How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (pharmacy, club)

[Arizona Mike]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

Here is a snapshot of the Fox, the most Art Deco building in Phoenix. Torn down in 1975.

I remember going to see the Phoenix premiere of "West Side Story" there. Spotlights outside and Natalie Wood showed up for the red carpet treatment. I remember looking down from the open window of the restroom and watching her arrive. Downtown trips back then usually included a trip to the lunch counter (and basement toy section) at Woolworths, a visit to St. Mary's Church (I loved the glowing stained glass windows in there, especially that of my patron saint St. Michael crushing a dragon) and often a movie at the Fox.

Later, I remember going to see movies in the late 1960s and early 70s when it had become a total grindhouse - I saw the Hammer horror movie "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" on a double bill with "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed!" and later in high school "Enter the Dragon", as well as a string of lesser Run Run Shaw Kung Fu movies, like "SuperManChu" and "Five Fingers of Death" and "Chinese Hercules". Some scarier fellow moviegoers at that point, but still an amazing looking theater even then, with the balcony, the art deco reliefs on the walls, and the lobby. I can still see those endless rows of "Flicks", dark chocolate discs inside cardboard tubes, wrapped in different-colored foil wrappers, all lined up in the lobby concession stand's glass-paned front next to the Raisinettes and popcorn. Man, I miss that theater.

[roosevelt]

Here is the back of the auditorium at the Fox.

Attachment 36983

[Demus D]

WANTINGAOUTOFAZ SAID: "I went to Central High School from 1988-1992 and was on their cross country and track teams. My favorite store to buy running shoes was the Strapped Jock which was actually at 3rd street and Indian School right next to the Wendy's on the south side of the street. I can't remember which year it burned down but I remember being very sad about that."

TELL ME WANTINGOUTOFAZ.......WHO WAS YOUR CROSS COUNTRY COACH???? HE WAS FROM OKLAHOMA REMEMBER......

HEY, I WENT TO SCHOOL THERE IN 1986-89, LEFT IN 1989.....REMEMBER WE WERE DOWN TO ONE DORM.....

MAN, I MISS PHOENIX SOOO MUCH....WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

[observer53]

Wasn't that McDonald's the very first one in AZ?

There was a great furniture store along Central just above Ind School, I think. Dorris-Heyman, it was called. The wrought iron patio furniture my mom bought there is STILL on my back patio.

Carnation. . . YUMMM. . . .

[Westside Willie]

It was just South of St Simon & Jude. Just North of SS& J was the Roer Bird Farm

[Westside Willie]

There was an import store at El Rancho too where I used to buy incense

It was called Tangs.

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

I remember going to see the Phoenix premiere of "West Side Story" there. Spotlights outside and Natalie Wood showed up for the red carpet treatment. I remember looking down from the open window of the restroom and watching her arrive. Downtown trips back then usually included a trip to the lunch counter (and basement toy section) at Woolworths, a visit to St. Mary's Church (I loved the glowing stained glass windows in there, especially that of my patron saint St. Michael crushing a dragon) and often a movie at the Fox.

.

My dad would take me every year to see The Indy 500 on closed-circuit TV. Also the sneak previews of every Connery James Bond movie before they were released to the other theaters.***** Galore! I was 10.

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by MichaelinWA

Wish I had Google when I was a kid .

Vonda Kay Van Dyke - Wikipedia

Speaking of being a kid, one of my regrets was never seeing Tito Montez live at the "Madison Square Garden." Anyone remember him and that wrestling venue?

Sure, wrestling matches on Saturday nights. KPHO TV would broadcast them live on TV sometimes. We would spend the whole night trying to get behind the commentators so we would be on TV. They recently tore it down.

[Westside Willie]

I've heard stories of when I-17 stopped at Bell Rd and everything up here in North Phoenix was just orange tree groves in every direciton...

I graduated from Alhambra in 1973. We would have "boone-dockers" (keg party's) in the desert. The desert was 43rd Ave and Sweetwater.
If we really wanted to get away... 43rd & Bell. You could barely see the city light from there.

[Westside Willie]

Originally Posted by twiggy

OMG! Yes, I remember doing that with my girl friends. How funny.

I see many of you referring to shopping malls, so here's an oldie of Christown fron 1962.