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

[RealJimbo]

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Yeah, but in '62 through about '74 we used yellow slips and counted everything in those stores.....Even the tropical Fish.....Had some die before the Supervisors came through to check the Inventory so I ran down to the Bait Shoppe and bought a Bunch of Minnows to cover the deaths.....it worked....

That's one "coverage" method I'd never heard of. Haha.

Ate lunch yesterday with Larry who supervised the mailroom at the time T.G.&Y. sold. Had a great time, like no time had passed. Great guy!

[papaOU]

That's one "coverage" method I'd never heard of. Haha.

Ate lunch yesterday with Larry who supervised the mailroom at the time T.G.&Y. sold. Had a great time, like no time had passed. Great guy!

Did you eat fish?

[Prunepicker]

Yeah, but in '62 through about '74 we used yellow slips and counted
everything in those stores... Even the tropical Fish... Had some die before the
Supervisors came through to check the Inventory so I ran down to the Bait
Shoppe and bought a Bunch of Minnows to cover the deaths... it worked...

Why don't I have a problem believing this. LOL! It's got the work of Gen64
all over it!

[RealJimbo]

Did you eat fish?

Nope - pork chops...

[papaOU]

Nope - pork chops...

poke chops.......

[Generals64]

This Ice and Snow reminds me of the "Wheel Call" put our by our Supervisor. We were to tell them how much of the De-Icer, Shovels, Ice Salt etc.....that way if we had too much we would HAVE to Transfer it to the larger stores......Yeah Right.....Sorry sir "I just sold out".....He knew I wasn't telling the truth but it wasn't my fault if those BIG GUYS didn't know how to order....Besides, you could "Barter" the big stores for things like Barbie Dolls and Fanner 50's etc.....They had to have the goods. Same way with tape during Christmas.....Funny how the BIG GUYS become your best friend when you are the only store in town with Golden T Tape and there was an ad coming on......

[Prunepicker]

This Ice and Snow reminds me of the "Wheel Call" put out by our
Supervisor. We were to tell them how much of the De-Icer, Shovels, Ice
Salt etc... that way if we had too much we would HAVE to Transfer it to
the larger stores... Yeah Right... Sorry sir "I just sold out"... He knew I
asn't telling the truth but it wasn't my fault if those BIG GUYS didn't know
how to order....Besides, you could "Barter" the big stores for things like
Barbie Dolls and Fanner 50's etc... They had to have the goods. Same way
with tape during Christmas...

Funny how the BIG GUYS become your best friend when you are the only
store in town with Golden T Tape and there was an ad coming on...

That's rich! There's nothing like a chart to let you know what you had...
yesterday! LOL! If it weren't for your genius business since TG&Y would
have gone to the wayside before 1970.

[LeftofEdmond]

I could probably map out the basic design of the Edmond TG&Y and where everything was...photo shop, sewing supplies, clothes the auto shop towards the back, and near the auto shop was my favorite, the record store! I probably still have a few LPs I bought there, still remember the first batch I bought with saved up allowance (Who's Next and Steve Miller Band)
I have very fond memories of the old Rainbow Records at 23rd and Classen in OKC but probably the favorites are the first few records I bought at TG&Y. There was a Humpty Dumpty next door, and Dennis Hixon's barbershop, Otasco, a flower and plant store and a pretty cool sporting goods store where I got my first real baseball glove.

[Generals64]

I could probably map out the basic design of the Edmond TG&Y and where everything was...photo shop, sewing supplies, clothes the auto shop towards the back, and near the auto shop was my favorite, the record store! I probably still have a few LPs I bought there, still remember the first batch I bought with saved up allowance (Who's Next and Steve Miller Band)
I have very fond memories of the old Rainbow Records at 23rd and Classen in OKC but probably the favorites are the first few records I bought at TG&Y. There was a Humpty Dumpty next door, and Dennis Hixon's barbershop, Otasco, a flower and plant store and a pretty cool sporting goods store where I got my first real baseball glove.

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Do you remember where the "Original" TG&Y was in Edmond????

[oneforone]

I noticed the old Burlington store has been setting empty for sometime. I am kind of wondering if this is because it is still in the split level TG&Y layout. It makes me wonder if that section of the building will be torn down.

