Southside OKC Memories....anyone?

[Prunepicker]

Anyone here remember Shaw Drug in the Mayridge Shopping Center and if so,
what was the name of the original Grocery store next to it... Now, what was on
the far north end next to Shaw Drug?

I remember Shaw Drug! They had a nice fountain. Tuna samiches! Can't
remember what was immediately south of Shaw's.

Jim's IGA is the store I remember, as far as it being the original I don't know.

[Redskins/General]

And no one has mentioned the Jimmy Dean's that use to be in that area.

That what we call 240 came in sometime in the early to mid '60s. Wasn't called 240 then. Can't remember exactly what it was called, maybe something to do with H.E. Bailey. And if I remember correctly, back then, going from east to west, it curved to the south running into to H.E. Bailey. It didn't go north (I believe).

It was called Southwest Expressway, I think TG&Y was ABOUT 1600 Southwest Expressway, Gen/64 would know exactly. Your right, it didn't go north for years and when you made the turn south it was called dead man's curve!

[FRISKY]

It was called Southwest Expressway, I think TG&Y was ABOUT 1600 Southwest Expressway, Gen/64 would know exactly. Your right, it didn't go north for years and when you made the turn south it was called dead man's curve!

We always called it 74th Expressway.

[Prunepicker]

It was called Southwest Expressway, I think TG&Y was ABOUT 1600 Southwest
Expressway, Gen/64 would know exactly. Your right, it didn't go north for years
and when you made the turn south it was called dead man's curve!

Those of us in my neighborhood called it 74th Expressway.

I had many an idiotic experience with Dead man's curve.

[gen70]

And no one has mentioned the Jimmy Dean's that use to be in that area.

That what we call 240 came in sometime in the early to mid '60s. Wasn't called 240 then. Can't remember exactly what it was called, maybe something to do with H.E. Bailey. And if I remember correctly, back then, going from east to west, it curved to the south running into to H.E. Bailey. It didn't go north (I believe).

I had forgotten Jimmy Dean's. Now I remember eating there. I don't remember what the official name was for 74th but we called it 74th expressway.

[SoonerDave]

That gas station was Pete Johnston's Gulf, and he used to have a meticulously maintained flower bed in the front of that station. He inspected our cars a bunch when I was a kid.

The grocery store in the TG&Y at Southern Hills was Jims Super Market.

Crystals Pizza had a big "heyday" where it was the main hangout for a lot of kids in that area, but then it kinda started to decline a bit. I was one of the oddballs who never went there but once in the very late 80's on a double-date, and it was clearly on the decline by then.

I don't think any toy or model store then or since had the sheer volume of model kits TG&Y's toy department had. Man, toy departments were so much cooler then...my mom didn't like me working with models, though, because she was convinced that even the non-toxic Testor's cement was going to kill us all if we breathed it. I was able to convince her that the non-toxic stuff really was non-toxic, and got to build models with it (although the stuff didn't stick worth half-a-darn and the lemony smell was awful).

Anyone remember Homer Brock who owned the old Radio Shack store at the east end of that same TG&Y shopping center? There was a laundromat to the immediate north, and a style salon to the south...they tore down that portion of the center a few years back...and surely some remember that the strip center just off the frontage road there used to be the TG&Y automotive center...

More I think of, the more I think of

-SoonerDave

[SoonerDave]

I had forgotten Jimmy Dean's. Now I remember eating there. I don't remember what the official name was for 74th but we called it 74th expressway.

That Jimmy Dean's is now Pioneer Pies. Same building.

We ate at Jimmy Dean's the first weekend it opened, and none of my parents or aunt and uncle liked it. We never went back. Apparently a few others didn't go back either, because I don't think it lasted more than a few months before it shut down and Pioneer Pies reopened it....

-SoonerDave

[SoonerDave]

that was before me, but i'm pretty sure that the place was called circus time...

wasn't the hojo where hooters (and before that, shoney's) is now?

-M

You're right, it was "Circus Time Family Restaurant," and I'm sure I put a post about it in the early ages of this thread. Wonderful building designed to look like an actual circus tent; you ordered food at the table over a shiny red phone. It was a nice familiy place where you could get burgers and sandwiches, and I was heartbroken as a kid when it burned down under mysterious circumstances....

