Childhood Memories of OKC

[soonerborn1958]

Val Gene's was at the north end of Shepherd Mall - I remember it well. We always ate there after going to JC Penneys for new school clothes.

zachtaylor alum - I was in the cluster mess also. We did Northwest Classen for math, and Northeast was the science. What a waste of time and money - on cluster days, it seems we spent more time transporting than learning.

Ah...the Finger plan and the cluster system.....I remember it well!!

[soonerborn1958]

The Bread smell is still downtown....In reference to some of the previous posts:

TV Show-Count Gregore
Restaraunts-Shotgun Sam's, Casa Bonita and Han's Barbecue
PCWest Grad myself-39th and Cactus Jacks up until late eighties
Old TV dudes-Fred Norman introducing the Doppler radar at the OUTDOOR courtyard at Penn Square..

That would be FRED NORMAN the weatherman

[soonerborn1958]

I remember:
Sussy's. The last time I drove by there was still nothing there. Jake Samara, the owner, told me the original Sussy's was on 23rd street near the capitol and was called the "Tempo" until Jack Sussy came in one day and said he was going to work for him. I've still got a copy of a check he wrote me that said "Sussy's/King's Club.

Everything about Wedgewood, including when they had the contest to see how long a Volkswagen could stay afloat in the pool.

Sonic carhops with skates. That was always a mess.

The stock car races at the Fairgrounds AND at Taft Stadium until @63? I also remember the drag races at the Fairgrounds. Last I looked the strip was still there.

The skating after the Blazers games. Does anybody remember the Tower Optician's carpet they rolled out for Score-O?

I don't remember the trampolines or the Village pool.
The watermelon place.
Taco Boy.

Where was the Puddin' Lane Bowling alley? I remember a Puddin' Lane grocery in Mayfair shopping center.

Was Bonaparte's Drive In (39th expressway) where Jimmy's Egg is now?

Who remembers Elmwood park on S. Shields?

Prunepicker

Puddin Lane bowling alley was just north across the street from where Johnnie's is now on Britton Road. Puddin Lane IGA was where Johnnies now is... Mr Snyder owned IGA and called all us little kids "PUDDIN".....Carnation ice cream was next door as was a small bakery....

[soonerborn1958]

Why can't I place this??

I grew up very near there and my best friend lived in the subdivision just north of 63rd and west of Portland. Both of us have fantastic memories (usually ) but cannot come up with where this would have been.

Any guess as to years of operation?

WAs it the BRANDING IRON?? Close to current location of Deaconess Hospital??

[Prunepicker]

Does any one recall the name of the diner on May Ave just South of the Fairgrounds??? They had juke boxes at the table. this was early 1960s...maybe it was a truck stop...

It sounds like your talking about "Royce's Cafe" on the corner of Reno and May.

[soonerborn1958]

YES!! I remember my grandparents taking me there!! Thanks!

[soonerborn1958]

Ok, this is for all you southsiders in particular. Who can remember these places most were along South Western area.

Sambo's at Grand Blvd and Western
Golden Fork on Grand Blvd
Kens Pizza- Western
The Redding Shopping center
Dotsons Cafeteria
Southwest Ford
Jack In the Box
Neptune Submarine sandwiches 2 locations One North of SW 59th and the other Down by I-240
Underwoods on SW 59th had the big cowboy out front
Bramble Hardware on SW 59th
Southwest Auto on SW 59th
Roy Rogers roast beef where Jimmy's Round up is now
Monterey House where that pink diner is on SW 59th now
Dairy Queen on SW 59th
Arthur Treatures fish and chips where Arby's was on S Western ( Torn down now)
Buchanan's on S Western
Baskin Robbins in southwestern Plaza shopping center was on the end closest to 59th street
Safeway in that same shopping center
Otasco in the same center
Kiddie City in the corner of the shopping center
Kip's Big Boy on the corner by Western of that shopping center
Fox and Horn restaurant in the building where Sheila Simpson Dr office is now
Moores Wheel a Rama directly across from fox and horn location on the corner where the skating rink is
U tot em Convience store
Tiny Tims Convience Store on SW 67th and Western it is a dry cleaners now
Perkin's Fence 68th and Western area
Putt Putt is where Bryans Carpet is now on S Western
The Gulf Service station on 74th and Western
Der Dutchman was on S Penn originally then moved to I-240 and 74th area
I can list more if anyone wants me to continue this list then please let me know.

