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

[Generals64]

what is a woolworths.....is that a place where you would sell your pelts and wool products?

================================================== ===========
That my young man is the beginning of the Variety Store era. Instead of a General Mercantile carrying feed, material, guns etc. F.W. woolworth opened a store that catered to the local wants and desires of the larger city area at first....then all of the other chains, Kress, TG&y, Ben Franklin, McCrory, McClellan's, Greens etc....began to show up throughout the United States...and then along came Wal-Mart....

[gen70]

There is still a Woolworths bldg. in Ashville N.C., It's a pretty cool bldg. and sign is still there. You can see it on Google street view.

[gen70]

There is still a Woolworths bldg. in Ashville N.C., It's a pretty cool bldg. and sign is still there. You can see it on Google street view.

Also have an H.S. Kress store.

[Generals64]

If you look rel close...Most of the old Variety (TG&Y included) had their name put in Mosaic tile coming into the building....This tradition seemed to stop when the stores started hitting suburbia. The TG&Y in Capitol still has the Tile there and the big sign is still on the back of the building......

[Prunepicker]

There is still a Woolworths bldg. in Ashville N.C., It's a pretty cool bldg. and
sign is still there. You can see it on Google street view.

The Woolworth building, in NYC, was the world's tallest until the Umpire
State came along. 1913-1930.

[Generals64]

The Woolworth building, in NYC, was the world's tallest until the Umpire
State came along. 1913-1930.

================================================== =========
Yes and the Largest Variety store until about 1983 was the TG&Y Store (#411) at 74th and S. Penn in OKC....Granted Kresge (over-sized Kress) and Woolco (Woolworth's) were in the running but, as the 74th store grew they kept the integrity of a variety store. TG&Y tried to change their image and developed some stores called AIM....didn't work....I still here people say they miss the old TG&Y's...me too....

[SE-76]

The Woolworth building, in NYC, was the world's tallest until the Umpire
State came along. 1913-1930.

Woolworth in Sante fe NM is credited as the home of the frito chilli pie.
they dump everything into the frito bag

[Generals64]

Woolworth in Sante fe NM is credited as the home of the frito chilli pie.
they dump everything into the frito bag

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
didn't know that, I thought the kids in my neighborhood invented it with a can of Hormel and a HUGE bag of Fritos....HmmmmmmStill have heartburn after 56years.....

[Prunepicker]

didn't know that, I thought the kids in my neighborhood invented it with a
can of Hormel and a HUGE bag of Fritos... Hmm Still have heartburn after
56years...

Putting everything into a bag of Fritos is the only way to go. I like the
chili cheese Fritos with chili, cheese and onions... Pass the Tums...

[Generals64]

Putting everything into a bag of Fritos is the only way to go. I like the
chili cheese Fritos with chili, cheese and onions... Pass the Tums...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TG&Y Promotions is still in me.. I was in Comanche with the Chief General going to a Rock Shop...to get stoned...get it??? anyway there was an OLD Music store there with some older upright Bases....thought you might want to know...
Bought the rocks was told my humor was showing my age. so I apologize....O.K. she's gone...I thought...bye.....

[SE-76]

Gen 64 been racking my brain on this one thought you might have an answer.

As a kid, our saturday routine (of course after Jungle Theater and Foreman Scotty was over) Was to head to Economy Square for grocery shopping.

After we cleared the cereal aisle, I would head (quaerter in hand) to TG&Y.
Penny candy aisle here I come. Anyway I remeber from time to time
they would have some guy at a little podium selling some item you just
could'nt live with out. I just can't remeber what exactly it was. Seems
like it was an ink pen, then for additional

[SE-76]

Gen 64 been racking my brain on this one thought you might have an answer.

As a kid, our saturday routine (of course after Jungle Theater and Foreman Scotty was over) Was to head to Economy Square for grocery shopping.

After we cleared the cereal aisle, I would head (quaerter in hand) to TG&Y.
Penny candy aisle here I come. Anyway I remeber from time to time
they would have some guy at a little podium selling some item you just
could'nt live with out. I just can't remeber what exactly it was. Seems
like it was an ink pen, then for additional

(sorry beefy fingrers, haven't got used to this laptop yet)

for an additional price you got a bunch of refills. or maybe steak knives,

[Generals64]

(sorry beefy fingrers, haven't got used to this laptop yet)

for an additional price you got a bunch of refills. or maybe steak knives,

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I worked at Economy Square from the beginning for Jim Kelly (still going strong) until my transfer (about a year later) to 59th/Penn. Part of TG&Y's promotional
ideas was to try and create a fair like atmosphere throughout the store. And, there would most generally be something kind of promotion going on throughout the store ...Probably was a knife seller, melamac plates salesman. Sporting goods would have people from Zebco....Firearms company...local game ranger...ust to have something different going on...