[RealJimbo]

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Do you remember where the "Original" TG&Y was in Edmond????

On the East side of Broadway, near where Weathers TV is now.

[Generals64]

This was a time of the year that was "Disgusting" for TG&Y employees. The delivery guy would show up and here came the "colored" Easter Chicks....They would be Blue, Green, Yellow and Red....Then of course they would be continually pooping in the cage we would have hurriedly built and about the time we got them taken care of along came the Easter Bunnies....They would Stink and would "Bite" you real hard...... and some would accidentally bounce off the floor after the biting incident......Then, Saturday before Easter the chicks would have grown out of their color and they would be trying to "crow" and the bunnies had become docile (too many floor bouncing incidents) and who was going to take them home since Easter was over???????

[saildog]

This is my first post here and I was drawn in by this thread. I've enjoyed reading the posts and Generals64, I appreciate your wealth of knowledge. Thank You for sharing from your experiences!

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The only Wal-Mart in the central part of Oklahoma was in 1974 when Sam Walton (Wal-Mart) and Carl Meadors (Ben Franklin) bid on the store in Guthrie. I was working for Carl at the time and he just didn't want to take on that large a burden. Sam moved in and History began to be come the future. The only other store in oklahoma was in Claremore at the time....True Story.........

I grew up in Kingfisher. We had a TG&Y when I got there and Wal-Mart came in 1976.

Who would have thought that little town could literally and figuratively "give birth" to two of the largest retailers in my lifetime? (TG&Y was at the top when I was a kid...Wal-Mart was the upstart).

I personally heard Sam Walton express his attachment to the Kingfisher Wal-Mart and have a first hand account from my sister about Mr. Young telling her the Kingfisher TG&Y store held a "very special place" in his heart.

I don't know if these two men ever met or spoke to each other, but their respective chains have a definite connection in a little Oklahoma town.

[papaOU]

This is my first post here and I was drawn in by this thread. I've enjoyed reading the posts and Generals64, I appreciate your wealth of knowledge. Thank You for sharing from your experiences!



I grew up in Kingfisher. We had a TG&Y when I got there and Wal-Mart came in 1976.

Who would have thought that little town could literally and figuratively "give birth" to two of the largest retailers in my lifetime? (TG&Y was at the top when I was a kid...Wal-Mart was the upstart).

I personally heard Sam Walton express his attachment to the Kingfisher Wal-Mart and have a first hand account from my sister about Mr. Young telling her the Kingfisher TG&Y store held a "very special place" in his heart.

I don't know if these two men ever met or spoke to each other, but their respective chains have a definite connection in a little Oklahoma town.

If 64 has no clue............

He'll make it up.........

[gen70]

If 64 has no clue............

He'll make it up.........

he..he..

[Generals64]

This is my first post here and I was drawn in by this thread. I've enjoyed reading the posts and Generals64, I appreciate your wealth of knowledge. Thank You for sharing from your experiences!



I grew up in Kingfisher. We had a TG&Y when I got there and Wal-Mart came in 1976.

Who would have thought that little town could literally and figuratively "give birth" to two of the largest retailers in my lifetime? (TG&Y was at the top when I was a kid...Wal-Mart was the upstart).

I personally heard Sam Walton express his attachment to the Kingfisher Wal-Mart and have a first hand account from my sister about Mr. Young telling her the Kingfisher TG&Y store held a "very special place" in his heart.

I don't know if these two men ever met or spoke to each other, but their respective chains have a definite connection in a little Oklahoma town.

================================================== ========Yes, they knew each other quite well...(per R.A. Young) but, they were bitter rivals and both very good at their professions....

[Generals64]

he..he..

Hey, I thought you were on my side:....you of anyone knows I knew these guys....I'm Old remember.....Mr. young's book as well as Sam's book is intersting reading......You did your time with TG&Y.....About three months before Young passed away, he signed and gave me HIS copy o making a Merchant....See...

[gen70]

[QUOTE=Generals64;313788]Hey, I thought you were on my side:....you of anyone knows I knew these guys....I'm Old remember.....Mr. young's book as well as Sam's book is intersting reading......You did your time with TG&Y.....About three months before Young passed away, he signed and gave me HIS copy o making a Merchant....See...[/QUOTEI I am on your side 64.

