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

[Generals64]

Does anybody know the cross streets it is near? Is the bank a white building.

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Just east of Harvey ....the bank sits on an alley where they had a drive-in window...yes, it's (or was) a white building...TG&Y is right next door to the east...

[Prunepicker]

Anyone on this thread remember the TG&Y Store on 29/Agnew? One night
the store was broken into and instead of blowing the safe or picking the
combination the crooks tied a chain on to and jerked it through the outside
wall. You could see where they drug it down Agnew... Cuts and Scrapes Yee
Haw... Store probably didn't have 400.00 dollars in the safe...

There was only $117.34 in it. I mean that's what I heard! Where was the
store from the corner? NW SW NE SE? How far from the corner? Address?

[Generals64]

There was only $117.34 in it. I mean that's what I heard! Where was the
store from the corner? NW SW NE SE? How far from the corner? Address?

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Southeast Corner right next to (east) of Mac's Drug...29th/Agnew.....

[Prunepicker]

Southeast Corner right next to (east) of Mac's Drug... 29th/Agnew...

I don't suppose there are any rusty Renault parts in the alley? Part of a
bumper, rear windshield when the chain broke... so I hear...

[Generals64]

I don't suppose there are any rusty Renault parts in the alley? Part of a
bumper, rear windshield when the chain broke... so I hear...

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You would probably have been part of it except you would have been about 7 years old at the time...Maybe a Big Wheel????

[Prunepicker]

You would probably have been part of it except you would have been about 7
years old at the time...Maybe a Big Wheel?

Wow! I didn't know TG&Y had stores in the 20's. This is exciting!

[Generals64]

Wow! I didn't know TG&Y had stores in the 20's. This is exciting!

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Serious business now....History time....TG&Y started in 1936 and ended in 1986. Ray Young , Les Gosselin, Mr. Tomlinson...he died in 1938....

[papaOU]

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Love ya PapaOU...But, TG&Y's building is still there.....I think the adddress is 310 West Commerce....But, it is right next door to the Bank. A blood plasma donation place.....the old sign is still on the back of the building....The building that burned was something like a Mode O'day or some kind of ladies shop. As a matter fact, the name TG&Y is done in the entrance tile.....The tile is a Gray and Turquoise/white....

I stand corrected. Thanks.

[Prunepicker]

I stand corrected. Thanks.

Gen64 showed me the tile on the sidewalk that said TG&Y! Of course we'd
just eaten 'dogs at Coney Island. We may have been hallucinating. In fact
I know we were. I had this hallucination that this blond cheerleader from
S.E. was cruising Commerce by herself and asked us for directions...

I think I'm going to go eat a few more of those 'dogs

[Generals64]

I stand corrected. Thanks.

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I checked it out and that building was a CR Anthony Store in it's hey day....The one that burned....

[Generals64]

Gen64 showed me the tile on the sidewalk that said TG&Y! Of course we'd
just eaten 'dogs at Coney Island. We may have been hallucinating. In fact
I know we were. I had this hallucination that this blond cheerleader from
S.E. was cruising Commerce by herself and asked us for directions...

I think I'm going to go eat a few more of those 'dogs

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Yeah, the Chick with the Blue 1968 S.E. Corsage still on was completely lost wasn't she????And, true to form a Southeast Girl attempting to "Pick-up" two (notice two) grant boys....Things don't really change on the South side of OKC.....Huh Soonergirl????

[Redskins/General]

Gen/64 are you glad TG&Y is gone? If not, explain yourself and compare it to the low prices we have from Wal Mart and Sam's!! I actually have one main thing against them and that is they have destroyed the "Mom and Pop" stores in your small communities! But then again, I believe that's called "Progress." You have to admit, TG&Y was a weeeee bit on the pricy side, not exactly a "Five and Dime Store" right? Don't be prejudice just because you worked there either! Only Kidding!!

[Generals64]

Gen/64 are you glad TG&Y is gone? If not, explain yourself and compare it to the low prices we have from Wal Mart and Sam's!! I actually have one main thing against them and that is they have destroyed the "Mom and Pop" stores in your small communities! But then again, I believe that's called "Progress." You have to admit, TG&Y was a weeeee bit on the pricy side, not exactly a "Five and Dime Store" right? Don't be prejudice just because you worked there either! Only Kidding!!

