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

[Allan Beumann]

I'm certain that no one reading this thread has to be reminded, but for each and every holiday that went by, there were always huge posters and other point-of-sale material in the stores featuring a small cartoon boy and girl. For example, on Mother's Day they would be perhaps wrapping a baseball glove...for Halloween they'd be trying on scary masks. Their actual names were T.G. (the girl) and WiseGuy.

My father is the one who hand-drew and painted these pieces of artwork and I'm searching for anyone who might still have some of it, so that I could frame it and give it to him now that he is long since retired. If anyone has any they'd be willing to part with, please post here.

Thanks!

[rondvu]

I was at an estate sale in the 4100 block on NW 51st today and saw some small cans of Golden T paint. I bet we would be amazed what all lives on with the Golden T label.

[Generals64]

I'm certain that no one reading this thread has to be reminded, but for each and every holiday that went by, there were always huge posters and other point-of-sale material in the stores featuring a small cartoon boy and girl. For example, on Mother's Day they would be perhaps wrapping a baseball glove...for Halloween they'd be trying on scary masks. Their actual names were T.G. (the girl) and WiseGuy.

My father is the one who hand-drew and painted these pieces of artwork and I'm searching for anyone who might still have some of it, so that I could frame it and give it to him now that he is long since retired. If anyone has any they'd be willing to part with, please post here.

Thanks!

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Either Realjimbo, GoldenT63, or myself have a bunch of that stuff.....I know my wife has some of the "Back Room" Saftey posters, I'll get her to find you a couple of them...I know the little boy came before the little girl. I can remember them in the early 60's...they replace the TG&Y family and when Hue Weirsig started pushing the Golden T name, the two kids became quite frequent....

[Generals64]

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Either Realjimbo, GoldenT63, or myself have a bunch of that stuff.....I know my wife has some of the "Back Room" Saftey posters, I'll get her to find you a couple of them...I know the little boy came before the little girl. I can remember them in the early 60's...they replace the TG&Y family and when Hue Weirsig started pushing the Golden T name, the two kids became quite frequent....

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I got Mr. Young's book out and did a little research on how things happened and my memory got refreshed quite a bit. The names given to the two Kid Character's were (the little girl) Tee Gee (the little boy's) Y guys. The first large warehouse for Central Merchandise Co. was located at N.W. 8th and Broadway. The building is still there. There was a TG&Y Store located (before any of our time) on the ground Floor. In 1977 at the SOUTH SIDE STORE located on 74th/ S. Penn was where the $1 billion dollar mark in one years sales happened. It was on December 22nd, 1977 and the lady was getting her Christmas shopping done and her total bill was &84.83 and she was given the goods for $1.00....Notice it was A Southside Shopper.....She probably went to GRANT....

[papaOU]

t was on December 22nd, 1977 and the lady was getting her Christmas shopping done and her total bill was &84.83 and she was given the goods for $1.00....Notice it was A Southside Shopper.....She probably went to GRANT....

Her picture in the newspaper article shows her missing several "top teeth" In her purse they found a pint of "Rebel Yell" and a German Luger. She was the Secretary at U.S> Grant

[jmarkross]

I often went to the old downtown Norman T.G.&Y. on Main at Crawford in the 1950's...on Sat. am to buy freshly "roasted" (boiled in oil actually) cashews at 11am (35-cents got 8 oz--what a deal!)...to take to the University Theater next door (20-cents) to watch the Sat. double feature of atomic-mutant monster movies first-run...then afterwards I would buy a 5-cent balsa wood airplane and a tube of BB's...it was a very happy time in life...fly the plane all the way home then lay ambushes for everything I could later towards twilight...

[Deanna]

When I was a kid I would get my allowance on Saturdays. The kids in my block (we lived at 56th and Hammond) would all get on our bikes and ride up to the TG&Y at 50th and MacArthur and spend our allowance every weekend. It was a blast going into that place and just spending hours looking at all the neat things from toys to candy. We always came home with a bag full of stuff (even though I only got 50 cents a week). Man, you could get 5 pieces of bubble gum for a penny, all kinds of candy and toys and just gobs and gobs of "treasures". Those were the days, that's for sure.

[Generals64]

I often went to the old downtown Norman T.G.&Y. on Main at Crawford in the 1950's...on Sat. am to buy freshly "roasted" (boiled in oil actually) cashews at 11am (35-cents got 8 oz--what a deal!)...to take to the University Theater next door (20-cents) to watch the Sat. double feature of atomic-mutant monster movies first-run...then afterwards I would buy a 5-cent balsa wood airplane and a tube of BB's...it was a very happy time in life...fly the plane all the way home then lay ambushes for everything I could later towards twilight...

