Southside OKC Memories....anyone?

[Prunepicker]

You're thinking of Billie's Tastee Freeze. Ate many a meal there - especially remember their steak sandwiches.

Whoa! Yeah! Billie's Tastee Freez! No kidding! Since we practiced baseball across the street I spent mucho dinero there. When we won a home game we'd get treated to malts and shakes. She had 31 flavors :-)

[TeriOKC]

What year did you graduate?

[jon]

What year did you graduate?

I went to CHA from 1984-1996.

[mike7720]

I remember going to Arthur in the 50s Roosevelt in the 60s and then Grant. I remember playing in the woods along Independence Avenue. Mom worked every day and came home and cooked dinner for us every night. I remember when it was a big deal for us to get all dressed up when I was about 13 and Dad took us out to eat at Cattlemens. I wore dresses all the days I was in school, and I also walked to all of the schools I attended until I got rides in high school. I remember feeling deprived because mama cooked all our meals as a kid and now when I can find a recipe like one she cooked its like my most prized possession.

I remember getting my first job in the Sporting Goods department at TGY #411. John Robinett was my boss and HO Price was the store manager. I remember when I got there I knew nothing of guns and when I left I was managing the department and breaking down AR15s and putting them back together. With my first check I went to Sears on 44th and bought my first beautiful yellow wool suit with my own money. I remember mad at Mike because he liked to drag race his 66 SS and getting all dressed up with heels and dangly earings whenever he took me to the movies at the indoor theatres. Of course he liked the drive ins best. I remember when we hired the Round Table bar for our senior DECA party and how cool it was.

Ah.. to have my whole life ahead of me again... or maybe just go back for one more day..

which Mike are you referring to and what color was the SS 66 Chevelle????

[fire121]

Anyone remember Spartan Atlantic Department Store at SW 29 and May where Grider's is now? There used to be a restaurant at SW 74 and Penn where Hooters is now, that was some type of circus theme with huge flag poles I can't remember the name but it burned at some point and then became Teddy's or Larry's?? all the employees wore t-shirts with funny slogans?? Of course later during the oil boom it was a strip bar but I can't remember the name of that one either.

[Prunepicker]

... There used to be a restaurant at SW 74 and Penn where Hooters is now, that was some type of circus theme...

That was Circus Circus. It was originally a Howard Johnson restaurant @1966

[SoonerDave]

That was Circus Circus. It was originally a Howard Johnson restaurant @1966

Close, but not quite.

It was "Circus Time Family Restaurant," which was a regular haunt of my family when I was a kid. The building exterior was literally built and designed to look like a fanciful circus tent, right town to the simulated tentpole roof and illuminated carousel-style decoration on the top of the sign.

It was incredibly cool to have the phone at the table where you placed your order, and I was heartbroken when it burned down in the late 70's IIRC. The site was abandoned for years, later rehabilitated, and the building reopened as an infamous "gentlemans" club before it went out of business, then was torn down and a Shoney's built on the site. After Shoney's failed, Hooters took over, and the rest is history.

-Dave

[Prunepicker]

Close, but not quite.
It was "Circus Time Family Restaurant,"

Hah, Circus Circus is or was a Las Vegas place. Ooops.

[SOONER8693]

SooverDave, that "gentlemans" club you reference was Vixens. That was the best club of it's type OKC has ever had or likely see again.

[Martin]

ha! i also happen to remember that the "gentlemen's" club was called vixens... though i was younger than five years old around the time it existed and the only reason it sticks in my head is because i thought it had something to do with reindeer. :P

i understand that the target on sw 44th & western wasn't always a 'target'... anyone know what preceded it?

-M

[SoonerDave]

ha! i also happen to remember that the "gentlemen's" club was called vixens... though i was younger than five years old around the time it existed and the only reason it sticks in my head is because i thought it had something to do with reindeer. :P

i understand that the target on sw 44th & western wasn't always a 'target'... anyone know what preceded it?

-M

It was another department store known as "Arlans." It had a gas station and automotive service center at the west end, which Target took over and ran for several years before shuttering them both.

At the east end of the store was an Arlan's Grocery Store, which became a Humpty Dumpty store, then a Target Grocery Store, then nothing for some time until it became what is now the Ace Hardware store.

IIRC, Arlans went bankrupt as a chain, and Target (under the Dayton Stores name, I think) bought up several of the chain's properties.

During that time of the mid 70's, there were several "pre Walmart Walmart" type mass-merchandisers that came and went. "Trade Mart" was such a retailer in the space eventually occupied by Service Merchandise on SW 74th and Penn, and now occupied by Big Lots. There was also a local department store known as Kerr's that operated out of the old Reding shopping center that once lived across from Sears, NW from the Target site, but now serves as the Integris (nee South Community) parking lot.

As far as "Vixens" goes, it was an embarassment. Far as I'm concerned, "nice" and "gentleman's club" is an oxymoron...

[SOONER8693]

SoonerDave and classy must also be an oxymoron.

[crappiehead]

The swimming pool was called Elmwood; nice outside jukebox to watch the girlies do the "hand jive" to, hahahaha!!!!!!