How about KAESPERIT's MARKET @ Western and SW 25th
Hamburger drive in about a block south of there THE SPOT (I think this was the name)
HUMPTY DUMPTY grocery on SW29th between Western and Penn???

[Pete]

Does anybody remember the old little center on the northeast corner of 39th & McArthur?

It had a Shield's book store and a Keller's sporting goods.

But didn't it also have a small theater tucked away in a courtyard??

[CCOKC]

I don't remember a theater being there, but that doesn't mean much. I visited Keller's quite a bit when I was a kid. They tore that place down a few years ago and are building something else right now. Not sure if it will be a commercial building or is connected with the new school building that is going on next door. I drive by there almost daily and will let you know if I find out.

[NativeOkie]

I remember Guy Madisons, Bonapartes was were the egg is.
Anyone remember the Cafeteria with the fish tanks along the line?
Was that called Adairs?
Does not matter Dodsons ruled the cafeteria world.
School lunches... remember beatnik cake?
What was that? it was chocolate but...
Coits Rootbeer and hotdogs.
Count Gregore, HO HO and the puppet pokey.
Always had land runs in April in grade school, claim part of the playground.
Tetherball, I never see those now.
You shot your own fireworks.
My grandfather always watched the farm report on WKY and Dannysday.
We listened to KOMA under the pillow.


My grandfather would ride around town with us an tell me where everything did not use to be. ie. Baptist Hospital there was nothing there...
I guess with this post I sound like him...
My children have no idea how great it was.

[Prunepicker]

I don't remember a theater being there, but that doesn't mean much. I visited Keller's quite a bit when I was a kid. They tore that place down a few years ago and are building something else right now. Not sure if it will be a commercial building or is connected with the new school building that is going on next door.

An Eckerd's was built there then it became a CVS store.

[solitude]

Does anybody remember the old little center on the northeast corner of 39th & McArthur?

It had a Shield's book store and a Keller's sporting goods.

But didn't it also have a small theater tucked away in a courtyard??

Yeah Pete, It was Coronado Square and the theater was The Coronado, the box office was right off the little gated courtyard.

[CCOKC]

The construction I am talking about is between the CVS and the new school construction. The dirt work is going on right now.

[grantgeneral78]

Here's a My Pie ad from back in the day... I went to high school with the daughter of the owner:



And a few others:

omg thanks for putting across the street i worked there as a teen, nice to see the old sign again

[Prunepicker]

Always had land runs in April in grade school, claim part of the playground.

Tetherball, I never see those now.

We listened to KOMA under the pillow.

Land Runs were a great part of remembering our Oklahoma history. I think the Putnam City schools have been getting back to 89er day instead of that pc barf (earth) day

Tetherball was a blast and I was GREAT at losing.

KOMA and WKY under the pillow :-) Those were the days. I had an old math book with a hole cut in it so I could insert my transistor radio and listen to it in school. Never got caught. I couldn't stand school.

[Pete]

It was Coronado Square and the theater was The Coronado, the box office was right off the little gated courtyard.

Solitude, Coronado Square was at the SW corner of 63rd & Portland that featured a Kimberlings, Coronado Bowling Alley, and several other tenants.

[andy157]

That was a great place! I remember saving and saving my money to buy a Cox La Cucaracha slot car and hand control. When I finally got the car the shop closed. I was crushed.

Do you remember the slot-car track in the Reding Shopping center? It was in the South end of the West building. S & H Green Stamps was on the North end of the building.

