, took business from Alton Plaza? Blasphemy

The Alton Plaza was the cat's meow when it first opened.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

The Alton Plaza was the cat's meow when it first opened.

That's what you said and it was that post that led me to this thread. You'll never forgive yourself now, WCHS :-)

BTW, that is not my quote on the tunnel, but from the same link quoted earlier. I only vaguely remember the tunnel loading docks and only after picturing the entrance by Jones Store from the writer's description. Good memory about the details of the BRM layout

[WCHS'59]

I wonder what happened to the Blue Ridge Mall?

That is, I wonder where did all the rebar, concrete, and other stuff wind up?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Ran across this familiar name from the past. According to his Wikipedia entry, he is still with us at age 92. I failed to recall he was a long-time host on Night Beat:

In 1947, Bodine moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he would remain for 65 years. He appeared on both WDAF radio and television, becoming an anchor, host, and news director for the latter. He left WDAF in 1965, moving to WHB radio ("Night Beat", 1965–74), and a few years later, also becoming KCIT's news director from 1969 until 1971. On KBMA television, he was host of "Bodine's Beat" and "41 Thirty" from the mid-1970s until the mid-1980s; he was on KMBZ radio from 1978 to 1982.

Edit: Wow, just saw this:

"It had to happen sooner or later and on Friday, April 27, the career of Kansas City media legend Walt Bodine, 91, will officially come to an end when he signs off for the last time on public radio station KCUR (89.3 FM).
It’s not like this day has not been coming.
Bodine, who has been in broadcasting a phenomenal 72 years, has been in failing health for years.

WHB radio was 710 on the dial when I was a kid. KCMO radio was at 810.

In 1998 KCMO moved to 710 and WHB moved to 810, according to Wikipedia.

Go figure.

[MRG Dallas]

The swap had something to do with KCMO wanting a nite-time reach into Johnson County. By 1997 WHB was a shadow of its former self. I used to be able to (barely) catch 710 in Dallas on cool clear nites. It was really strange once the internet caught on to listen to WHB on the net, seeing it was at 810 and was all-sports talk. It will always be the "radio station we grew up with"

Remember the WHB 40 Star Surveys? The colorful bowling-alley shaped Top 40 listings with misc stuff on the reverse side? I have several photocopied from the mid-late 60s. Also noticed some were for sale on eBay.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

At some point during the Blue Ridge Mall hey day, there was an aquarium sales place in the basement.

My folks had become interested in tropical fish so we went shopping there while I was on a visit.

The proprietor had a shark of some type in a tank. I cannot recall if it was for sale but it was in what must have been a 400 gallon tank all my itself.

I don't recall the store's name, but they relocated just across I-70 from the BRM on Sterling. If you look at the satellite view they are in the little strip mall that runs east off of Sterling on the north side of I-70.

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

The Alton Plaza was the cat's meow when it first opened.

My Beloved's father was a meat-cutter in the Kroger store at Alton Plaza. Do you recall what year it opened?

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

I wonder what happened to the Blue Ridge Mall?

That is, I wonder where did all the rebar, concrete, and other stuff wind up?

A giant grinder was brought to the site. The concrete was reduced to gravel, which was used to fill in the old tunnels, level the site, and some used in new concrete. The rebar was sent to recycling.

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Remember the WHB 40 Star Surveys? The colorful bowling-alley shaped Top 40 listings with misc stuff on the reverse side? I have several photocopied from the mid-late 60s. Also noticed some were for sale on eBay.

We have a few original Top 40 Surveys. When time allows and my memory reminds me I'll scan them for y'all.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

My Beloved's father was a meat-cutter in the Kroger store at Alton Plaza. Do you recall what year it opened?

I am guessing 1954.

[MRG Dallas]

Quote:
Originally Posted by WCHS'59
The Alton Plaza was the cat's meow when it first opened.

My Beloved's father was a meat-cutter in the Kroger store at Alton Plaza. Do you recall what year it opened?

Quote:
Originally Posted by WCHS'59
I wonder what happened to the Blue Ridge Mall?

That is, I wonder where did all the rebar, concrete, and other stuff wind up?

A giant grinder was brought to the site. The concrete was reduced to gravel, which was used to fill in the old tunnels, level the site, and some used in new concrete. The rebar was sent to recycling.



What is "rebar"?


We bought the gift side of Alton Plaza Hardware & Gifts in 1955 or 56. Polk's 1954 lists Kroger et al at that address, so I'm guessing 52-53.The only listing in 1952 is the 417 W. Lexington location. Curiously, there is also an address in 1954 at 11710 "E. 10th" which must be a misprint because that sounds like the 23rd St. address.