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You know, Progress was a Beer made on the North side of OKC a long time ago....Yes, I miss TG&Y Variety Stores. Not the dollar type stores as we see today. I hope everyone reading these threads realize that we have had a jabbing war with each other for years...ALL IN JEST HOWEVER....Wal-Mart and Sam's:....Hmmm...Even Sam Walton agreed to the Family Center concept that was perfected by TG&Y....The other large chains started trying to make their on way of doing things and it caused the to go kapoot....Target Howeve attempted (successfully) to have a little beter class of clothing and items but, None of the big boys have yet to maintain the basic Variety Store mix in them. Sam was a Ben Franklin Franchisee and he understood the importance of the Merchandise Mix....Take the food onslaught by Wal-mart...Complete after thought....Their prices are not Really always the cheapest...Crest food beats them by a mile....Convenience and Greed is what they were and are after....Ray Young TG&Y....Specialized in what the people in the neighborhood needed....Not wanted.....He himself told me that we all want things but what did we really need????Do you really need a 60W light bulb for your lamp or do you want a 100W bulb just because it's cheaper????
If TG&Y had stay in the Variety store business they would probably be the largest chain of Stores in America right now. But, the people that let the demise of TG&Y, S.H. Kress, Ben Franklin, McCrory, McClellen & Green,Otasco, Woolworth's and every other True Variety Store is the Customer themselves.....Not being Harsh but, Wal-Mart etc. Tell exactly what we the consumer wants to hear.....Do you remember Agnew Hardware??? Up until the day they closed they had what you need...and at a price you could live with....And last but not least....Quality....I was called in to try and buy the inventory but it was too far intellectually over my head....I knew that a 12 oz....(that's right) was a better seller than a 16 oz. hammer.....But you need a 20 oz hammer to Frame and Lay roofs.....None of the big guys train their employees to be people friendly...don't take me wrong the customer is not always right....Except in their own mind......
Answer your Question...Yes I miss TG&Y as I knew it....Manly the Variety Stores....Most of the people reading these threads remember better times in the small stores...59th/Penn..59th/May..44/Shields...Capitol Hill:..29th/Agnew..29th Kentucky...44th and Walker...Reding...Moore...44th/May...Airline Shopping Center....By the way, there were of 50 stores in Okc at one time.....Come to one of the meetings and I will bore you to death about the long lost Story of TG&Y....Your store...

[Redskins/General]

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You know, Progress was a Beer made on the North side of OKC a long time ago....Yes, I miss TG&Y Variety Stores. Not the dollar type stores as we see today. I hope everyone reading these threads realize that we have had a jabbing war with each other for years...ALL IN JEST HOWEVER....Wal-Mart and Sam's:....Hmmm...Even Sam Walton agreed to the Family Center concept that was perfected by TG&Y....The other large chains started trying to make their on way of doing things and it caused the to go kapoot....Target Howeve attempted (successfully) to have a little beter class of clothing and items but, None of the big boys have yet to maintain the basic Variety Store mix in them. Sam was a Ben Franklin Franchisee and he understood the importance of the Merchandise Mix....Take the food onslaught by Wal-mart...Complete after thought....Their prices are not Really always the cheapest...Crest food beats them by a mile....Convenience and Greed is what they were and are after....Ray Young TG&Y....Specialized in what the people in the neighborhood needed....Not wanted.....He himself told me that we all want things but what did we really need????Do you really need a 60W light bulb for your lamp or do you want a 100W bulb just because it's cheaper????
If TG&Y had stay in the Variety store business they would probably be the largest chain of Stores in America right now. But, the people that let the demise of TG&Y, S.H. Kress, Ben Franklin, McCrory, McClellen & Green,Otasco, Woolworth's and every other True Variety Store is the Customer themselves.....Not being Harsh but, Wal-Mart etc. Tell exactly what we the consumer wants to hear.....Do you remember Agnew Hardware??? Up until the day they closed they had what you need...and at a price you could live with....And last but not least....Quality....I was called in to try and buy the inventory but it was too far intellectually over my head....I knew that a 12 oz....(that's right) was a better seller than a 16 oz. hammer.....But you need a 20 oz hammer to Frame and Lay roofs.....None of the big guys train their employees to be people friendly...don't take me wrong the customer is not always right....Except in their own mind......
Answer your Question...Yes I miss TG&Y as I knew it....Manly the Variety Stores....Most of the people reading these threads remember better times in the small stores...59th/Penn..59th/May..44/Shields...Capitol Hill:..29th/Agnew..29th Kentucky...44th and Walker...Reding...Moore...44th/May...Airline Shopping Center....By the way, there were of 50 stores in Okc at one time.....Come to one of the meetings and I will bore you to death about the long lost Story of TG&Y....Your store...

