Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Houston: nurse, clothing)

[outafocus]

I remember the Joy Theatre only as a porno theatre, but I know pwople that worked there when it ran popular movies. It had the most modern projection equipment of any single screen downtown theatre!

[Nix54]

Originally Posted by outafocus

I remember the Joy Theatre only as a porno theatre, but I know pwople that worked there when it ran popular movies. It had the most modern projection equipment of any single screen downtown theatre!

I'd go to the Joy theater on Saturdays in the middle 60's. No porno just 3rd run movies.

Nice simple older people worked there. I'd always sit in the front row. When Mom got off of work at Casa Ernesto Outlet store they would let her in to get me. Mom always knew where to find me.

I think the old metal Joy theater sign had a picture of a woman as a majorette marching. The neon lighting was long gone.

The cement floor sometimes would stick to your shoes because of many spilled sodas.

[BudB]

Originally Posted by Willsatx

Very sad about the families and the church moved out to make way for Hemisfair, but think it helped the city grow.

The main complaint about Hemisfair was the way it further cutoff the Eastside. With the S. Alamo entrance only traffic was limited and East Commerce St. businesses suffered.

"Nice front view of the Greyhound Terminal and the Bluebonnet."
Here's another old postcard of the old Greyhound which is still there but modernized.

"The Manhattan restaurant was next to the Majestic, not across from it."
Here's another postcard and that's my mom and grandmother passing in front of the Majestic with Manhattan's sign above the sidewalk. This is an old time sidewalk foto when guys with cameras hung out along busy downtown streets shooting passersby then selling them Real Photo Post Cards of themselves a day or two earlier. Great idea and there must be thousands of these fotos stored away across America and many more stashed in San Antonio closets, albums, and chests of drawers, etc.


Many thanx for all remembering SA's bustling downtown when it was still colorful, crowded and crazy with strip joints, bars, movie-houses, shirt shops, hat shops, shoe shine parlors and many other real people places. Them were the days even with all their blights, bums, bars, shoppers, Sisters, siblings, students, and lots of real San Antonians. Tourists are fine and good for the local economy but the tradeoff seems lopsided.

[Nix54]

Originally Posted by BudB

The main complaint about Hemisfair was the way it further cutoff the Eastside. With the S. Alamo entrance only traffic was limited and East Commerce St. businesses suffered.

"Nice front view of the Greyhound Terminal and the Bluebonnet."
Here's another old postcard of the old Greyhound which is still there but modernized.

"The Manhattan restaurant was next to the Majestic, not across from it."
Here's another postcard and that's my mom and grandmother passing in front of the Majestic with Manhattan's sign above the sidewalk. This is an old time sidewalk foto when guys with cameras hung out along busy downtown streets shooting passersby then selling them Real Photo Post Cards of themselves a day or two earlier. Great idea and there must be thousands of these fotos stored away across America and many more stashed in San Antonio closets, albums, and chests of drawers, etc.


Many thanx for all remembering SA's bustling downtown when it was still colorful, crowded and crazy with strip joints, bars, movie-houses, shirt shops, hat shops, shoe shine parlors and many other real people places. Them were the days even with all their blights, bums, bars, shoppers, Sisters, siblings, students, and lots of real San Antonians. Tourists are fine and good for the local economy but the tradeoff seems lopsided.

Downtown SA was wonderful in the 60's. No shopping malls yet and downtown was the place to shop.

Remember all those dark green metal litter boxes that were attached to the utility poles? They were placed by O. P. Schnabel an insurance agent determined to keep downtown clean.

The litter boxes read,"Be a Beauty Bug, not a Litter Bug."

On every major downtown intersection was a traffic policeman directing traffic with his whistle. You could tell a traffic police from a regular police. Traffic police wore white caps.

[BudB]

Originally Posted by satx56

Am I the only one to remember the "Chimp" downstairs in the basement of Neisner's!! Talk of the town in Early 60's anyhow.

One of the 5 &10s also had a talking Mina bird downstairs and it may have been Neisner's, Kresses or Woolworth's.
Here's another Manhattan card also a nice postcard of East Houston St. mid-'60s humming with activity.

[Nix54]

Originally Posted by BudB

One of the 5 &10s also had a talking Mina bird downstairs and it may have been Neisner's, Kresses or Woolworth's.
Here's another Manhattan card also a nice postcard of East Houston St. mid-'60s humming with activity.

I remember those swinging stainless steel art deco doors leading into the Manhattan.

Now that other postcard of downtown is the San Antonio I remember!

Always full of people!

At night downtown would twinkle with all the store signs. Not to mention the noise of crickets in the summer time.

[Nix54]

What kind of business does downtown San Antonio lack? And would it survive?

[HillCountryHotRodMan]

Joske's.

[Nix54]

Originally Posted by HillCountryHotRodMan

Joske's.

Not on that grand a scale.

Does anyone know what the vacant storefronts are renting for?

[gy2020]

Originally Posted by BudB

One of the 5 &10s also had a talking Mina bird downstairs and it may have been Neisner's, Kresses or Woolworth's.
Here's another Manhattan card also a nice postcard of East Houston St. mid-'60s humming with activity.

I like that marquee of the Majestic. I don't remember, but I don't think they are using it anymore. If not, they should find it or a nice replica of it.

In fact I'm sure they are not using it and they should. It would bring back many fine memories. And they should put the Texas marquee back too. They would bring back a lot of neon.

I like the cars in the pics. The thunderbird in front on Houston St. and the old 40's cars in front of the bus depot.