How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (Scottsdale: home furnishings, shelters)

[baby sinister]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

[As a kid we used to hear sonic booms quite often in the early 60s.

Sonic booms were still around in the early 70's too. We also had the 12:00 siren that would go off on the first Saturday afternoon of every month. Would always mean to me that Saturday morning cartoons were over and here come the westerns (which I hated) for the rest of the afternoon.

[desertskies]

Originally Posted by Westside Willie

2. Tex Earnhardt / Chandler. What else is there to say? Dig those crazy eyebrows! And BTW - why would a cowboy even want a car?

Mid 70's, I wrote Mr Earnhardt asking about the "that ain't no bull" tag on his commercials.
My roommate said he was talking about the deals and I claimed he was speaking of the animal he was sitting on (we lived in Flagstaff at the time). A few weeks later, I received a response from ol' Tex himself. Not a form letter, but a nice answer to my question, is he talking about the deal or the animal?

He was talking the "bull", a steer to be exact, a gimmick he still uses to this day.

I've heard too many stories about "Mr Ed".
Tex is probably a very nice guy, but I'll pass on buying a car there.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

"This ain't no bull." At least it wasn't Cal Worthington and his "dog" Spot. How we wanted the tiger to devour him during those commercials.

I remember Cal Worthington! His car dealership was short lived, but the commercial jingles were what made him famous: "go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal". He had some dealerships in California that lasted quite a while. I wonder why he couldn't make it here.

Anyone know what dealership replaced Cal Worthington's at the corner of 23rd Avenue & Camelback in 1980? It was Pete Ellis Dodge. He was another California dealer who only lasted a few years here. Those who were here in the early '80s might remember his catchy commercial jingle with the children singing: "Pete Ellis Dodge, Freeway 17, Camelback exit, Phoenix".

[aviator7777]

Levitz Furniture on the west side had a huge warehouse distribution center with sofas stacked a mile high. We went to pck up some furniture there after shopping in this huge place. You could get easily lost in a Levitz showroom. I think there was an east side location in Scottsdale also.

[aviator7777]

Is Barrows Furniture still in business? I think they were at 20th street and Camelback. Trying to remember some old names from Phoenix like Mahegeans. Wasnt that a TV store in Phoenix?

[jack swilling]

Try this. I liked it. Maybe you already have it:
Rogue Columnist: Phoenix 101

http://roguecolumnist.typepad.com/ro...t/phoenix-101/

http://roguecolumnist.typepad.com/ro...t/phoenix-101/

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by aviator7777

Is Barrows Furniture still in business? I think they were at 20th street and Camelback. Trying to remember some old names from Phoenix like Mahegeans. Wasnt that a TV store in Phoenix?

Barrows is an old, old time furniture store that was originally on Jefferson and 1st Street downtown across from the fire station. They later moved up to Camelback and 24 Street next to Cine Capri. I think Haver designed the building and it matched the theater architecture.

A. S. Mehagian came to Phoenix in 1927 from San Francisco and sold Asian carpets at Garfield and Central in an old house which his family lived in, later that location was the Mercury car dealership. In the 30's he moved downtown near Van Buren and Central in the Security building. His business grew and he bought land on the south side of Garfield and Central and built a large store in the 40's and was the high class furniture store in Phoenix. Mehagian's also had a large record store, radios, Magnavox television sets and St. Charles? metal kitchen cabinets. In 1949 when KPHO was the first TV station, Mehagian's would leave the TV set in their window on all night and people would stand on the sidewalk watching.

I have photos of all this but want to protect them; perhaps I will watermark them and post.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I remember Cal Worthington! His car dealership was short lived, but the commercial jingles were what made him famous: "go see Cal, go see Cal, go see Cal". He had some dealerships in California that lasted quite a while. I wonder why he couldn't make it here.

Anyone know what dealership replaced Cal Worthington's at the corner of 23rd Avenue & Camelback in 1980? It was Pete Ellis Dodge. He was another California dealer who only lasted a few years here. Those who were here in the early '80s might remember his catchy commercial jingle with the children singing: "Pete Ellis Dodge, Freeway 17, Camelback exit, Phoenix".

As was reported by the media, Cal Worthington shut down his Phoenix dealership under less-than-favorable circumstances. Something about taxes. Subsequently Mr. Ellis took over, and was hailed as the Anti-Cal. While driving through the LA Basin on the way to Lompoc in 1980 (in my Pinto, on AM radio) I heard the same jingle, "Pete Ellis Dodge, Long Beach Freeway, Limestone exit, Southgate", same kids singing. The ad seems familiar, as if it was used in PHX as well.


YouTube - ‪PETE ELLIS DODGE 1981‬‏

[aviator7777]

Thanks Roosevelt. Really cool if we could see the old photos if you have them of the Mehagians. I vaguely remember their name used in Phoenix radio and TV spots in the 70s.

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by aviator7777

Thanks Roosevelt. Really cool if we could see the old photos if you have them of the Mehagians. I vaguely remember their name used in Phoenix radio and TV spots in the 70s.

The secret to a successful jingle or slogan is that good or bad or awful, you'll remember it, sort of like how we learned multiplication tables in 3rd grade. In recent posts there's Pete Ellis Dodge, Tex Earnhardt, Cal Worthington, and the jingle "Mehagian's Magnavox... The home entertainment center for you, etc".

Who was selling Curtis Mathes TVs in the 60s and 70s? I remember their ad for "The most expensive television set in America; and darn well worth it".