So from that short little speech I take it that you would have preferred TG&Y to have stayed in business and Wal Mart to have never appeared? I won't voice an opinion on that one way or the other. I will say this though, you would not be where you are today financially if you hadn't went out on your own after the demise of TG&Y. Not to say that it was a good thing or a bad thing, just a fact. You were forced into self employment which you did well at it and still are I'm sure. I'm putting TG&Y to bed, good night and good day TG&Y, and Gen/64 says nite nite also!!!

[papaOU]

When you say "Mom and Pop" stores, I think of Brandt's Grocery and West-side Grocery. I had two Mom and Pops within one block of my home. If they didn't have go one extra block to Humpty Dumpty's. Keisperts (spelling?) was 5 blocks! Easy walking distance.
Talk about a locally owned store that took care of their customers, Burger Brothers. Best meat dept in town.

[CarltonsKeeper]

When you say "Mom and Pop" stores, I think of Brandt's Grocery and West-side Grocery. I had two Mom and Pops within one block of my home. If they didn't have go one extra block to Humpty Dumpty's. Keisperts (spelling?) was 5 blocks! Easy walking distance.
Talk about a locally owned store that took care of their customers, Burger Brothers. Best meat dept in town.

Lawrence Grocery, S.E. corner of S.W. 34th and Klein, the living room was a grocery store when I was growing up and living on 34th!! Now that's a "Mom and Pop" store wouldn't you say!! I drove by recently and it's just a house! Sold everything from Milk and soup to ground meat! You notice I did't say beef!! LOL Around the corner at 32nd and McKinley was Walsers Grocery, which has been gone for decades!! I think at one time it became Cinderella Cake Shop!! I must be OLD!!!!!

[firemedicbm]

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.

I don't remember the one at 59th and Penn. When did it go out?

[Generals64]

I don't remember the one at 59th and Penn. When did it go out?

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That store closed in the early eighties maybe late seventies....Was my favorite store to manage...I was probably the guy "Barking" at Frisky reading the comic books.....

[papaOU]

I don't remember the one at 59th and Penn. When did it go out?

If you can't remember the one at 59th and Penn. what makes you think it was ever there???????????????????

[MonkeyBiz6903]

For some reason the display of the album "Monkey's Headquarters". Sticks in my mind when I think of the Hillcrest Tg&y. 64' I bet you built that display.

[Generals64]

For some reason the display of the album "Monkey's Headquarters". Sticks in my mind when I think of the Hillcrest Tg&y. 64' I bet you built that display.

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I rest my case.....TG&Y still lives in the minds of most people that live in Oklahoma Right??????

[papaOU]

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I rest my case.....TG&Y still lives in the minds of most people that live in Oklahoma Right??????

Does in mine!! I dated a cashier.............

[Generals64]

Does in mine!! I dated a cashier.............

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you know, I dated a girl who became a cheerleader who became a Cashier at TG&Y who became a college student who became my wife and then became a teacher who is still my wife after 43 years...Yee-Haw...TG&Y Still lives....Right?????

[papaOU]

Because of this thread I seem to look more at the Dollar Store, Dollar General...........

Compared to TG&Y and S.H. Kress these new savings stores have almost nothing but junk. It goes to show what a throwaway society we have become.

I used to shop at Dollar General on limited occasions. Ladies read no further especially Southside Girl. I don't want to ruin the unstained image you have of me.

After work some of us went to "happy hour" in one bar or restaurant or another. If we decided to go out to some place afterwards in order to keep from going home, I would stop at Dollar General, purchase a $5 pair of jeans and a $3 shirt. In doing this I delayed the hell I was going to catch from my wife...............

At one time I lived a rough life!! Glad that crap was finished years ago.

[Generals64]

Because of this thread I seem to look more at the Dollar Store, Dollar General...........

Compared to TG&Y and S.H. Kress these new savings stores have almost nothing but junk. It goes to show what a throwaway society we have become.

I used to shop at Dollar General on limited occasions. Ladies read no further especially Southside Girl. I don't want to ruin the unstained image you have of me.

After work some of us went to "happy hour" in one bar or restaurant or another. If we decided to go out to some place afterwards in order to keep from going home, I would stop at Dollar General, purchase a $5 pair of jeans and a $3 shirt. In doing this I delayed the hell I was going to catch from my wife...............

At one time I lived a rough life!! Glad that crap was finished years ago.

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About right now, we would be building displays of inflatable rafts, receiving fertilizer and bedding plants...Remember putting B-B's in the Punch-O balls that we sold. good gosh they made a lot of noise and it's a wonder someone didn't get an eye put out when they would burst.....Huh Bulldog?????