Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Austin: receptions, motel)

[mytyeerinpie]

yeah I was really sad when they tore down Earl Ables. Since I haven't been home in 3+ years, (military stationed in Germany) did they ever build whatever it was they were going to build there?

[borninSAstuckinGA]

according to some of my relatives still in SA, the hi-rise condos, or whatever, are still under construction.

[tclhd]

mudpuddle,

When I showed your pictures of Willow Way to my sister she mentioned that, when she was a Girl Scout, they would go to day camp at Camp Willow Way which was next to the original Mission County Park. I wonder if the property belonged to the Fords.

While I'm on the subject of Girl Scout camps, does anyone know the exact location of Camp Cookie near Helotes?

[tclhd]

gy2020

You may also be interested in the historical photo pages of Texas Highwayman at The San Antonio Area Freeway System - Historical Photos

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by borninSAstuckinGA

speakin of Austin Hwy. spots, and please forgive me if memory is a little rusty:

1) the old Shakey's building was later a nightclub in the mid to late 80's, called " The Knave" I think. Not sure if it survives today

2) Used to go to the Elbow Room in the 80's and early 90's for some pretty cool local acts. Is it still there?

3) What was the name of the "biker bar" across, and just up the street from Ramada, same block as Terrel Plaza (I think). I remember stone wall street side. Played a few gigs there with one of my old bands in the late 80's.

4) I thought that at one time, the old "Pegasus" horse was being restored, and re-set at that station @ Broadway and Austin Hwy.?

Originally Posted by borninSAstuckinGA

OK, looking at aerial map from Mapquest, I guess my memory has taken a SERIOUS vacation. I don't recognize a lot of landmarks from that area anymore. Is 7 Oaks the old Ramada? and wasn't there a small golf course next to it?

The Knave was in a small strip center at the corner of Austin Hwy and Rainbow. That club is now a bar called Rascal's. The Shakey's pizza parlor was located a few doors up the street from the Knave, and was actually still in business in the early days of the Knave. The Shakey's building is still there, but whatever it is now is not open to the general public. The property is kept maintained, and has a wrought iron fence around it.

I vaguely remember the Elbow Room. I think it was further down the road near Lanark. I'm not sure what's there now, but I don't think the Elbow Room name exists anymore.

The biker bar sounds like it would have been Lil' Sturgis. It's a tire shop now. Lil Sturgis was midway between Vandiver and Rainbow.

The pegasus was indeed restored a number of years ago after the Mobil station closed. The building was renovated and converted into retail space.

The Ramada was located just beyond Terrell Plaza, on the same side of the street. It still exists as a motel today, but it is no longer a Ramada. Sevenoaks closed around 1999 or 2000, and the former golf course, along with what was originally a drive-in movie theater, is now a Walmart store. The abandoned Sevenoaks was destroyed by something like a zillion-alarm fire around '03-'04, and a new apartment community was just completed on that property.

[borninSAstuckinGA]

TY for the update, ged. Li'l Sturgis is indeed the bar I was trying to think of. Amazing how time can fog the memory. (LOL)

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by ged_782

The Knave was in a small strip center at the corner of Austin Hwy and Rainbow. That club is now a bar called Rascal's. The Shakey's pizza parlor was located a few doors up the street from the Knave, and was actually still in business in the early days of the Knave. The Shakey's building is still there, but whatever it is now is not open to the general public. The property is kept maintained, and has a wrought iron fence around it.

I vaguely remember the Elbow Room. I think it was further down the road near Lanark. I'm not sure what's there now, but I don't think the Elbow Room name exists anymore.

The biker bar sounds like it would have been Lil' Sturgis. It's a tire shop now. Lil Sturgis was midway between Vandiver and Rainbow.

The pegasus was indeed restored a number of years ago after the Mobil station closed. The building was renovated and converted into retail space.

The Ramada was located just beyond Terrell Plaza, on the same side of the street. It still exists as a motel today, but it is no longer a Ramada. Sevenoaks closed around 1999 or 2000, and the former golf course, along with what was originally a drive-in movie theater, is now a Walmart store. The abandoned Sevenoaks was destroyed by something like a zillion-alarm fire around '03-'04, and a new apartment community was just completed on that property.

Anyone know when that Shakey's closed?

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by BudB

Here's the 1946 wedding reception foto I mentioned previously, taken inside the old Kit Kast Klub on Fredericksberg Rd. It must have been a pretty swank place once upon a time but this is the closest we'll ever get. Bud
Attachment 42981

I managed to find this article in the archives regarding this place. Definitely one I want to research more about now, it seems to have been open for a long long time.

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by satx56

Here's a satellite shot of Willow Way!! Also a photo I took today of the front gate.

Google Maps

These are awesome. You are the man. I'd rep you, but the system won't let me yet.

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by mytyeerinpie

yeah I was really sad when they tore down Earl Ables. Since I haven't been home in 3+ years, (military stationed in Germany) did they ever build whatever it was they were going to build there?

Well, its not completely gone. New owners, supposedly using the old recipe's re-opened it in a strip center on Austin Highway. Also, many of the former employees and waitresses work there, I hear. Oddly enough, I personally was never impressed with this place. A friend of mine once described it as a "Glorified Denny's" and I thought that was an apt description of it. Of course, I was in college and I had not developed the appreciation of San Antonio history that I have now. I guess you don't appreciate the past until you start losing some of your own.

As a mea culpa (I'm sure I am spelling that wrong) I did dig up a bit of history on the place. I'm sure wCat, BudB, and others may have known this, but I was completely shocked that this once was almost a national chain!!

"It was November 1933, when silent film organist Earl Abel opened his first ten-seat restaurant on Main Street. The Great Depression was in full swing and the onset of "talkies" left high paid entertainers jobless. Earl, who had once shared top billing with such celebrities as Rudy Vallee, Charlie Chaplin, and Bing Crosby, was forced to find a new way to support his family. Unable to find work in the theatre, even as an usher, he decided to travel the country in hopes of finding a job.


As fate would have it, he never left San Antonio. Instead, he took what money he'd saved, found a small house on Main Street, filled it with dime store plates and utensils, and opened for business. The rest is history—well, not quite.


The Great Depression was not the ideal time to start a business, especially when you're well known as an organist, not a restaurateur. In fact, the majority of the time, the small diner brought in less than fifty cents a day. That's when Earl realized he was going to have to make some changes and apply all of his skills as an entertainer.

As air conditioning was not yet wide-spread, his first act was to move the restaurant outside, better known as The Garden of Eatin'. There it was a cool 85°F compared to the indoor temperature of lOO°F. From there he put his showbiz skills to work. For every nickel beer he sold, he'd tell the customers a few jokes and in return he'd get a few more. Pretty soon he'd collected a large repertoire of jokes and stories, which attracted as many customers as the great food.

Times were still tough; however, and Earl was down to his last $100 dollars when Duncan Hines featured the small diner in his book "Adventures In Good Eating." That proved to be the turning point towards success. The restaurant expanded as its popularity grew, with Earl opening six other locations (even one in California). The advent of WWII caused severe labor shortages; however, forcing him to sell the other restaurants and concentrate solely on the Broadway location (built in 1940)

The original restaurant underwent many changes over the years, was eventually demolished in early 2006 and moved to its new location on Austin Highway. However, there are some things that never change. Evidence of Earl's humor can still be found on signs throughout the restaurant and his commitment to quality at an affordable price continues today with many of the same employees that had been with Earl Abel for many years."