[SoonerDave]

You forgot about the most important one MMM it was HARRIGANS. man they had the best fried zuchinni and bread....I was shocked they closed

Harrigan's was owned by the same folks who ran Don Pablo's here in OKC, and they were both run into the ground unfortunately. Harrigan's is truly a lost treasure, I think, because it was a very nice place to have dinner, had numerous reasonably priced entrees, but wasn't so fancy you couldn't go there in jeans.

Silly story about Harrigan's on I-240: When I was a senior in high school, I took this young lady out on a date, and I took her to Harrigan's for supper. Now I was not a huge dater, and this girl and I had known each other for a time, but I was still kinda nervous taking her out. Anyway, being a schoolkid, I had nothing but cash on me, and after we ate and the check came, I put down the money to cover the bill, and the waiter returned to pick it up and bring change.

When he brought back the change, I mentally counted out how much I was leaving for a tip, but didn't realize until after I left that I had picked up what was supposed to be the tip, and left as the tip what was the large bill (relatively speaking) from my change. The guy ended up making a $10 tip on what wasn't even a $20 tab (yes, you could have a dinner for two there for under $20 back then). He probably thought I was the greatest teenager tipper in the world.

I desperately miss Harrigan's cheese rolls, and they had one of *the* best strip steaks and dinner salads *anywhere*. There's really been nothing like it since...

-SoonerDave

[Redskins/General]

I had forgotten Jimmy Dean's. Now I remember eating there. I don't remember what the official name was for 74th but we called it 74th expressway.

How about "The Arches" straight across from "Jimmy Dean's" on the southside of the expressway!!

[USG '60]

The grocery store was Foy's. Hmmm......I thought we had already been though the history of it and the Price family. Maybe not.

[gen70]

How about "The Arches" straight across from "Jimmy Dean's" on the southside of the expressway!!

I remember there was a S/J over there but, don't remember the name.

[Redskins/General]

I remember there was a S/J over there but, don't remember the name.

I heard ol' Gen/64 used to get tanked up on that "Dark German Beer" and do a little dancin' of his own over there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Generals64]

I remember there was a S/J over there but, don't remember the name.

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Hey, a bunch of the young people never knew what Foy's was. Foy was Jim Prices brother. TG&Y was at 1600 S.W. 74th st. We always called the Store 74th and Penn never really thought of any other address for it. Or it was called store #411.
The lady that ran the toy department (Arlene Stalnaker) took major pride in the selection of models she kept on hand....Shaw Drug's North neighbor was just
a neighborhood cleaners and yet around the corner there was aboot shop and a local bar....remember Red/Gen?
Here's one I had forgotten but a lot of you will remember...Remember Jack's Steak House on south Penn? Many stories came out of that place huh guys?

[Prunepicker]

Hey, a bunch of the young people never knew what Foy's was. Foy was Jim
Prices brother.

Foy was his first name? That's familiar but don't know why.

The lady that ran the toy department (Arlene Stalnaker) took major pride in the
selection of models she kept on hand...

The model selection was truly remarkable. It was as good or better than any of
the hobby shops in town.

I had an aunt that worked in the photo department. @1978

Shaw Drug's North neighbor was just a neighborhood cleaners and yet around
the corner there was about shop and a local bar... remember Red/Gen?

Now it getting clearer! How come you guys know where all the bars were?

Here's one I had forgotten but a lot of you will remember... Remember Jack's
Steak House on south Penn? Many stories came out of that place huh guys?

I don't remember Jack's. Where was it? I'll bet they served beer... a lot of beer...

[Generals64]

Jack's was located just North of 59th St. on the West side of Penn...Pretty good place to eat and a few other things......

[grantgeneral78]

I drive by it every Sunday but don't pay much attention. I will this Sunday.

I-240 was built @1964, the same time as the Crosstown. Except for the
housing additions there wasn't much out there until the second half of the 60's.
HoJo's was @ 1966.

We moved to 63rd & S. May the summer of 1959.

I lived on 60th and may from 1969 to 1978...my parents stayed there till 2001...lots of good memories down that block.

[Prunepicker]

I lived on 60th and may from 1969 to 1978... my parents stayed there till 2001...
lots of good memories down that block.

You lived by Chuck Jones. Do you remember him? We played baseball together.
In that field, where the apartments are, were 4 ball fields. I played many a game
on those.

Then there were the Cameron's. They built a canoe. He was my scout master for
a while.

