Southside OKC Memories....anyone?

[Generals64]

You're still driving the peugot right?.......Peter Piper pizza parlor....

[Taxed But Not Represented]

I worked at the Spot (Black's Restaurant) in the early 70's. I remember Jewel Black and her husband. They were good hard working people and treated us kids pretty good. They had a daughter about my age that worked there too. I think that I was maybe 13 or 14 and made $1.00 hr, + tips. I quit there and went to work at A & W at 60th & S. Western for $1.10 hr. lol It seems that I remember that Mr. Black died in a tragic bridge collapse near Norman. The Black's lived near the Sears @ 44th & Western.

The Spot was Capitol Hill's hang out. It was owned by Thurman Black.

Prunepicker

[Taxed But Not Represented]

Wow, we must be close in age. I don't remember the family fun center at 74th & Penn but I cruised 59th both with my older brothers, then with my friends later while attending SEHS. I also carhopped at the A&W at 59th & Western. I didn't work at Golf Acres but spent a lot of time there and at Putt-Putt @ 74th & Western. I remember everything else you mention and also worked at El Rancho Sanchez next door to the Park Terrace. However I remember Der Dutchman being @ 39th & S. Penn where Braums is today. Actually I think Braum's was already there and Der Dutchman was behind it.

Family Fun Center @ SW 74 & Penn. I used to ride in the back of my brothers jacked up 68 Camaro cruising 59th and going there. I also grew up around 89th and Penn. Sacked groceries at Buchanans, car-hopped and cooked at A&W, but my first job was at Golf Acres SW 119. I spent many summer days riding bikes to the Southern Hills library at the shopping center with "The Big TG&Y". There was a "mean" lady there that did not like us hanging out in the toy section. I saw 101 Dalmations at the Park Terrace theater whatever year it came out.
Some of my favorites..............Zorros Tacos, Billies Tastee Freeze, Winchester Drive-In, Taco Bell next door to the "Y" on Penn, Der Dutchman on 240,..................

[Taxed But Not Represented]

I went to Jr. High at Jackson for a short time with one of the kids (David Salsman). I'm not sure but I think that he went to U.S. Grant. He was only 16 years old. Much of the area immediately south of 74th & Penn both on the east and west side of Penn was Southeast district. We gave a phony address (my dad's business @ 82nd & Shields) so that I could go to Southeast instead of being bussed to Douglass. I believe that the actual boundry back then and maybe even today between the OKC and Moore districts is/was 82nd street because I remember my dad saying if we were south of 82nd I could have went to Moore.

That is correct. Four or five of those kids murdered were Moore high students. In those days, there was no Westmoore yet, and everybody that lived south of I-240 went to Moore high.

[Taxed But Not Represented]

Park Terrace was much more modern but there were 3 theaters that I remember that predated it, all in Capitol Hill. The Redskin, The Yale and The Knob Hill were all much older and it also seems that there was one on 28th & S. Agnew which later became the site of Ronnie Kaye's "The Scene". I don't know what it was called as a theater though.

The "Twilight Zone" is a street called Carey Place, in the historic Gatewood residential district near OCU. The legend had it that the street was a center of devil worship in the 1930's, hence the wrought iron window bars with spears on theends. (yeah, right...) But, you know how urban legends go. I believe it was also called the "doll houses". It IS a strange looking street, just because a trolley car used to have a route down that street and it is VERY narrow. Yes, it does seem quite scary driving down the street at night with a car filled with screaming impressionable teens.

The Park Terrace Theatre was at SW 58th and Western. I remember when it opened - strobe lights, big opening. It was the first theatre to open southside - prior to that, we southsiders had to go north to see a decent movie. I think that the first movie to show there was some John Wayne western. I distinctly remember seeing Mary Poppins there. It was all red velvet and gilding.

The "mansion" was supposedly a large old home out by Lake Stanley Draper in which resided an old African American gentlemen who, as legend had it, would appear at the front door with a gun and shoot at anyone who drove up the long drive. You can imagine what the name of the mansion was in that era (unfortunately). The story was that he was crazy and had killed some people. Of course, I really don't know if it even existed. Everyone I ever talked to who went there got scared and turned back before driving up the drive. I really think it's an urban legend and there never was even a mansion there.

