T.G.&Y. Stores:Gone but not forgotten

[Generals64]

Yep, there was always a rumor of a "gentleman's agreement" between Sam Walton and the TG&Y guys about competing in parts of Oklahoma. I don't really remember seeing any Wal-Mart stores around central Oklahoma until AFTER the sale to HFC and the subsequent Wal-Mart expansion after they went to McCrory's.

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The agreement was that TG&Y wouldn't come into the Bentonvile/NW part of Arkansas and Wal-Mart would stay out of the OKC area. Sam didn't consider Guthrie being in the OKC area. Sam was still a franchise holder form Ben Franklin at the time and the Lease on the new Store came up. Carl Meadors turned down the lease and Sam immediately pick up the option.....Hence Forth Wal-Mart...Guthrie, Oklahoma. Numbers, dates and names are a bit off. HFC bought and owned TG&Y in the middle to late sixties. They purchased the chain from Butler Brothers who had purchased it from the originators of TG&Y...or at least that's what Mr. Young told me.
McCrory's tried to run a Midwest company like a North East company. If you were careful you would see an extreme amount of Generic merchandise and imported goods in the McCrory era. Though TG&Y imported quite a few items they tried to offer the best item at the best price. There was a time that TG&Y tried to upgrade their image....AIM Stores.....That was a "Bust" and there were many dollars spent where they shouldn't have been...But, this is history and though it hurts a TG&Y Guy to remember those times I still have many more fond memories than I do Bad ones......DON'T YOU????

[bluedogok]

I remember the AIM attempt, I quit going after the McCrory's change. I could see the difference.

[angel27]

General was it Mr. Hogle..? that used to be the buyer for Sporting Goods? Remember when he got PO'd when I showed up at the conference in Houston and they recognized me - a peon sales clerk - as a TGY rep? I was making TGY headquarter sales calls for the Food Broker I worked for in the early to mid 80's. I remember running into him then and I think I made some sales pitches to him. I was calling on whomever was the candy buyer at that time.

[Generals64]

General was it Mr. Hogle..? that used to be the buyer for Sporting Goods? Remember when he got PO'd when I showed up at the conference in Houston and they recognized me - a peon sales clerk - as a TGY rep? I was making TGY headquarter sales calls for the Food Broker I worked for in the early to mid 80's. I remember running into him then and I think I made some sales pitches to him. I was calling on whomever was the candy buyer at that time.

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Mr. Hogle was the sporting goods buyer after Roy Kay moved to Lubbock, Texas. You know, I didn't know you were calling on TG&Y with a Food Broker. From 1983-1986 I was the assistant Candy buyer and worked the Check Stand Programs for ever. You know, at the time of TG&Y's demise even Mr. Young was wanting to try and rally the troops. The company was on a profit rebound when the thing collapsed. I remember so many "Fun" things we did as employees of TG&Y. And, I do remember the Yellow suit and Beige shoes you wore after your first check....You were soooo easy to tease though....Miss those times don't you?

[Generals64]

General was it Mr. Hogle..? that used to be the buyer for Sporting Goods? Remember when he got PO'd when I showed up at the conference in Houston and they recognized me - a peon sales clerk - as a TGY rep? I was making TGY headquarter sales calls for the Food Broker I worked for in the early to mid 80's. I remember running into him then and I think I made some sales pitches to him. I was calling on whomever was the candy buyer at that time.

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Thw buyer at that time was Charlie Jones or Tom Carroll....Charlie quit...went to the oil fields and was killed inan accident. Tom lives in California and the last I heard, he was working for Victory Wholesale as a diverting buyer.

[Generals64]

I had time to kill today and I began to think about this thread. Can you imagine the amount of people in the Greater OKC area that either worked for TG&Y or had relatives that worked there? Also, how many youngsters borrowed merchandise from TG&Y. The older people that read this thread how many of you got your Christmas presents from Dear Old (TG&Y) Santa Claus? I remember one time I was told to play Santa (did not want to). I put on the costume did the HO-Ho-HO thing. first kid came up said "You're Not Santa" "what did you do with him"? Then he kicked me so hard in the shin I could hardly walk...Took off the suit told the manager I wasn't going to do it.....That was the end...However, the manager was still laughing the next day. We always had a good time at work.......Still miss TG&Y.....Don't You?

