Miami - what was! (Hialeah, Tamiami: real estate market, second mortgage, townhouses)

[abra]

Oh boy, what memories. I remember growing up in Miami, I actually lived there all my life up until 8 months ago. We had to move, it was not the old Miami we remember. So many great memories there though. How about the Velvet Creme Donut shop on S.W. 8th Street, currently a Nissan car dealer. How about Crandon Park Lots 1,2 & 3, great summer days. I remember driving around Coconut Grove back then when everyone would just hang out and drive around. It was awesome!!!! How about Plitt Gables Theater, The Grand Union Supermarket on Coral Way. How about when the Biltmore Hotel was closed down, Dadeland mall before remodeling, Westland Mall, The Falls, Sunset Place, the old Carvel on Coral Way and around 31st Ave, The Latin American on Coral Way and 29th Ave. The Coral Theater, The Trail Theater, The first Rocky movie, The First Starwars Movie in Plitt Gables. Walking to the theater, I remember walking with a group of girlfriends down Miracle Mile to go to Plitt or Miracle Theater. How about Cheese Villa in Coral Way that had a great Havarti Cheese Soup. Sitting by the bay, just in a daze watching Manatees swim by. I would have never moved away if things would have been similar to those days. What memories!!! East Coast Fisheries!!!!!

[ConeyIsBabe]

THANKS for that "blast from the past". I lived in Miami (Coral Gables) from 1966 to 2001. Yes, those early years were like living in Paradise. It changed in 1980. I moved as far away as I could, 3,000 miles to Oregon. What more can I say ?

[MiamiVice1984]

Hi! I grew up in this enchanting, colorful city, I used to love going dancing, and it was sooo different going to clubs and discos in the early 70's and 80's,
i remember Honey for the bears, Limelight, the Open Houses at the Columbus Hotel in Downtown Miami, oh man, if only i had a time machine! Who does not remember the cool Barefoot Mailman store in the midway mall? Richards,
Three Sisters, Kress, the two great discounts in Downtown Miami, the one behind Burdines? Man, has Miami changed! for the very worst, even the
look of the people is totally different, I suffer coz I hate hiphop and reggaeton, and that is the only crap you hear in Miami lately, what a curse!

i also had the time of my life when I was one of the large group of extras in the Miami Vice episode of the judge that had a basketball star son, I was totally in love with Miami Vice and everything that was happening in the area
in the early 80s, excluding the cocaine probs of course, but, i tell you,
that was the MIAMI I enjoyed, and will never ever forget.Miami now is
concrete and glass everywhere, really really sad.....

[FNM]

Originally Posted by lionking

Ah the sportatorium....I saw let me think,

AC-DC
Iron Maiden
Loverboy
Yes
Van Halen
Ratt
Yngwie Malmsteen
Ozzy

there are more but huh,the tailgate rountine outside the sportatorium has lessoned my memory if 'ya know what I mean.

I saw all of those at the Sportatorium too, between 1985 and 87!

[tallrick]

I wonder what kids growing up in Miami in the last few years will look back fondly on? Oh yes, the day they make the trip to move north and begin their productive lives!

[FNM]

Oh this thread has made me sad. I've lived here 30 yrs, moved here from NY when I was 7 (well, Broward).
Here's some of my best memories:
Calle Ocho in the early 80's
Cruisin the Ft Lauderdale "strip" in high school
Button South, Summers, Backstreets, Nepenthe, City Limits (all Ft Lauderdale clubs, some we werent old enough to get into)
Hollywood Sportatorium (when concerts cost only $15)

[nicsma2002]

Wow, this is an old thread, thanks for bumping it, or I never would have found it. I was a teenager in the '80s, so I remember a lot of these things. Sportatorium concerts, the Mutiny, the original Monty's by the Bay, and I never went to, but remember my older cousins always talking about, the Button South, City Limits, Summers, etc.

We used to go to South Beach in the early club days, way before what it is now, to a place called 1235 which is now Mansion. South Beach used to have a lot of mom & pop shops, now replaced by bland major retailers. The only thing that's still there that I remember is the Puerto Sagua restaurant. Also would go dancing at Club Mystique by the airport and the 94th Aero Squadron, which used to have a disco/club upstairs.

The Grove before they built Cocowalk was the place to see and be seen. We'd also go to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show there, and to the planetarium for their Friday night laser shows (they still do this!). We listened to 103.5 WSHE and ZETA4 for rock, Y100 for pop, WTMI for classical, and WQBA for salsa .

I also remember in the '70s when all we had was A.M. radio and we listened to WQAM. They played pop, rock, and country. More 70's memories are everyone honking their horns when the Dolphins won the SuperBowl, and the looong gas lines when gasoline was rationed.

There used to be a Lums at Westchester shopping center (Coral Way & 87th Ave) where Woolworth's and JByron's used to be. Across the street there was Lionel Play World where Toys R Us is now, and a movie theater where I saw Star Wars and Grease when they first came out.

Back to the 80's - I used to go horseback riding in what is now Doral. That area was all undeveloped land save for a few ranches and residences. I don't remember anything commercial, just wilderness and a few paved streets.

I could go on and and but won't. This web site has a lot of great memories and info from before my time:

Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries Photo Gallery by Don Boyd at pbase.com

[tallrick]

WOW I never knew that pictures of Dixie drive in still existed! That was my childhood movie theater, as well as Coral Way and Tropicaire. Looking back then, it really is a shame what happened to Dade County.

[bryan61]

I grew up just off Miller road and 97th ave and moved south down by Cutler ridge as a teenager. Grandma sold her place in Pinecrest and bought a condo at the corinthain in Ft Lauderdale so this thread is just dripping with nostalgia for me. I guess the thing that gets me here of late is the Hurricanes moving to Joe Robbie. Always loved going to the OB parade and the fireworks on new years.

The city of Miami welcomes you to the Orange Bowl

The only thing constant is change, im glad I lived there at a time when I could experience Miami at her peak

[oyadei]

Most of you have left MIA. May I ask where you've gone too?