[Martin]

can't remember if it was vixen's or if it was the spot that became hollie's near 84th & western where the owner installed hot tubs. maybe the definition of 'class' varies between people, but i don't find that too classy. i don't think it's much of a coincidence that those types of establishments exist primarily in the seedier parts of town.

soonerdave- wasn't the spot currently occupied by burlington coat factory on 74th & shields a trade mart? i was thinking it carried that name between the time it was brannum's and venture... but i may be wrong.

-M

[TeriOKC]

Ah! I forgot about Hollie's on Western becoming a "gentlemen's" (?) club. I remember going to Hollie's in the 80's when it was an oldies dance club. Never been a "clubber" and at that time, I don't think I'd yet had and "adult beverage" (that came at age 27). What I remember most is some "old guy" (I was 25, so he was in his early 40s probably) dancing over to me when I was sitting at a table with friends and wanting to dance. I thought I was going to throw up.

Also, a note about Arlan's - it was owned by Debbie Reynolds late husband, Harry Karl. I remember my mother taking me and my sisters to the opening. Debbie and Agnes Moorehead (Endora on "Bewitched") signing autographs...

[Prunepicker]

i understand that the target on sw 44th & western wasn't always a 'target'... anyone know what preceded it?-M

On the southeast corner of SW 44th & Western there was originally a store called Arlen's. It was a chain that didn't last long.

[SoonerDave]

can't remember if it was vixen's or if it was the spot that became hollie's near 84th & western where the owner installed hot tubs. maybe the definition of 'class' varies between people, but i don't find that too classy. i don't think it's much of a coincidence that those types of establishments exist primarily in the seedier parts of town.

soonerdave- wasn't the spot currently occupied by burlington coat factory on 74th & shields a trade mart? i was thinking it carried that name between the time it was brannum's and venture... but i may be wrong.

-M

No, it was actually a Woolco department store, and Venture took the space some years after Woolco went bankrupt.

In that time, that Shields shopping center was actually a pretty decent little area - there was a Safeway grocery store on the east end, an organ/piano store in the middle of the "interior" of the mall, and a few other odds and ends. Woolco, however, toward the end, became *really* nasty...I was amazed when Circuit City initially built over there several years ago...

-sd

[Bobby821]

There used to be a Bonanza steak house where Circuit city now sits, Bonanza was torn down.

[Martin]

yep... and after it was bonanza, i remember it being 'goldies' and then a home cooking restaurant called something like 'split peas' or 'black-eyed pea.' after that, it was dozed to make way for the now empty circuit city.

i don't remember the current burlington spot ever being woolco... not saying it wasn't, just don't remember it. i vaguely remember the 'mall' attached to the strip. it was situated in the inner corner of the "L" near where furr's is. i seem to remember there was a fountain as you walked in. the furr's entrance was accessed from within the 'mall' and was decorated in a heavy spanish motif and they had a piano for live entertainment.

-M

[sgt. pepper]

yes, there definitely a woolco at that location, my best friend used to work there. wasn't there a movie theater inside that mall next to the fountain before the mall was gutted and the theater got moved to the outside? i remeber the bonanza. we used to ride our bikes where the home depot is now.

[mike7720]

I remember going to Arthur in the 50s Roosevelt in the 60s and then Grant. I remember playing in the woods along Independence Avenue. Mom worked every day and came home and cooked dinner for us every night. I remember when it was a big deal for us to get all dressed up when I was about 13 and Dad took us out to eat at Cattlemens. I wore dresses all the days I was in school, and I also walked to all of the schools I attended until I got rides in high school. I remember feeling deprived because mama cooked all our meals as a kid and now when I can find a recipe like one she cooked its like my most prized possession.

I remember getting my first job in the Sporting Goods department at TGY #411. John Robinett was my boss and HO Price was the store manager. I remember when I got there I knew nothing of guns and when I left I was managing the department and breaking down AR15s and putting them back together. With my first check I went to Sears on 44th and bought my first beautiful yellow wool suit with my own money. I remember mad at Mike because he liked to drag race his 66 SS and getting all dressed up with heels and dangly earings whenever he took me to the movies at the indoor theatres. Of course he liked the drive ins best. I remember when we hired the Round Table bar for our senior DECA party and how cool it was.

Ah.. to have my whole life ahead of me again... or maybe just go back for one more day..

Angie - WHICH MIKE ARE YOU REFERRING TO?????????????????????????????

[angel27]

I'm thinking it is likely you! Have you seen the picture of the Tower Theatre floating around when it was playing Sand Pebbles? We were there! What a great movie that was. What wonderful times they were. What up you don't allow private messages?

[mike7720]

Have never used this program before and didn't realize there was private message useage!! I don't think I'm the same person you think. Just give me a last name or color of the car. I graduated in 65!!!!

[mike7720]

Give me a hint as to who you are...

[mike7720]

Didn't know I didn't allow private messages. New to this site. I don't believe I'm the person you or I thought. I never took anyone to see The Sand Pebbles at the Towers Theater!! Must have been someone else..