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

[SOUTHSIDE GIRL]

I have two boxes of the glass chirstmas ornaments. Last Christmas the box still had the T G & Y sticker on it.

[RealJimbo]

Been reading these posts while I work. I may know some of you old TG&Yers. I worked for them from Feb 1969 until we closed the HQ building in Sept 1986. My boss and I were the last 2 out of the building. More later.

[RealJimbo]

T.G.&Y. Store #37 was at NW 36th and Western. It is my understanding that for many years it was a primary training site as well as a test store. It was "my store", growing up in the area of University Heights grade school. While my folks were shopping for groceries in the Humpty Dumpty store, my sisters and I were spending our allowances in the T.G.&Y. Store. I know for a fact that this store had the first garden center for T.G.&Y. I remember many times being in the store when they had the doors open to the basement stock room. The doors were in the middle of an aisle and would be illegal nowadays because they would be considered too dangerous. You could have just fallen right into the basement if you weren't paying attention.

I was caught one time by the son of the store manager, shoplifting model car tires. He made me give them to him and promise never to do that again. I ended up working with him at T.G.&Y. HQ years later. Mentioned by someone else earlier, I too remember the smell and taste of freshly roasted spanish peanuts and cashews. Mmmmmm.

[papaOU]

T.G.&Y. Store #37 was at NW 36th and Western. It is my understanding that for many years it was a primary training site as well as a test store. It was "my store", growing up in the area of University Heights grade school. While my folks were shopping for groceries in the Humpty Dumpty store, my sisters and I were spending our allowances in the T.G.&Y. Store. I know for a fact that this store had the first garden center for T.G.&Y. I remember many times being in the store when they had the doors open to the basement stock room. The doors were in the middle of an aisle and would be illegal nowadays because they would be considered too dangerous. You could have just fallen right into the basement if you weren't paying attention.

I was caught one time by the son of the store manager, shoplifting model car tires. He made me give them to him and promise never to do that again. I ended up working with him at T.G.&Y. HQ years later. Mentioned by someone else earlier, I too remember the smell and taste of freshly roasted spanish peanuts and cashews. Mmmmmm.

I hope your recolections are right because '64 will call your hand and we will all hear a earfull.
Hey '64!! The TG&Y Bldg on the Hill is for sale..............

[RealJimbo]

Bring it on! I'm one of those hated north-siders. Forget that I was pretty much a "Britton Greezer". I grew up one of the ;poor kids at John Marshall H.S. and we looked at the kids from The Village and Nichols Hills as rich.
Anyway, I was happy to get work at the T.G.&Y. HQ office in 1969. That gave me a way to escape living on the southside temporarily.

[papaOU]

Was there a TG&Y in the shopping center on S.W.59th and Penn.? Was it still there when "Bud" had the "Big Red Shop" in the center?

[Generals64]

Was there a TG&Y in the shopping center on S.W.59th and Penn.? Was it still there when "Bud" had the "Big Red Shop" in the center?

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Fighting the FLU...man this is horrible. The store was next door to the Humpty Dumpty about mid way in the center. I was in Texas when "Bud" was there. I did (over the years) have to deal with Bud ........... could be a tremendous pain if he tried just a little. The store closed in the late 70's, early eighties and a ladies dress shop was there for a long time. Jim Kelley originally opened the store in the late fifties, early sixties....I managed the store in '68 - 71......Really like the store and the Job. I have always wondered what would happen if a developer with a "dead" center would go back and re-develop the old centers with the basic tenants...i.e. Drug Store, Grocery store (family owned) a true Variety store...ladies/men's apparel stores. a Dodson's type Cafeteria. I believe the consumer is NOW "tired" of all the "hype" and Glitz. they seem to just want NO turmoil and a simple place to do their daily shooping...Look at 59th/Western.HMMMMM

[papaOU]

When did Griders become a Mexican Buy For Less? I go by there regularly but just noticed the change Thursday.

[Generals64]

February. The owner of Buy for Less is doing exceptionally well in this market. He is a hard guy to deal with but is a good businessman....Mrs. Grider maintained her office I think.....

[RealJimbo]

Who else worked in the TG&Y HQ on this thread? When I went to work there in 1969 the men all had to wear white shirts and ties and the women all had to wear dresses or skirts.

[Generals64]

Who else worked in the TG&Y HQ on this thread? When I went to work there in 1969 the men all had to wear white shirts and ties and the women all had to wear dresses or skirts.

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Hey guy, I worked at the headquarters as well as in the stores;....Larry Shafer comes around the thread every now and then. you knew him I'm sure and you know me. By the way, Cal Warren was the last retail to work in the office....He used the old downstairs as his office over by the Southwest parking lot...If you are who I think you are....How about some Printing Presses?????

[Prunepicker]

Who else worked in the TG&Y HQ on this thread? When I went to work there
in 1969 the men all had to wear white shirts and ties and the women all had
to wear dresses or skirts.

I knew a girl who worked at the one just north of Bruno's on N.W 36th and N.
Western. It was @ 1972 and her name was Mary Ann. Maybe just Mary.
Long dark hair and very pretty.

[Generals64]

I knew a girl who worked at the one just north of Bruno's on N.W 36th and N.
Western. It was @ 1972 and her name was Mary Ann. Maybe just Mary.
Long dark hair and very pretty.