[Prunepicker]

This is for you southsiders that went to Hillcrest. Do any of you remember
Mr. Burdett? He was the custodian and a real nice guy. Funny, I don't remember
ever hearing him talk.

Does anyone know when he passed away? Is he still living?

[Rickster]

This is for you southsiders that went to Hillcrest. Do any of you remember
Mr. Burdett? He was the custodian and a real nice guy. Funny, I don't remember
ever hearing him talk.

Does anyone know when he passed away? Is he still living?

Hey Prunepicker, I moved to the 6300 block Hillcrest drive about the time you moved to 63rd & May. Do you remember the ponds on the west side of May right about where you lived? We used to catch crawdads in them. We went wading in them one time and I stepped on something that damn near cut one of my toes off. My brother told me it was a mad crawdad.

I also went to Hillcrest Elementary but I don't remember anyone from there. I do remember they use to have really neat Holloween carnivals and such.

[grantgeneral78]

You lived by Chuck Jones. Do you remember him? We played baseball together.
In that field, where the apartments are, were 4 ball fields. I played many a game
on those.

Then there were the Cameron's. They built a canoe. He was my scout master for
a while.

The name does not ring a bell, I lived behind the ball field on the south side of 60th street, we used to jump the fence behind the neighbors across the street to play ball over there, and when they were building the apartments we played over there all the time!

[grantgeneral78]

This is for you southsiders that went to Hillcrest. Do any of you remember
Mr. Burdett? He was the custodian and a real nice guy. Funny, I don't remember
ever hearing him talk.

Does anyone know when he passed away? Is he still living?

I do remember the custodian as a matter of fact, nice old man. I had miss Hulgan, Mrs. Crittenden, Mrs Dunlop wow that name just hit me weirddd. I dont remember the principal though, but I do remember his paddle! WOW

In 4th grade Mrs Dunlop set up a fish tank and put eggs in it and a lamp, not long after that we had chicks, we were amazed!


what was the favorite game on theplayground?

[Prunepicker]

Hey Prunepicker, I moved to the 6300 block Hillcrest drive about the time you
moved to 63rd & May.

Do you remember the ponds on the west side of May right about where you
lived? We used to catch crawdads in them. We went wading in them one time
and I stepped on something that damn near cut one of my toes off. My brother
told me it was a mad crawdad.

I do remember they use to have really neat Holloween carnivals and
such.

At that time we had that tornado! Hillcrest Drive was hit hard.

We caught many crawdads in that pond. Lot's of fun. I wouldn't wade that pond
or any other pond around there.

You lived near the Schillings. Do you not remember them?

The carnivals at Hillcrest were very good. Do you remember Conway Twitty and
his band playing there once?

[Rickster]

At that time we had that tornado! Hillcrest Drive was hit hard.

We caught many crawdads in that pond. Lot's of fun. I wouldn't wade that pond
or any other pond around there.

You lived near the Schillings. Do you not remember them?

The carnivals at Hillcrest were very good. Do you remember Conway Twitty and
his band playing there once?

I was at home with my three brothers when that tornado came down the street. We were spared but the houses on each side of use wasn't.

Didn't know the Schillings and didn't remember Conway living there either. But in my defense, I was pretty young then. I went from kindergarten to fourth grade there. Moved during fourth grade.

[Prunepicker]

I do remember the custodian as a matter of fact, nice old man. I had miss
Hulgan, Mrs. Crittenden, Mrs Dunlop wow that name just hit me weirddd. I dont
remember the principal though, but I do remember his paddle! WOW

In 4th grade Mrs Dunlop set up a fish tank and put eggs in it and a lamp, not
long after that we had chicks, we were amazed!

what was the favorite game on the play ground?

The Principal was Mr. Webb. Yeah, he swung a mean stick. Hulgan was the
substitute teacher when Mrs. Duncan had surgery. Mrs. Crowell was 2nd,
Zwhalen was 3rd, then Mrs. Kisler, Mrs. Taylor and Chaney. Ronconi taught
Kindergarten. I saw her in 2000. I didn't go to Kindergarten. Other teachers
were Mrs. Mackey, Mrs. Mays (and the look) The twins Mrs. Harlin, Mrs. Henry,
Mrs. Sipe, Mrs. Peterson ran the kitchen. Her daughter would beat me up on
the play ground.

The favorite game was "we won't stop" . Tether ball was great, four
square, soft ball.