[FRISKY]

We used to put on boxing gloves and have boxing matches in the storeroom after the store closed. We also used to have "foam" fights with the cans of spray, carpet cleaner foam soap we used to clean the floors with.

[Generals64]

We used to put on boxing gloves and have boxing matches in the storeroom after the store closed. We also used to have "foam" fights with the cans of spray, carpet cleaner foam soap we used to clean the floors with.

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So, you were the one....I've looking for you for years....you still have amess to clean up.....I remember the Midnight sales we used to have. Every one would wear their Pajamas etc. over their work clothes...A new Girl (foxy) didn't understand that se was to wear her regular clothes under her Baby Doll p.j.'s.
Whew>.....

[angel27]

We were supposed to wear .. clothes .. under our jammies..? I don't remember anyone doing that .. ! I can see for babydolls maybe, tho. Member when we had cowboy days or whatever they were. Didn't we have Tom Mix there one year. I remember Robinette slinging a gun that day.

[Generals64]

We were supposed to wear .. clothes .. under our jammies..? I don't remember anyone doing that .. ! I can see for babydolls maybe, tho. Member when we had cowboy days or whatever they were. Didn't we have Tom Mix there one year. I remember Robinette slinging a gun that day.

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Now, were you the one with nothing under your P.J.'s (Baby dolls)?...We had Tim Holt...Tim worked for KLPR and was a former "B" rated Western Star in the thirties and forties.......Robinette:............what a guy....Really do miss him.....

[FRISKY]

So, you were the one....I've looking for you for years....you still have a mess to clean up...

Ha-ha, yep... Sometimes it would take an hour to clean up the mess from two minutes of fun.

[Big LJ]

I worked for TG&Y From 1968 until Feb 1985. My last position was General Manager of a 60,000 foot Family Center "the largest location in the New Orleans Area" I managed several New Orleans Stores over those years. It was a Good company to work with and My employees were very loyal to the Company. They felt that the store they worked at was "Their Personal Store." They trearted their customers as freinds and family and when someone came into the store it was like they were invited to their homes. Too bad todays big box retailers cannot duplicate the customer service that TG&Y had. :

[Generals64]

AHHHHH...now the Holidays begin. I remember in the days of the variety stores only there was always a display window in each store....The judges would be one of the upper management (Not store managers) and whoever got the prize would receive one day's pay. I always volunteered to do the window.
there would be some pretty good windows. I won a couple of times. Let's see 85cents an hour times an 8 hour day ....$ 6.80 prize money....a full tank of gas
(4.35) and enough for a coke and a hamburger......things and prices have changed a little since then ....right???

[jason_b]

I worked at TG&Y from 1982-1984. Made my way all the way up to assistant floor manager. Used to catch shop lifters. One guy stole five VTRs. Put them all in a shopping cart and walked right out the door.

During deer season, we had to move workers from fabric to sports just to fill out deer tags. This was at the Del City store, store 1001, 1401 Howard Drive. I used to work a full shift, which was open to close, take an hour for lunch and drive around town, like I owned the strip. It was fun until I figured out I was only making $4.50 an hour...

I quit that job to work at Sound Warehouse!

Gerald, at which Sound Warehouse did you work? I started at #1 (101) in 1989, then moved around to all the rest over a number of years.

Also, no one mentioned one of our regular TG&Y stores. There was one at 36th and Western, right in the middle of where Bruno's is now. I would go over there when my mom or grandma was grocery shopping at the Humpty Dumpty store next door. We hit the Shepherd Mall store pretty often also.

[phyllism]

I also worked at the big TG&Y on 74th & Penn, not long after the sirloin stockade murders. I remember people busting their butts on that hill in the store all the time!

[Generals64]

Gerald, at which Sound Warehouse did you work? I started at #1 (101) in 1989, then moved around to all the rest over a number of years.

Also, no one mentioned one of our regular TG&Y stores. There was one at 36th and Western, right in the middle of where Bruno's is now. I would go over there when my mom or grandma was grocery shopping at the Humpty Dumpty store next door. We hit the Shepherd Mall store pretty often also.

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Hey guy, that store at 35th/N.Western was one great training store. The volume and the size was one that quite a few good store managers came out of. I have a friend that when they closed the store down, he kept the BRASS T.G.&Y. sign. I have tried numerous times to buy it from him but, all I get is a "Yeah right".....That my friend was a trued TG&Y Variety Store. Still don't know why they changed the format....They were so successful.