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Sam McCord was a "mighty"man in the year of '92 with George Pratt his partner and brother Billy too when he came back from North to Alaska....No gold?....see any whales???? are you really back in the lower states or are you just playing with us??? Did you report in to the mother-hood yet.? Oh yeah, Bruno's is now in the TG&Y building...That was a "dinky" but Successful store for TG&Y. If the finances were available there would be about 15 of the old locations that I would be willing to gamble on again and that store was one of them. Mr. Young always smiled if you asked about the Stores overall....But, if you asked about HIS Variety stores he would give you and earful....Glad you are back...now, I'm sick......Life goes on in the Nostalgia world...the pruner shows back up.....

[gen70]

The T.G.&Y. store at 74th & Penn. had a lunch counter or snack bar you might call it in the very back of the store. I remember they had a burgundy cherry ice cream that was awesome, best I ever had. Anyone know the brand name?

[Maybe Generals64 knows?]

[Generals64]

The T.G.&Y. store at 74th & Penn. had a lunch counter or snack bar you might call it in the very back of the store. I remember they had a burgundy cherry ice cream that was awesome, best I ever had. Anyone know the brand name?

[Maybe Generals64 knows?]

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if my memory serves me correctly, we got all of the ice Cream and dairy products needed from the Borden Route Salesman. I can remember the lady that ran the Snack Bar but I can't remember her name.

[gen70]

Thanks 64, I'll check around here and see if anyone carries Borden's.

[RealJimbo]

No printing presses now...but I had a career in printing even after the demise of T.G.&Y. Did you buy a press or two from the old T.G.&Y. shop?

[Generals64]

No printing presses now...but I had a career in printing even after the demise of T.G.&Y. Did you buy a press or two from the old T.G.&Y. shop?

__________________________________________________ _____________________
Yep, you're getting close. didn't we see each other at the Reunion?

[RealJimbo]

Yep. Now I know who I'm talking to. I'll never work with a better bunch of people than I got to know at TG&Y. We really were like family. The reunions are nice, but it would be nicer to get together more often.

I worked in the HQ my whole career. Once in about 1981 we had a water main break under the floor in the middle section of the office, "walnut row" we called it. You could hear the rumble under the floor for about 10 minutes before the water came blowing out from under the floor, mostly down in the Advertising Department. Fran Keller who had become more of a fixture than an employee by that time was dozing behind a newspaper (which she did most afternoons those days) and was awakened by the rumble and the roar. She usually moved at a snail's pace but grabbed her coat off the coat tree in her office, grabbed her purse in the same motion and was out the south door on her way to her car when the blowout occurred. I had never seen her move that fast in all the years I worked there.

Those of us who worked under Bill Johns who was in charge of building maintenance stayed all night cleaning up water that had been a foot deep down in the Adv. Dept. Wet pickup vaccuums, squeegees, mops, anything we could grab was employed that night to clean it up. What a mess!

By the way, I've been inviting Lawanza to the reunions every year but she won't come. You'd be interested to know that she works for Bags, Inc. where we once bought all our plastic shopping bags.

[Bulldog]

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Fighting the FLU...man this is horrible. The store was next door to the Humpty Dumpty about mid way in the center. I was in Texas when "Bud" was there. I did (over the years) have to deal with Bud ........... could be a tremendous pain if he tried just a little. The store closed in the late 70's, early eighties and a ladies dress shop was there for a long time. Jim Kelley originally opened the store in the late fifties, early sixties....I managed the store in '68 - 71......Really like the store and the Job. I have always wondered what would happen if a developer with a "dead" center would go back and re-develop the old centers with the basic tenants...i.e. Drug Store, Grocery store (family owned) a true Variety store...ladies/men's apparel stores. a Dodson's type Cafeteria. I believe the consumer is NOW "tired" of all the "hype" and Glitz. they seem to just want NO turmoil and a simple place to do their daily shooping...Look at 59th/Western.HMMMMM

Great memories....cannot let this one go Generals64 and you know why. I was there in 72 and early 73 and it was a great place to work. The idea on shopping centers is great also. I would much rather go into a small TG&Y like 59th & Penn for a roll of paper towels than WalMart.

Thanks for the memories and tell the Mrs. hello from me.

[Prunepicker]

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Southside OKC Memories
Get Together

Coit's Root Beer Drive-In
2500 S. Western

TOMORROW!
JULY 18, 1:30pm

Bring memories, memorabilia,
photos, yearbooks, etc...

[sansee]

i got my first barbie doll at TG&Y on sw 29th st next to humpty dumpty grocery store and my little colored easter chicks at the one on sw 44th and may

[Generals64]

i got my first barbie doll at TG&Y on sw 29th st next to humpty dumpty grocery store and my little colored easter chicks at the one on sw 44th and may

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My first Real job with TG&Y started at the store (Airline) on S.W. 29th....I remember putting the Barbie Dolls out on an end counter and they were in Small Boxes not the Plastic encasement like they are now. Easter Chicks....Yeah but how about the Rabbits and the Ducks and all the "Pop" they left behind and then people that got mad at us for having "Colored" Chicks.....Wonder how many of those ever really live very long????

[papaOU]

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My first Real job with TG&Y started at the store (Airline) on S.W. 29th....I remember putting the Barbie Dolls out on an end counter and they were in Small Boxes not the Plastic encasement like they are now. Easter Chicks....Yeah but how about the Rabbits and the Ducks and all the "Pop" they left behind and then people that got mad at us for having "Colored" Chicks.....Wonder how many of those ever really live very long????

Don't remember the Capitol Hill store having rabbits and ducks at Easter. Was that done at "select" stores?
Of course I remember Horn Seed Co. doing that. Seems the only time of year they put the animals out in the "front" part of the store.

[Prunepicker]

There was a kid on our block who raised some of those chicks from TG&Y!
They lived for quite a while. 3 years?