[Taxed But Not Represented]

It was a Woolco before it was Venture.

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

[Taxed But Not Represented]

Yes it was a Woolco and yes there was a twin theater in the mall. Does anyone remember the bumper cars, yes bumper cars that were in the southeast corner of the parking lot where the Bonanza, Goldie's Circuit City site is?

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.

[Taxed But Not Represented]

The Safeway later became Drugs for less as did the one at 59th & Penn when Safeway built the new stores at 44th & May and 59th & Walker. The 74th & Shields location is now Langston's western wear. Does anyone remember the giant slide behind (south) of Southwestern Plaza? My first 10 speed bike casme from Kiddie City. Stockton's was at 44th & High and later at 44th & Western (Redding) after Humpty Dumpty moved down to 36th & Western and later became an IGA. I have seen in previous post that Humpty was next to Arlen's but I don't remember that and we lived just east of Western on S.Olie near 50th.

We used to go that Bonanza every once in a while. The Texas Toast was really good. Goldies was a restaurant chain that Barry Switzer was involved with several years ago. There was a Black Eyed Pea restaurant farther west on the south side of I-240 east of Penn, but it closed down several years ago and was taken over by Joe's Crab Shack. I don't know how well Joe's is doing these days, because my wife - who loves seafood - doesn't even like to go there anymore.

The Shields mall was attached to the Burlington building as recently as a few years ago. That theater became a horrible spot for drug dealers and thugs....I've heard stories from people who were in there watching a movie when the place would get raided by cops. Yikes.

There was a discount/consignment store adjacent to the theater, and after it went out, they just ripped it down and broke the "L" of the mall.

The Safeway that used to be there was of a vintage back when you knew the butcher and could watch them package the beef; alas, those days are long gone.

I do not know this for a fact, but I believe there may have been an intent eons ago to have that Shields mall simulate in some way what used to be known as (and I guess it still is) French Market Mall on NW 63rd and Western.

That reminds me of another long-time strip-mall in S. OKC that is still very much alive - at SW 59th and Western. On the NW corner is what used to be Southwestern Bank (I think it is now something like First United), and they used to have a contest to predict what time/day in the summer it would hit 100 degrees first. They had a time/temp sign when those were unique.

That mall, "Southwestern Plaza" also had one of the coolest toy stores around, called "Kiddie City." They had all kinds of games and toys...just one space over from a photography studio, Zales, Stockton's (I think), another Safeway, McDonald's Drug, OTASCO, a Merle Norman cosmetics store, Radio Shack, a small TG&Y, and Kips Big Boy Restaurant at the far southwest end. There was also a cool self-service US postal service island in the parking lot, where you could drop off parcels, buy stamps, or just drop off mail. The mall was just adjacent to a placed called "Car Wash City...." My grandmother lived the bulk of her life in a neighborhood just north of that mall. Sadly, that area is deteriorating, too....Southwood Baptist Church moved, and the building was sold/torn down, and now there's a pathetic used car lot there with a trailer as sales office...really, really ugly.

[Taxed But Not Represented]

I remember Capitol Hill Ice Cream! They had cars that came through my neighborhood selling ice cream too!

The donut shop on 59th and Penn. is Geralds. He started out on the N.W. corner of S.W. 59th and Penn. Then they moved across the street to the shopping center, next door(maybe 2 or 3) to Dodsons. Later he moved again to the current locaton on the west side of Penn between 59th and 55th.

The Alamo Courts Motel was ( is?) on the S.E. corner of S.W. 44th and Rob. I grew up with a guy who lived there, his parents owned it.

How about Capitol Hill ice cream on the South side of S.W. 29th between Rob. and Harvey, you guys remember that?

[Taxed But Not Represented]

I'm pretty sure that Alamo Courts was on the northwest corner of 44th & Rob. The Alamo Restaurant was next door to the north in a building that the last I saw was still standing and was a Crossland's Rental. I remember eating fried chicken there and at the age of probably 4 or 5 years old saw the first black person that I had ever seen working there.