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when I first started working for TG&Y ( June 1962)...they still roasted the peanuts....I would work every other Saturday evening shift...But, (Tinnie Mae Andrews) the candy lady cooked on Saturday mornings...Fresh Peanuts/Cashews/Mixed nuts/ and Popcorn.....man, I'm getting hungry now... anyway, I made a deal with her, I would come in the Saturday mornings that I was normally off and help fill the candy bins, and get the peanuts out etc....Cleaning behind that "nasty" counter aisle was not much fun but, I got all the peanuts, popcorn and Candy I wanted.......Ah heaven...Still love peanuts and Cashews......the Peanut Clusters were tremendous when you opened the case...Had to try them and make sure they weren't bad for the customer you know.......reminds, I've got to go to the dentist next week....How about "Fresh" Orange Slices and Marshmallow peanuts....now I'm getting sick....from these memories I began to get my manly figure......Round is a shape right?????

[jmarkross]

For years...I tried to simulate TG&Y cashews by putting some oil on Planters from the can and putting them in the oven--all to no avail. No amount of experimentation could come close. But I would kill to have a double-walled greasy paper bag of those with me today...I could almost weep...

[Generals64]

For years...I tried to simulate TG&Y cashews by putting some oil on Planters from the can and putting them in the oven--all to no avail. No amount of experimentation could come close. But I would kill to have a double-walled greasy paper bag of those with me today...I could almost weep...

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All right, this is gonna cost ya.....go to a natural foods store. Buy some.......I'll send you a PM so you can get it right....

[Generals64]

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All right, this is gonna cost ya.....go to a natural foods store. Buy some.......I'll send you a PM so you can get it right....

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Well, jmarkross:............I tried it again and yep I was right.....I found it better to put the Vegetable oil in a small teflon pan, (not much oil)...lay the nuts (peanut or cashew) in there pan and just kinda shake the pan added POPCORN Salt. I then put the nuts out on a paper towel and let them cool down.....then the most important ingredient ...One bottle of Bud Light a my recliner......TG&Y lives again...just like the old days...my wife was sewing upstairs and came down asking what had I been cooking...She then noticed the small bowl of Cashews and I got to cook some more.....

[corpsman]

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Well, jmarkross:............I tried it again and yep I was right.....I found it better to put the Vegetable oil in a small teflon pan, (not much oil)...lay the nuts (peanut or cashew) in there pan and just kinda shake the pan added POPCORN Salt. I then put the nuts out on a paper towel and let them cool down.....then the most important ingredient ...One bottle of Bud Light a my recliner......TG&Y lives again...just like the old days...my wife was sewing upstairs and came down asking what had I been cooking...She then noticed the small bowl of Cashews and I got to cook some more.....

Have a daughter, who back in the day was close to being addicted to those cashews. I'll pass this on to her so she can relive a little of her past. Thanks, General! Maybe she can convince her teen-aged boys that this how it should be. Sans the Bud Lite, of course. That's for Mom and G'pa.

[Jethrol]

Aww...I loved TG&Y. Just scanned the thread but it brings back some great memories.

Thanks everyone for the stories and pics. Wish I had more time to read everything.

[jmarkross]

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Well, jmarkross:............I tried it again and yep I was right.....I found it better to put the Vegetable oil in a small teflon pan, (not much oil)...lay the nuts (peanut or cashew) in there pan and just kinda shake the pan added POPCORN Salt. I then put the nuts out on a paper towel and let them cool down.....then the most important ingredient ...One bottle of Bud Light a my recliner......TG&Y lives again...just like the old days...my wife was sewing upstairs and came down asking what had I been cooking...She then noticed the small bowl of Cashews and I got to cook some more.....

My thanks to the General...I shall try this soon. If that method simulates the smell of the old Norman TG&Y during "roasting"--I would be more than happy. Remember those Spanish red peanuts they cooked tons of on Saturday as well--but--the cashews came first--to make sure the peanuts got a kick up with some cashew flavor from the first round. Remember, as well, how little boys who were smart got to know the high school girls who worked the candy counter and flirted with them so they would always make sure that big scale needle would EXCEED the paid quantity when you got you nuts/candy. Glad I was alive during these times...

[Generals64]

My thanks to the General...I shall try this soon. If that method simulates the smell of the old Norman TG&Y during "roasting"--I would be more than happy. Remember those Spanish red peanuts they cooked tons of on Saturday as well--but--the cashews came first--to make sure the peanuts got a kick up with some cashew flavor from the first round. Remember, as well, how little boys who were smart got to know the high school girls who worked the candy counter and flirted with them so they would always make sure that big scale needle would EXCEED the paid quantity when you got you nuts/candy. Glad I was alive during these times...

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Can't you remember on Saturday morning heading to the theater (Chieftan for me) and you'd get 5 cents worth of Orange Slices, 5 cents marshmallow peanuts...and 10 cents worth of Fresh roasted Peanuts to take to the movie. I would have 50 cents....20 cents to get in, 10'cents for a LARGE COKE...and 20 cents for the TG& Y stash......I would then sell the Orange Slices for a nickle each during the movie ...Marshmallow peanuts 2/5 cents....and a handful of roasted peanuts in your coke for a dime...would watch the movie and then walk home with about 75 cents in my pocket.....a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do......