[MonkeyBiz6903]

Economy Square always seemed to be lower priced than The Big TGY. 64 do you remember guy who cleaned the Econo parking lot? He worked there almost 40 years. The Griders folks told me he past last year.

[grantgeneral78]

I remember old lady grider behind the window cashing my dads checks and the son standing outside greeting all the customers....my cousin worked there loading groceries into cars and he had to wear a white shirt and tie......WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CLASSY!!

[Generals64]

I remember old lady grider behind the window cashing my dads checks and the son standing outside greeting all the customers....my cousin worked there loading groceries into cars and he had to wear a white shirt and tie......WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CLASSY!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The old man that cleaned the parking lot was a young guy when I started there. We opened that store in August of '64.......I remember working the sidewalk all night sale when I bought my '63 Impala. I couldn't believe I was having to work and the blue beast was setting in the far parking lot all alone...I remember Mr. Grider...Grider's is now a Buy for Less...Hey, stay with me on this stuff I'm having fun tonight getting rid of a Kidney stone...yee-haw.....

[grantgeneral78]

drink a bunch of beer it will pass!

[Generals64]

drink a bunch of beer it will pass!

Got back out of bed......Already too many beers and a Loratab.....No good, this is now becoming a pain in the Back for me. I can't lay down hurts too much can't walk hurts too much and can't take a stiff drink because of the medication.....this should be 129 for me....I absolutely will NOT let this get the best of me but, no more coffee, chocolate, or Coca-Coal for this "Fat Boy"...
Man, that is too far off from the topic of this thread. except that sometimes TG&Y would be a pain in the back side when new executives would show and try to fix the unbroken wheel....

[Prunepicker]

Got back out of bed... Already too many beers and a Loratab... No good, this
is now becoming a pain in the Back for me. I can't lay down hurts too much
can't walk hurts too much and can't take a stiff drink because of the
medication... this should be 129 for me... I absolutely will NOT let this get
the best of me but, no more coffee, chocolate, or Coca-Coal for this "Fat
Boy" ...

Man, that is too far off from the topic of this thread. except that sometimes
TG&Y would be a pain in the back side when new executives would show and
try to fix the unbroken wheel...

Good grief! You must be in a meck of a hess.

[Generals64]

Just about this time of the year we would have the Yo-Yo Champ come by and help kick off spring toys...Hula Hoops, B-B guns, Dolls and of course the Yo-Yo....One of the guys we had one time was showing off to the little girls and was to throw the yo-yo in the air and catch it in his pocket. But, being the showman he was he threw it in the year...Smiled and then looked (mouth open) just as the yo-yo hit him in the teeth.....Dentist tried to straighten things out but he had to go....

[Prunepicker]

Just about this time of the year we would have the Yo-Yo Champ come by
and help kick off spring toys...

Would he have been the Duncan Yo Yo Champ?

[MikeOKC]

I found an old brown TG&Y sack in a box going through the garage today. I thought of this thread.

Anybody remember Mike Henry? He was my store manager in about '75 when I worked at the TG&Y on North May and Britton Road. I saw him years later, I think at maybe Hobby Lobby?

[Generals64]

I found an old brown TG&Y sack in a box going through the garage today. I thought of this thread.

Anybody remember Mike Henry? He was my store manager in about '75 when I worked at the TG&Y on North May and Britton Road. I saw him years later, I think at maybe Hobby Lobby?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MikeOKC:...........know Mike Henry very well....he is still around and is still with Hobby Lobby. The last time I saw him he was involved with the Hemisphere Stores for Hobby Lobby

[Generals64]

Would he have been the Duncan Yo Yo Champ?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yep:...but I considered him as the "Duncan Dummy". Gotta go to work....

[USG '60]

Hey, Gen 64, are you talking about Bunny Martin? I know he was the Yoyo champion at some point in time. In about 1960 he was the youth director at out church. He came home with us for Sunday dinner one time and he did magic tricks right in front of our faces that I always thought had to be done at a distance so the "trick" could not be seen. He had no props and just used stuf we would get him. He was truly amazing at what he did and was a fine influence on kids. I hope it wasn't him who suffered the faux pas you mentioned.