You know you grew up in Rapid if . . . (Sturgis, Box Elder: live, restaurant)

[Longtime Raider]

Wow, some great memories from someone who lived there from birth ('57) until college ('75). A couple of things;
-there was only one HS until Stevens opened. My sis was in first graduating class ('70).
-drive in by dog track was the Pines, we used to sneak into movies with someone in the trunk with the beer.
-Shakey's pizza off 8th Street=bunch-a-lunch and a hard return to school with all that in the stomach
-paddle boats on Canyon Lake prior to the flood
-tubing down Rapid Creek in the summer
-riding bikes up to Skyline Drive to sit on the dinosaurs
-driving to WYO state line to get Coors beer a-la Smokey and the Bandit.
-Pizza Hut across from Natl. Guard Camp Rapid after games
-Canyon Lake Little League fields-many baseball games played there
-The Rapid City Chiefs-minor league (Basin League) baseball team that played at Sioux Field
-Bat night at the Chiefs (amazingly, no one was blugeoned to death!)
-catching crawdads in Rapid Creek before falling in.

Good Times!!

[Longtime Raider]

Originally Posted by 8th Street Nights

An afternoon drive through 1970`s Rapid City,

Starlite Drive Inn, Greyhound Racing, Coleman Bedding , Pretty Pines , Ken Freeze Racing , Meadowood Lanes, Rushmore Marine, Hills Material , Freed`s Fine Furnishings , Chuckwagon Cafe, Al`s Conoco Service Station, Patterson`s Auto supply / Radak Supply / Billiards, Gibson's , Hardy`s Gun Shop, Kenny`s Body Shop, Sooper Dooper , Bryans Quality Cleaners , Pinball Alley, White Tail Motor Lodge, Swaney`s Chevron Service Station , Old Erv`s Home Volkswagen repair ,Taco Johns, Gulf 76 Station, Church`s Sheet Metal and air conditioning , Hudson Oil Gas Station , Sambos / Happy Chef , The Embers Supper Club, , Randy`s Pizza Barrel , Canyon Lake Supper Club, Canyon Lake Conoco 103 oct racing fuel , A & J Dive Shop, The Aquanaut Dive Shop, Andy`s Ski & Sail, Daisy Dell , The Speed Center, Dairy Queen , Mable`s ABC Food Store, The Mountain Goat Sports, Duells Sporting Goods, Rausch Monument & Granite , Sinclair / Circle S, Direct Sales Tire Co. & gas stations, Family Thrift Center , Miners Camp , J.B.`s Big Boy , Tesoro Gas Station , Wilson Park , unknown 8th St. speed / race shop , A&W Rootbeer Stand, Taylors Restaurant parking lot , Genes Texaco 104 oct. Racing Fuel ,Casa Del Rey , Old Home Bakery / Metz Baking Co. , Snow White Drive Inn , Hillside Scuba Supply / Gap , Mister Donut , Mamola Motors , Gill`s Sun Inn, Black Hills Packing , Team Electronics , Maverick mini-mart , Otto`s Service Center , Aby`s Feed and Seed , Hubbard Mills , Rice Cycle & Motor Co., Rapid City Medical Center , St. Johns McNamara Hospital, Bennett-Clarkson Memorial Hospital , Little Big Men Pizza , Knecht Lumber Co. / Pratt & Lambert , Robbin & Sterns Lumber Co. , Niva`s Diner, E. No. St. [railroad car] , Johnson Machine , Frontier Ford / Courtesy Lincoln Mercury , James Motor Co. , Dodge Town , Brekhus Buick / International , Cochran Oldsmobile / Pontiac / Cadillac , Mt. View car wash, Slippery Slide a.k.a. Slippery Seal , The Thread Shed / Gap , Headquarters , Music Monarchs , Myrons Cashway , Pioneer Foods , Hardware Hank , Coast to Coast Hardware , Gambles Hardware, NewBerrys , S.S. Kresges , Plummer Piano & Organ , Duanes house of Pizza, Who`s Hobby House , Two-Wheeler Dealer / Italia / Nishiki / Motobecane , Black Hills Staple and Spice , Elks Theater , State Theater, Starlite Drive Inn, Robbinsdale Drive Inn. , Corner Pocket 3.2 beverages 18 yrs. , Hub`s Bronco Bar, Stockmans, Western , Bobs Modern , The Pheasant , Crystal , Studio 21 , Dahns Tavern / Charley`s Lounge , Box Elder. In 1974 cigarettes were 45 cents pull machine at Hudson Oil on W. Main and regular leaded gasoline 92 octane was 55-58 cents gallon., Racing Fuel up at Genes Texaco at the top of 8th St. across from Taylors Restaurant was about 73 cents a gallon for 103-104 octane premium Avgas. I think minimum wage was around $1.73 - $2.10 an hour. A&W pronto pups and root beer, McDonald's Big mac, or a hard roll Big Beef au jus and hand battered onion rings at the Snow White Drive Inn smelling the Old Home Bakery hard at work.