[papaOU]

The Spanish peanuts was something that Dad always purchase. As far as cashews, Sears was my favorite. Sorry Gen.

[jmarkross]

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Can't you remember on Saturday morning heading to the theater (Chieftan for me) and you'd get 5 cents worth of Orange Slices, 5 cents marshmallow peanuts...and 10 cents worth of Fresh roasted Peanuts to take to the movie. I would have 50 cents....20 cents to get in, 10'cents for a LARGE COKE...and 20 cents for the TG& Y stash......I would then sell the Orange Slices for a nickle each during the movie ...Marshmallow peanuts 2/5 cents....and a handful of roasted peanuts in your coke for a dime...would watch the movie and then walk home with about 75 cents in my pocket.....a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do......

Your M.O. sounds like mine in the 1950's...and 20-cents was the standard at the University Theater in Norman on Main. Once--I stepped outside of the box--and blew 39-cents on a whole pound box of Brach's chocolate covered cherries and ate the whole box with a big coke during two double feature monster movies...I always sat in the front row with the rest of the hard-core horror kids. Was marvelous...until I got home and after dinner, got sick as a dog and puked my guts up for a while. The next day...I still thought it was worth it all--the cherries lasted for a couple of hours, the upchucking was only maybe 30 minutes. To a kid--seemed like a fair trade.

[RealJimbo]

Gen64 - remember the guy who had been a co-manager at Edmond Plaza (Epperson?) buying a mobile steam-cleaning rig? He did a steam-cleaning job on the kitchen in the HQ cafeteria and set off the sprinkler system. Myself and an army of other people had to clean it up. We were in the process of getting new indoor/outdoor carpet in the cafeteria that day. We would have turned off the sprinklers except someone had chained and locked the valve open. When the firemen responded to the integrated alarm, one of them drove a wooden wedge into the sprinkler opening which at least slowed it down until someone arrived with a key to turn off the water.

[Soonerman]

Where was TG&Y in Norman located? I'm sure they had a couple stores there.

[jmarkross]

Where was TG&Y in Norman located? I'm sure they had a couple stores there.

The old original one in Norman was on the NW corner of Main St. and Crawford Ave....in what was--in the olden days--the central business district of Norman.

[Generals64]

The old original one in Norman was on the NW corner of Main St. and Crawford Ave....in what was--in the olden days--the central business district of Norman.

Norman was the location of the FIRST TG&Y Store...It was managed by C.A. Henderson (the first corporate store) who went on to be the first President not in the initialed name. There was another store further West on main and then one right across the street where the old hobby lobby was located....all three were definitely "Money makers"......i think there was one also at Campus corner area....

[jmarkross]

Norman was the location of the FIRST TG&Y Store...It was managed by C.A. Henderson (the first corporate store) who went on to be the first President not in the initialed name. There was another store further West on main and then one right across the street where the old hobby lobby was located....all three were definitely "Money makers"......i think there was one also at Campus corner area....

Yes--that is the one I grew up in...had a big office upstairs that overlooked the whole store...I could go down Peters Street in less than five minutes on my bike to get there--on a good day...bought lotsa BB's there...there was a F. W. Woolworth across the street back in the 1950's...

[Generals64]

Yes--that is the one I grew up in...had a big office upstairs that overlooked the whole store...I could go down Peters Street in less than five minutes on my bike to get there--on a good day...bought lotsa BB's there...there was a F. W. Woolworth across the street back in the 1950's...

yes, and somewhere along in there was a Kress store....I remember when we (TG&Y) opened the "big" store on west main....We kept the store you are talking about for a training store for a while but the one across the street from the new location was a bear in moving the merchandise. The Supervisor of the stores was name Vic Forrester and he wanted everything moved across the street. Lucky for me the departments I was working on were essential and they made me quit moving merchandise and finish my area. That was a Great Store...Opened in 1968.....have some real fond memories of that store....

[jmarkross]

yes, and somewhere along in there was a Kress store....I remember when we (TG&Y) opened the "big" store on west main....We kept the store you are talking about for a training store for a while but the one across the street from the new location was a bear in moving the merchandise. The Supervisor of the stores was name Vic Forrester and he wanted everything moved across the street. Lucky for me the departments I was working on were essential and they made me quit moving merchandise and finish my area. That was a Great Store...Opened in 1968.....have some real fond memories of that store....

Did you ever know a man named Larry Gardner who worked for TG&Y corporate? They new one on Main was the TG&Y Family Center--was it not?

[papaOU]

Norman was the location of the FIRST TG&Y Store...It was managed by C.A. Henderson (the first corporate store) who went on to be the first President not in the initialed name. There was another store further West on main and then one right across the street where the old hobby lobby was located....all three were definitely "Money makers"......i think there was one also at Campus corner area....

did they sell many of the "monkeys" they made?