[Generals64]

A question about their favorite TG&Y was raised not too long ago....


WHERE WAS YOUR FAVORITE T G & Y AND WHY????

[FRISKY]

59th and S. Penn because my friends and I would sit on the magazine rack and read comic books for hours. Every month we would read every comic book on the rack. This went on for two or three years. The store manager only said something to us a couple times about buying the comics.

[Generals64]

59th and S. Penn because my friends and I would sit on the magazine rack and read comic books for hours. Every month we would read every comic book on the rack. This went on for two or three years. The store manager only said something to us a couple times about buying the comics.

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That was Me bubba....You owe me big bucks for reading the magazines free. Did you guys have a good turkey day?

[ddavidson8]

I always went to the one at Britton and N. May. Unfortunately my mom would drag me to the C.R. Anthony's next door for clothes shopping. It was a give and take relationship.

[lil0kie]

All these bring back memories. My father worked for TG&Y for 33 yrs. He first was assigned to Guymon. After that he was in Fairview, Cherokee, Alva then back to Guymon. We later lived for a short time in Wichita KS then 10 yrs in Watonga. In 1968, he was transferred to OKC, where he worked in Warr Acres (where I now live). He worked at #1001 in Del City at 15th and Vickie.

I remember working holidays at #1001 sacking merchandise during Christmas. The manager of the Squire shoppe is now a State Rep.. Al Lindley. As a newlywed, I worked in the Deville store in Bethany for Mr. Doyle. Lot of great people worked for TG&Y. Some of them are like family. Several stay in touch with my parents and myself.

TG&Y stood for Thompson Gosselin and Young. I met Mr. R.A. Young in the mid 1960's at the grand re-opening of the Watonga store #14. That was one of his original stores.
Very nice man. I found out that day he was friends with my grandfather at Okla A&M and knew my grandmother back then too.

[Generals64]

Anthony's,....Send your sister
Humpty Dumpty:.....Mom could buy groceries
TG&Y........The young guys kept them all in order.......Models, Cars, Records,Model planes/Paint, plastic Army and Cowboy & Indian men.....We kept everything going right?.........Right?????

[lil0kie]

How about the toys that were available that we wish now we had saved?..For instance the plastic army men...1959 Barbie Dolls, Chatty Cathy, that old Radio Flyer Wagon or a Fanner 50? I found a Fanner 50 on the ground not long ago...still have it to.

One of my favorite toys bought at TG&Y was a Holland bike. It had 2 parts and was connected on a center bar by a knob. It was a perfect bike to put in our popup trailer that we took to Colorado each summer. Another favorite in our family was the TG&Y semitrailer truck. My brother had one as a child. A few years ago, I found one on ebay and gave it to my brother for Christmas. My dad was always taking pictures at the store. I will see if I can't get some of them scanned after getting them from my mother.

[lil0kie]

I worked at TG&Y from 1982-1984. Made my way all the way up to assistant floor manager. Used to catch shop lifters. One guy stole five VTRs. Put them all in a shopping cart and walked right out the door.

During deer season, we had to move workers from fabric to sports just to fill out deer tags. This was at the Del City store, store 1001, 1401 Howard Drive. I used to work a full shift, which was open to close, take an hour for lunch and drive around town, like I owned the strip. It was fun until I figured out I was only making $4.50 an hour...

I quit that job to work at Sound Warehouse!

My dad worked at the #1001 store. I will always remember that store number. That was our house number at Watonga growing up. Lot of nice people worked there. Was Mr. Pierce still the manager? I worked a few holidays sacking merchandise for customers.

[lil0kie]

A question about their favorite TG&Y was raised not too long ago....


WHERE WAS YOUR FAVORITE T G & Y AND WHY????

Watonga Store# 14- Probably because my dad was the manager there for 10 yrs and that is where I lived the first 10 yrs of my life. The employees in that store were like family. Some of them I'm still in touch with even 40 yrs after we've moved. Some of them even moved to OKC and worked in TG&Y stores here too. It also is a store that was expanded and Mr. R.A. Young came to the grand reopening. Mr. Young had me pulled out of school to cut the ribbon with him. I will never forget that day.