Holy Schnikes-you really brought up some memories. Mabel's ABC store was a staple stop for all my neighborhood buddies and I. Saw a kid ride his Stingray off the red dirt cliffs behind the store-busted him up pretty good as I recall...

[Longtime Raider]

Originally Posted by diamond40dave

Kbear, the VW dealership in Rapid city was named Old Erv's Home. It was just up the road from Camp Rapid, otherwise known as the National Guard Camp. I believe Old Erv's closed sometime in the 80s.

As I recall, it was originally called the "Old Volks Home" until the Krauts at Volkswagen got a kielbasa up their backsides about someone using their name and made them change it. I used to work at Sooper Dooper just up the road and drove past it every day to work after school.

[SD4020]

Originally Posted by Longtime Raider

As I recall, it was originally called the "Old Volks Home" until the Krauts at Volkswagen got a kielbasa up their backsides about someone using their name and made them change it. I used to work at Sooper Dooper just up the road and drove past it every day to work after school.

There is the Facebook group that talks about remembering the old days of rapid city and growing up here.

Cruising is all but gone. The most memorable I was rear ended at 8th and Saint Pat in May of 95. The old Cutlass was fixed up. I wasn't cruising, just trying to get home. I still take 8th street to get home.

[bigfignewton1955]

This is bringing tears. life was sooo much simpler back then I wish I could go back to those times.

[8th Street Nights]

Hi! Anyone want to post their favorite State "A" Cruising / Drag Racing 8th Street Stories post them in this thread!!
My comment is, 1973 was about the most wild year i ever remember besides the chaos of the State "A" basketball tournaments.
The summer of 1973, 8th street was so packed full of muscle cars until 2-3 a.m., racing night after night after night, big burn outs, all big horse power muscle, it was lit up like Broadway Strip ,N.Y. all night long!

Parking up in Taylor's Restaurant parking lot, lining up to go up on top of the Flats to go race.

Hope some fantastic memories lay some good rubber down right here!!
This is where they really should have filmed the real "American Graffiti "

[8th Street Nights]

I'm not sure, but i believe they closed the Pines Drive-Inn in the early 1970's and reopened it back up as the Starlite Drive-Inn Theatre. I believe the Sioux Drive-Inn was over in the Robbinsdale area next door to the Coca-Cola Bottling of the Black Hills plant? Pete Lein & Sons or Hills Materials is now using what was the infamous Black Hills Greyhound Racing as a pit run storage yard.

[8th Street Nights]

OLD ERV'S HOME

The Auch (pronounced 'ouk', like 'out') family patriarch, Ervin, a full-blood German and skilled Volkswagen mechanic, was born in Yankton, South Dakota in 1924. In 1944 he married Nancy in neighboring Utica and, following the birth of their first two sons, they moved to the booming Black Hills town of Rapid City, South Dakota in 1951, where their family grew by two more sons, the youngest of which was Darryl.


In 1954, Erv took a job as a mechanic at the Murray Hansen Dodge dealership in Rapid City. This led to, with a partner, opening his own shop 'A&R Auto Repair' in 1957, where he worked on his first Volkswagen. He was fascinated with the little car, he knew he wanted to learn more. His growing experience and fascination with the VW opened a door to a business relationship with the Dries ('dreez') Volkswagen dealership in Rapid City. Dries sent all of their repair and service work to Erv and company at A&R.


Volkswagen of America
Eventually, Volkswagen of America, formed in 1955 to standardize dealership service in the United States, required Dries to build their own service center to keep everything under one roof. This spelled the end for A&R, but Erv was not about to give up on Volkswagens. In 1961, the "Old Volks Home" (a name that was unique at the time) was born. Business flourished. Then, Volkswagen of America, began a new campaign in the mid-'60's to curb copyright infringement, forcing another change - this time it was the name. "Old Erv's Home" premiered in 1964. Erv's business continued to grow and in 1982, he retired and sold his business following 25 years of service.