[papaOU]

Hey, I thought you were on my side:....you of anyone knows I knew these guys....I'm Old remember.....Mr. young's book as well as Sam's book is intersting reading......You did your time with TG&Y.....About three months before Young passed away, he signed and gave me HIS copy o making a Merchant....See...

See!

Told ya he would make it up.....

[CarltonsKeeper]

See!

Told ya he would make it up.....

I believe the word is "embellish" ______ LMAO Don't shoot me 64, just couldn't resist!!

[RealJimbo]

TG&Y Reunion April 17. Check the FaceBook page for more info.

BTW - Gen64, I also have an autographed copy of The Making of a Merchant. Mr. Young, when he was in the office every day, told me he believed that the key to success in business was to always be in a job that was bigger than you were. He was a really great man and at the first reunion told how he felt responsible for the demise of TG&Y due to the fact that he went along with his original partners and sold to City Products.

[Generals64]

TG&Y Reunion April 17. Check the FaceBook page for more info.

BTW - Gen64, I also have an autographed copy of The Making of a Merchant. Mr. Young, when he was in the office every day, told me he believed that the key to success in business was to always be in a job that was bigger than you were. He was a really great man and at the first reunion told how he felt responsible for the demise of TG&Y due to the fact that he went along with his original partners and sold to City Products.

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told me the same thing. I was supposed to have gotten the name plate from his last office but the landlord backed up and wouldn't let me have it.....Mr. Young died not too long after he gave up his office.....

[bluedogok]

TG&Y Reunion April 17. Check the FaceBook page for more info.

BTW - Gen64, I also have an autographed copy of The Making of a Merchant. Mr. Young, when he was in the office every day, told me he believed that the key to success in business was to always be in a job that was bigger than you were. He was a really great man and at the first reunion told how he felt responsible for the demise of TG&Y due to the fact that he went along with his original partners and sold to City Products.

That's unfortunately something that the modern corporate business leaders do not seem to possess, a sense of ownership and responsibility for those in their employ. Most are nothing more that corporate mercenaries out to get the most they can before heading onto the next mission. I completely understand why guys like David Green prefer to remain privately owned. If I were in that type of position going public or selling to a public corporation would be the last thing that I would consider unless I was wanting to get out of the company.

[Prunepicker]

That's unfortunately something that the modern corporate business leaders
do not seem to possess, a sense of ownership and responsibility for those in
their employ.

And the same goes for employees. So many, if not most, have a 'you owe
me' attitude.

[Generals64]

And the same goes for employees. So many, if not most, have a 'you owe
me' attitude.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------Hey, I know we joke around with each and I enjoy it as much as anyone...But, I was there when TG&Y went down. I was in the VP's office when the president of the company walked in and told us they sold the company and they intended to liquidate. Literally took my breath away. My life as a kid was to work for TG&Y and live happily ever after. Never complained about the 60 plus work week...and neither did the other true employees.
But, one day someone hired someone from outside the company and let the CEO retire (RealJimbo knows who and what I mean) that was a long time TG&Y employee and the walls began to "Fall"....No one cared anymore (except those with long time ties)....I'll give you a good example....The outsiders hired a buyer and gave her full Command over the Ready to Wear for the company.....She was the beginner of the demise.....When the Higher ups realized the problem, they ran her off.....Damage had been done....I managed the store at 63rd/N.W. Highway....Right after this woman had be let go.....about a month into trying to get the store on its feet again (which I did) I was in the back room and looked up and saw a bunch of cardboard wrapped and nailed up.....If you know me for real (and some of you do) the curiosity got the best of me and I crawled up to see what was there....and, this woman had used that store to "Hide" (only word to use) some of her mistakes......There were 500 Blue ladies Blazers....Retail value each $59.99 each ..... some how they were NEVER inventoried..... too many outside game players......I still dream of owning small Variety stores like most of us used to know. You got a smile and you were waited on. You had what the customer Needed and then you also had (at a good price) what the customer wanted.........We all talk about the "smell" of Fresh Popcorn, Salted Peanuts, and TG&Y as well as Sears & Roebuck:...........SOME DAY.....Thanks for holding my soapbox.....Generals64............True TG&Y GUY....