O.K. you are right about the Alamo Courts. But, there was a Motel on the N.W. corner of 44th and Robison...Was deemed a bad mess and bulldozed down. The corner is still level. Was a major Brothel in South OKC. Do you remember Jesse's?

2. Kaiser's on 10th (N.W.) and Walker had the same GREAT ICE CREAM. My wife's father was a refrigeration man and I would go with him on calls all the ice cream you wanted when the cooler's "down".

[Taxed But Not Represented]

#1 I loved the Capitol Hill department stores.
#2 The soda fountain at Sheen's
#5 That tou was called the Wheel-o.
#6 Those clackers wound up hanging from power lines all over the place.

ok here is some I vaguely remember.
1.JOHN A BROWN loved the futuristic escalator...I have one of there signs.
2.SHEEN
3.OTASCO on 29th with the awesum christmas catalogues
4.YARD DARTS absoloutly awesum cat chasers oops
5.WHAMMO toy that was a double bar with spinning wheel in middle went around the wire and back with a handle you made it roll with.
6. CLACKERS....NUFF SAID
7.finally CONEY ISLAND IN ORIGINAL SPOT ON 25TH

[Taxed But Not Represented]

i don't remember a dairy there. I remember a meat company but can't remember the name of it.

What was the name, if any, of the private dairy that was on SW (or SE) 59th? I'm thinking it was near Walker.

[Taxed But Not Represented]

#2 LeeMac TV. One of the guys was named McKillups (sp) I believe. I also think that the late Paul Newsom was married to one of their daughters at one time. My wife and I bought our first TV there after we were married.
#3 Kiespert's had the best meat in town according to my parents

ok here is some for you guys

1.ed cox tv and appliance..does anyone know where ed cox is now?
2.the 2 guys that had the appliace store on about 22nd south western, one guy would cut the other guys tie off.
3.Kiesperts grocery on western
4.majic cleaners and laundry on 25th and kentucky
5.boomer body shop 25th and kentucky
6. the old store at the curve on kentucky by the city dept. dangit cant remember the name dadgonit!!

[Taxed But Not Represented]

Wasn't the pancake house called Girlies?

O.K., Pizza Planet was where we we went in the 60's if we couldn't afford Sussy's.
Pharmacy (Almonte):...What about Jones Pharm. on 59/Penn
Humpty Dumpty was on 44th/Western:..Safeway on Penn (Grant Square).
Catfish Cabin:..O.K., it was a Pancake House, a Steakhouse, Chinese Place, Hamburger Joint, Sandwich/Grille....
Miss Lavon's on Penn:.....How about Jean's on Penn (oh, you weren't born then)..See Ya next time...And Saturday.........I have a Fanner 50 remember those?

[Taxed But Not Represented]

Aren't you thinking of Brock Creek? Lightning creek is farther east?

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44th/Penn the name of the center is Grant Square. What was the name of the Variety store that was in that center? Jewel Box Florist started in that center. Mrs. Nettle (her son Fred graduated in '64) started the florist shop there.
Next door there was a hamburger Grille there that in the 8th Grade all the kids used to go there since no one had car we could walk to there."GREASE PIT."
If you were short a nickle or dime Mrs. Nettle was the banker...she always came through.
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When I was in the5th-9th Grade we used to play in Lightning creek...When there was a big rain, we would jump off the bridge at 44th/Drexel and ride the current to 51/Independence......I'd beat my kids to death if I caught them doing that:.....but, that was what my Dad always said....Never caught us. When it would snow, you guys surely remember when it snowed so hard in OKC, we would ride an old rocking chair down the embankment and would bust ourselves in the face when the chair flipped over:.....thought that was fun?...... Duh .......

Do any of you remember the old Agnew Hardware? He had anything you could need there and it wasn't so very long ago that it closed. How about riding old car hoods on the ice behind a car? you used to learn how to duck though when the car stopped......That was like playing with a loaded gun.....I don't know what were thinking............we weren't we were kids making do with nothing

[Taxed But Not Represented]

1A Downtown Golf Center, it was directly accross the street from Downtown Airpark.