[zerosoma]

My first 20 years of life were spent living east river AND west river due to my parents splitting. Mom lived in Box Elder. I havent been west river in almost 10 years. I hope I don't confuse the two. But here's what I remember about the area :

1. The 4U yogurt shop in the mall across from the pet shop.
2. Pretzel Maker in the mall, next to Target.
3. Sue the T-Rex.
4. The piano store in the mall.
5. Software Etc. (why so many mall memories?)
6. The military planes flying over my house every 15 minutes (woosh)
7. Douglas School District
8. The little Korean restraunt in Box Elder, literally a hole in the wall
9. Radar Hill and the steep curves, I always used to walk that road in the summer time.
10. My first girlfriend haha.
11. My first job at Godfathers in the strip mall on campbell st. (is that there anymore?)

Ok... Memory rush, hang on to your britches...

12. The blizzard of '97.
13. Steve Miller in '99 at the Civic Center.
14. Sams club opening up.
15. When Bonanza mysteriously became Ponderosa.
16. Renting Sega Genesis games every saturday at Video World at the Villa in Box Elder.
17. A car dealership with Bart on the sign that said "Cool cars, man!"
18. Gigglebees pizza parties
19. Treble shooter Guitars.. And Mitch.
20. Both Haggerty's stores and the sub shops so close to them.
21. Pauly's subs
22. That one place that had all the phillies named after football teams
23. Pirates Cove.
24. Golden Corral.
25. Econo Lodge signs everywhere
26. People were a lot ruder west river....
27. RC Thrillers
28. Media Play Records
29. The annual plane show
30. When they started expanding off of elk vale road
31. Black hills fibercom - I worked as a janitor for a little bit
32. 103.7 the fox
33. KOTA territory news
34. KSLT, also known as K-SALT

[8th Street Nights]

Ervin "Erv"Arthur Auch
NEOSHO, Mo. -- Ervin Arthur Auch, 85, Neosho, died Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, following a short illness.
Ervin Auch was born July 6, 1924, in Lesterville, S.D., and moved to Neosho in 1988 from South Dakota. He served in the Army Air Corp and owned and operated Old Erv’s Home for 21 years in South Dakota. He was a member of the Abundant Life Assembly of God Church in Neosho. Ervin married Nancy Marie Wolhoy on Dec. 10, 1944, at Utica, S.D., and she preceded him in death on Aug. 1, 2008. He is survived by four sons, Douglas Auch, Neosho; Ronald Auch, Kenosha, Wis.; Barry Auch, Rio, Wis.; and Darryl Auch, Neosho; 11 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Elmer Auch, Aurora, Neb., and William Auch, Kansas City.
Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the family present from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at the Clark Funeral Home.
Services will be Wednesday, Feb. 17, at the Abundant Life Assembly of God Church, with the Rev. Ken Robinson officiating. Interment, with full military honors, will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Rich Auch, Mike Auch, Dan Auch, Ben Auch, Jeremiah Auch and Ron Auch Jr.
Contributions in memory of Ervin may be made to the Abundant Life Assembly of God Missions, c/o Clark Funeral Home, PO Box 66, Neosho, MO 64850.

The Early Years
The Early Years The Auch (pronounced 'ouk', like 'out') family patriarch, Ervin, a full-blood German and skilled Volkswagen mechanic, was born in Yankton, South Dakota in 1924. In 1944 he married Nancy in neighboring Utica and, following the birth of their first two sons, they moved to the booming Black Hills town of Rapid City, South Dakota in 1951, where their family grew by two more sons, the youngest of which was Darryl.

In 1954, Erv took a job as a mechanic at the Murray Hansen Dodge dealership in Rapid City. This led to, with a partner, opening his own shop 'A&R Auto Repair' in 1957, where he worked on his first Volkswagen. He was fascinated with the little car, he knew he wanted to learn more. His growing experience and fascination with the VW opened a door to a business relationship with the Dries ('dreez') Volkswagen dealership in Rapid City. Dries sent all of their repair and service work to Erv and company at A&R.

