How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Mesa: custom home, heat pump)

[baby sinister]

Originally Posted by desertratz

The Smitty's store at 16th and Buckeye became a Food City after Smitty's ceased to exist. The Food City store there is now closed as part of the Bashas bankruptcy deal. I work at Honeywell at the airport and I drive by that corner at least once a week on my way to Carolina's mexican food. Everything on that SW corner is closed and empty now.

I remember when there was only one Food City, the one that is still there at 16th st and Mohave. A couple of things I remember well about that store is the Coke machines at the front of the store that would drop the cup, then the ice and then the coke would come down into the cup...and it was only 5 cents. Also, upstairs they had a clothing department.

Ah yes, Carolina's Mexican restaurant...very good food there. That place is packed during lunch time. From the looks of the place you wouldn't think the food would be so good, and it's not really on a main street either. (12th st and Mohave.

[baby sinister]

Originally Posted by Jim Cavender

any former Reynolds Metals employee out there? I lived in Phoenix for a few years in the late 70's early 80's, and worked are Reynolds Metals, made a lot of very good friends that I would like to reconnect with.

Were they at 19th ave and the railroad tracks? If so, we used to take scrap metal there to sell...I always enjoyed watching that huge magnet. My dad would load up a bunch of scrap in the bed of his pick up and the magnet would pull it right out of the bed...bounced the truck up and down a little bit too.

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by Jim Cavender

any former Reynolds Metals employee out there? I lived in Phoenix for a few years in the late 70's early 80's, and worked are Reynolds Metals, made a lot of very good friends that I would like to reconnect with.

What was the big aluminum plant out at 35th Ave and Buckeye or Van Buren?

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by baby sinister

I remember when there was only one Food City, the one that is still there at 16th st and Mohave. A couple of things I remember well about that store is the Coke machines at the front of the store that would drop the cup, then the ice and then the coke would come down into the cup...and it was only 5 cents. Also, upstairs they had a clothing department.

Ah yes, Carolina's Mexican restaurant...very good food there. That place is packed during lunch time. From the looks of the place you wouldn't think the food would be so good, and it's not really on a main street either. (12th st and Mohave.

OMG: I have not seen such a style soda pop dispenser in probably 20-30 years now.

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

OMG: I have not seen such a style soda pop dispenser in probably 20-30 years now.

There was one of these dispenser vending machines in the Paramount lobby back in the 50's. We used to stand there and watch people as the cup would come down, fall over, and the drink would run all over the place. I think the machine was called SuperVend.

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by desertratz

What was the big aluminum plant out at 35th Ave and Buckeye or Van Buren?

I think that was the Reynolds plant. They went from 35th & Van Buren to I think 39th & the tracks.

[locolobo13]

I think somewhere in this thread there was a link that to a site that had a picture of Reynolds Aluminum. But I don't have time to find it right now.

[roosevelt]

The Reynolds plant was on the southwest corner of 35th and Van Buren. The area to the south and west was all farms, plus a few to the east. It was built about 1946, the main building was a mile long and had a saw toothed roof with glass that let in light. Behind the plant was the water tank and smokestack, probably an incinerator. In front there were about 9 smaller buildings with large vent stacks on the roofs. I remember a public swimming pool on the southeast corner surrounded by trees. The old Aero Theater with a real airplane wing stuck upright in the ground was about 3 blocks east. Up 35th Avenue there was another theater called the Arizona Theater that lasted only about 3 years.

[made in china]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

The Reynolds plant was on the southwest corner of 35th and Van Buren. The area to the south and west was all farms, plus a few to the east. It was built about 1946, the main building was a mile long and had a saw toothed roof with glass that let in light. Behind the plant was the water tank and smokestack, probably an incinerator. In front there were about 9 smaller buildings with large vent stacks on the roofs. I remember a public swimming pool on the southeast corner surrounded by trees. The old Aero Theater with a real airplane wing stuck upright in the ground was about 3 blocks east. Up 35th Avenue there was another theater called the Arizona Theater that lasted only about 3 years.

Is that the one that made the air stink so bad? I remember when I was a kid, going from Mesa to Phoenix where you'd get onto the Black Canyon, man it stand bad. I also heard that may have been a Phelps copper making all that stink?

[West Phx Native]

the Reynolds plant was built during WWII. Part of it was saved from the wrecking ball and is still in use.