1A. Pitch and Putt? It had a 9 hole par 3, too. We played there several times.
1. No idea at the moment.
3 What's a library?
5. N.W. 10th & Council? House of Kawasaki.

[Taxed But Not Represented]

I lived just west of 26th & Penn from the time I was about 7 until I was 16 years old and went to Columbus elementery in 2nd and 5th grades. I did a lot of bike riding on 25th and I not only remember strips of exposed bricks along 25th, I also remember places where you could see the old street car tracks exposed. This was probably 1968-1977.

Does anyone on this thread remember when S.W.25th was all brick? I took this picture in the 500 block.[ATTACH]
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[ljbab728]

Park Terrace was much more modern but there were 3 theaters that I remember that predated it, all in Capitol Hill. The Redskin, The Yale and The Knob Hill were all much older and it also seems that there was one on 28th & S. Agnew which later became the site of Ronnie Kaye's "The Scene". I don't know what it was called as a theater though.

I went to the theater on Agnew quite often when I was young and the best I remember is that it was just called The Agnew.

[Taxed But Not Represented]

I think that you're right. I don't know why I can remember so much about my grandmother's neighborhood (she lived on 26th just east of Agnew) but don't have much memories of the theater, just that it was there. Maybe it was already the Scene when I was little. I can remember the little restaurant (Geno's), the Dairy Queen, the skating rink, the hardware store, the Gulf station, Southwest Electric all that stuff but not much about the theater for some reason.

I went to the theater on Agnew quite often when I was young and the best I remember is that it was just called The Agnew.

[SoonerGirl26]

I went to the theater on Agnew quite often when I was young and the best I remember is that it was just called The Agnew.

You are right, I copied this off the Cinema Treasures website......

"The Agnew Theater was opened 1945 and was operated by Griffith Theatres. The exterior is dominated by a tall pylon-like tower, faced in porcelain enamel, with the theatre name vertically placed. The 1,000 seats in the auditorium were all on a single floor.

The Agnew Theater was closed in 1958 and in later years became a restaurant."

~~~

[Generals64]

You are right, I copied this off the Cinema Treasures website......

"The Agnew Theater was opened 1945 and was operated by Griffith Theatres. The exterior is dominated by a tall pylon-like tower, faced in porcelain enamel, with the theatre name vertically placed. The 1,000 seats in the auditorium were all on a single floor.

The Agnew Theater was closed in 1958 and in later years became a restaurant."

~~~

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All right Kiddo:....I remember the Agnew Theater very well, the theater was being remodeled in about '58 (as printed) and just before a reopening it was vandalized so bad that the owners just hung it up. This was to have been the nicest southside theater in OKC. The Knob Hill in Capitol Hill kinda took that title after that. The building sat vacant for quite some time however then, The Scene came about and the rest is history. I remember skating at the Agnew Skating Rink....(Carpet store now) and at the Dairy Freeze that was between the theater and the Skating rink. I think it's a taco stand now. I remember Agnew Hardware even to not not long ago. They always had what you wanted as well as what you needed.....The auction on that store was Sad....Ellen's Grille was just north of the Theater....I havae gone up and down Agnew so many times in my life....Cattlemen's Restaurant is still one of my favorite places....The old Agnew Rexall Drug Store and don't forget Tener's was across the street....Hats, boots and Gloves.....that was all they sold. Ray Tener and my Grandfather were friends from way back....two true horse traders......

[SoonerGirl26]

The old Agnew Rexall Drug Store and don't forget Tener's was across the street....Hats, boots and Gloves.....that was all they sold. Ray Tener and my Grandfather were friends from way back....two true horse traders......

So that's how you became a horse trader.... you come by it naturally!!!

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[Generals64]

So that's how you became a horse trader.... you come by it naturally!!!

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Yeah:...kinda sorta....Ray Tener was a tough old man....My Grandfather was a real tough old man...ever been hit with a Lariat rope?....leaves a lasting memory to NEVER do what you did again.....

[papaOU]

So that's how you became a horse trader.... you come by it naturally!!!

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It's easy when you are a real horses ass!!

[Generals64]

Hello my friend. I've been throwing the bait all day I guess you were still dreaming about OU ??????