[solitude]

Pete, You're right, it wasn't called Coronado Square. The old theater and Keller's, other smallish shops at 39th and MacArthur was called Coronado Plaza.

[solitude]

Here's an old Daily Oklahoman article about high crimes at the old Coronado Theater.



Does anybody else remember this theater? It had the same spanish stucco look and the box office was in the little gated courtyard.

[Pete]

Thanks Solitude! I remember the theater only vaguely... I don't think it lasted until the 70's.

I used to go to that Kellers for all my school supplies and the sporting goods store was there into the 80's.

Also, there is still a little street just east of McArthur and north of 39th called Coronado Place.

[Prunepicker]

Do you remember the slot-car track in the Reding Shopping center? It was in the South end of the West building. S & H Green Stamps was on the North end of the building.

I remember the shopping center but not the slot car track. There was a s/c track around the 25th and Hudson area. Not sure but it was on the SE corner.

[westsidesooner]

I grew up near May and Britton road in the 60's and 70's and have a lot of great memories of that area. Back then that was almost the edge of okc with not to much further west or north. My favorite memories centered on the old Twilight Gardens drive-in on the northeast corner of may and britton. The neon sign, the play area with the little train under the screen, and the endless nights of watching movies and falling asleep in the backseat of my parents station-wagon (the same one me and my brother drove into lake hefner one night- not good). I've been trying to find old pics of the Twilight Gardens, and if anyone has any information on them let me know. I would appreciate it.
Other memories

-The great american railroad company on britton road.
-The weird practice ski hill right next to it. it didnt last long. (anyone remember this)
-My first job at Dairy Queen and the awesome footlong sales they had (4 for $1)
Not to mention the dip cones.
-My second job at Shotgun Sams and the playing cards.
I always got in trouble for putting to much cheese on the pizzas.
-Hook and Slice mini golf--I think this was at wilshire and Broadway? with the volcano hole.
-The huge yards in our neighborhood along may ave. and the curbless streets like guilford lane that led to great bike riding adventures.
-The old water tower north on may and wathcing it be torn down with a wrecking ball. (great fun for a kid)
-The old hanger building which was used by Wiley Post that eventually became the christian center.
-Shopping for school clothes every year at guy madisons. (hated it back then)
-When there was no Lake Hefner Parkway--and the horrible traffic that backed up all the way past the duck pond at Wilshire.
-Across the street restauraunt
-The TG&Y family center at may and britton where I learned to ride my bike on the painted parking lines.
-Anyone remember the traveling carnivle that used to set up there every summer with all the great rides like the zipper?
-The "VI" victor telephone code. And occasionally getting a crossed line where you could hear other conversations!!
-Beverlys on northwest highway and getting to go to the treasure chest if I finished my meal.
-Bonapartes restauraunt
-the open air penn square where I used to freeze shopping every christmas.
-Mitzy...the woman police officer in The Village we were all afraid of.
-and my personal favorite tv personality Lola Hall (she never ever knew what the weather was going to do. Always ended her weather forecast by saying "on the other hand it might not....."

This thread brought alot of fond memories for me...Thanks

[Prunepicker]

-The old water tower north on may and wathcing it be torn down with a wrecking ball. (great fun for a kid)

I could see that water tower from my bedroom window on NW 62 & West (now Rockwell) Ave.

[Pete]

-The great american railroad company on britton road.
-The weird practice ski hill right next to it. it didnt last long. (anyone remember this)

Had forgotten about that! Here's an add from the late 70's:





And here's some images I found on the 'net for Twilight Gardens:

[Prunepicker]

And here are some images I found on the 'net for Twilight Gardens

We saw the "Left-handed Gun", with Paul Newman, at the Twi-Light Gardens. It was the first drive-in movie I ever saw. It was right after we moved from California in the 50's.

By the way, I don't mean that Paul Newman was with us at the drive-in. He was the star of the show. :-)