Volkswagen of America
Eventually, Volkswagen of America, formed in 1955 to standardize dealership service in the United States, required Dries to build their own service center to keep everything under one roof. This spelled the end for A&R, but Erv was not about to give up on Volkswagens. In 1961, the "Old Volks Home" (a name that was unique at the time) was born. Business flourished. Then, Volkswagen of America, began a new campaign in the mid-'60's to curb copyright infringement, forcing another change - this time it was the name. "Old Erv's Home" premiered in 1964. Erv's business continued to grow and in 1982, he retired and sold his business following 25 years of service.

In the Blood
Darryl was raised in the Volkswagen repair trade and shared his father's enthusiasm for the VW right away. In 1972, at the age of twelve, he built his first air-cooled engine under the guidance of his father. He worked at Erv's shop until he was 18, when he moved to Minnesota. There Darryl went to work for Dynamotive, a Volkswagen repair business, as a mechanic. After marrying in 1981, Darryl and his wife Teri moved back to South Dakota where he worked for his dad for a year. Dunebuggy Supply relocated Darryl and family back to Minnesota the following year, where he worked as a VW mechanic as well as gaining experience in the parts department.

Darryl's Auto Center
1988 spelled another big change for the Auch family. Darryl's folks, Erv & Nancy, moved to Neosho, Missouri to take their retirement jobs as caretakers of a church. Not long after, foreseeing opportunities in Missouri, Darryl, Teri, & their four kids hitched the proverbial covered wagon and headed south. Soon after arriving in the Ozarks, Darryl's Auto Center opened its doors. Darryl & Company worked on both foreign and domestic cars with a specialty in Volkswagen repair. Darryl's passion continued to lie in Volkswagen work and, after 20 years of reliable, affordable service, their Volkswagen client base had grown to become the core of their business.

New Horizons
In 2005, Darryl'sâ„¢ made its first venture into the internet with a site that was somewhat stylish, yet inadequate for what Darryl envisioned for the future of his business. With the lessons learned from that first effort (and after another attempt or two over the next couple of years), DarrylsVW.com was born and looks promising as Darryl's longterm connection to the VW world. Everyone at Darryl's is excited about the future of this website, our business, and the seemingly endless enthusiasm for that beloved little car - the Volkswagen.

Life Happens
In October of 2008, the Auch family and Darryl's suffered a major blow. During a routine medical checkup, Darryl's heart suddenly stopped. His doctor was able to revive him, but it stopped once more in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Although he had been stabilized before he got to the hospital, doctors were quickly able to determine that Darryl had a serious heart valve defect that required emergency surgery. His defective heart valve was replaced successfully with a mechanical valve and, being otherwise healthy and fit, his recovery went better than average. Nonetheless, it quickly became clear that Darryl would not be able to continue to do the very physical work that he had done for the previous three decades, at least not at the same pace.

After coming to grips with the challenges he faced, many weeks consulting with his family and friends, and lots of prayer, it was clear what had to be done. Since Darryl would no longer be able to meet the grueling physical demands of crawling under cars, pulling out engines, and torquing on stubborn bolts, he knew that the days were numbered for Darryl's Volkswagen service center. So, after a few months of planning and finishing up the restoration jobs that were already underway, ultimately the service center doors were closed for good, dozens of Volkswagen vehicles found new homes, and Darryl's was simplified down to the core business of what Darryl truly loves - building air-cooled engines.

A Change of Pace
Since its inception in 2005, DarrylsVW.com had gone through many changes, both positive and not-so-positive, to ultimately arrive at what you see today, a still-small, but actively growing portal through which Darryl and Darryl's are able to connect with the ever-changing, yet always-loyal world of vintage air-cooled Volkswagen enthusiasts. Though they had a great number of loyal local customers in Southwest Missouri, they also had, thanks to the internet and DarrylsVW.com, an equally large and loyal following beyond the Missouri Ozarks. The service center was gone, but the need for quality Volkswagen products and advice remained. No longer being tied to a physical, geographic location, and feeling a pull back to their roots in the North, the Auch family and Darryl's would make another change and relocate.

So, in 2010, Darryl, his family, and Darryl's hitch up the proverbial covered wagon yet again and headed north, to the quiet woods of eastern Wisconsin. Here Darryl is still doing what he loves, and carrying on the Auch family tradition that his father started some fifty years before - building some of the finest.