Purpledevil

IronTiger, are you referring to the Kmart at 1431 West 20th? Because it opened earlier than the 70s, I believe it was opened in the early to mid 60s actually. Any idea what will become of Arne's with all this new development going on around it? The old girl is beginning to stick out like a sore thumb.

Well damn, mkultra...that's quite possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen. Nicely done. Has anyone noticed the "Oilermobile" on West 19th? I just saw it last night sitting on the side of the street between Beall and Durham. Completely decked out in Columbia blue and white with Oiler helmets on the doors. I was driving and didn't have time to snap a pic. It's a 1979 Dodge truck, and it's pretty darn cool to see it, regardless of what you think of the team.

You're getting old? I remember when this thing was still a dance hall named the Dom Polski! I've dripped many a bead of sweat in that oven too. I've seen Fitz so packed, you couldn't have escaped to literally save your life. If they close it down, can you believe that would leave Numbers standing as the last original venue of our time and area? My God, I fIrst met my wife at Fitz! I still mess with her today about that "Cure" hairdo she had back then, lol. I would hope after all of the money they have spent repairing Fitz White Oak, they'd keep them both open, if this is to be Fitz North Main.

Approximately 2 more months, give or take. Hiring is well under way.

You know, you guys are going to have to forgive me for cracking wise on our younger members, but I ask you how many looked at mkultra's Toronado picture and wondered what the hell does the "S" & "L" stand for?

^ I wouldn't go that far. We had a '59 Rambler (the first year that American's name was on them) and it lasted well up into the late 90s. The biggest problem with that beast was the fact that everything was operated by vacuum. That's not good when a hose breaks in the middle of a gully washer and you have wipers that don't have enough force to move them, lol. I still have my Duster which has 166k on it, and my Fury which has 154k. Chrysler used to make some pretty solid cars. The Fury was hit by a U Haul truck back in the early 90s. Totaled the U Haul, creased the fender on the Fury. Biggest problem with all Mopars from those days were the under carriages. I lost a '73 Roadrunner, a '74 Charger, and a '77 Grand Fury all to floor board and trunk pan cancer. The K cars stunk, every one of them lost their paint within 10 years. My grandparents last car was a '90 Spirit. Kept under a carport for the first 12 years of its life, and still the paint started to look a little faded on the roof and the hood. Once the car was given to me, it was parked out in the driveway without any covering. Within 6 months, the paint was popping off in pretty sizable chunks. Motor and tranny were still in tip top shape, but that had more to do with the Sprit only having 48k on it at 12 years old, than the age of the car itself. We drove it for a couple of years until things started going south on it and then sold it poste haste. The same paint problem reared its ugly head on our '88 Daytona and now on my wife's '01 Neon. I guess it had something to do with the type of paint that Chrysler used for all those years. I've never noticed it happening as often or as bad on makes other than Mopar during this time.

It seems lIke the horse stable facilities were operated by HPD.

Great picture! Two eyesores for the price of one. Did you intend to get the HoliDays in the picture? If so, well played! Haven't been down here in awhile, but I can imagine the smell that blew out of there when it was opened up like that. I mean, that's probably the first fresh air to blow through Central in over 20 years. Whew! Wouldn't care to be down wind from there, lol.

Ironically enough, I know the owner of this building, and the various other properties he owns along Calvacade and Robbie. Not too long before Blockbuster finally pulled up their stakes, I asked him what he thought he was going to do with it next. He laughed and said, "Hell (purpledevil), I might just reopen the store!" That'd be a superb building for a small, start up restaurant. I haven't stopped by and seen them in a few months, and I think I should. You know, curiousity and all, lol. If it turns out to be legitimate and he's ok with me spilling the beans, you all will be the first to know.

That area is pretty residential. For both the living and the dead. 2915 would be nearly right across from Hollywood and basically next door to the old Stuart's Drive-In, wouldn't it? I couldn't imagine Rockefeller's setting up their new digs here. Maybe, but I suspect a hall for quinceneras, weddings and such is much more likely.

You must've known me back then, with the long hair, Doc Martens, and black t-shirts. Slayer and Maiden were right up my alley back then... Who am I kidding? I think my "En Vivo" Maiden cassette is in the glove box of the truck. You've got your dinner plans, I've got my soundtrack for the drive home! Thanks, arche! Wish I'd have had a loud enough stereo to have seen your idea through back then. You're right, that'd have been some sweet payback for my neighbors and I.

That doesn't always work, arche, but it's a pretty funny idea. You see, I grew up 4 houses down from what was the Peppermint Lounge at E. 26th and N. Main. During the 80's, the mariachis would stand in the gravel parking lot across 26th and practice. The jukebox inside was blaring all kinds of rancheros until it closed down at 2am...ish every night. The problem was, the owner lived in the yellow house directly across the street from the cantina, so she obviously wasn't bothered by the loud music. I can attest to your comment above. Whatever kind of "concert hall" this becomes will result in whatever peace and quiet that might exist now, surrounding the 2900 block of N. Main, being lost. I could write an entire book on the shenanigans that used to transpire at the Peppermint, the Peppermint's sister The Oriente on 25th and Main, and to a lesser extent C&F on 27th and Main, during the 80's. We certainly made our fair share of money pushing those drunk bastards out of the ditches every night, lol.

Mmm...Mytiburger, it's Myti good! Love the one on W.43rd, not so much the one on Kempwood. Definitely the end of an era if Someburger does indeed meet its demise. This is the one I grew up with, but ate a few at the Patton/Airline location over the years that it was still open. I guess after all these years, it's safe to "let the cat out of the bag" for those not in the know, so to speak... A "brown bag special" was something completely different at Someburger on E. 11th back when I was in high school, than what it ended up becoming at your local Sonic drive-in a few years later. As long as Big Burger V stays afloat, all is well in my little world.

Isn't this the original building underneath all the "modernization"?

ROFL!!! YES! I knew I wasn't getting senile! It's been YEARS since I've seen that commercial, mkultra, and many thanks for tracking that down and posting it. SImply awesome....

Huh. Well, guess both dealerships used it then. Maybe I'm crazy, but I distinctly remember the clucking chick with "Buck-Buck-Buckalew" and would've sworn they used the eggs line. A high school friend of mine had a stepmother whose maiden name was Buckalew and she hated that commercial. I guess that's what made it stick over all these years. Keeping in the spirit of the thread, has no one noticed that McMahon Chevrolet is being torn down as we speak? You might know it by the more famous/infamous name of Landmark Chevrolet, one of two Bill Heard properties here in Houston. Located on the North Freeway between West Mt. Houston and West Gulf Bank, it was known by many in these parts as "Landshark". Drove by it today, and they have turned the showroom, the used cars building, and the little building to the showroom's direct right, into rubble. They've also stripped the asphalt off the parking lot, all the way down to the dirt. The used truck sales office and lot, across Hidden Valley, remains untouched as of today. The huge garage in back of the showroom is about halfway down, while the body shop is still standing. The two Landmark buildings closest to the Super 8 motel and Moments Cabaret have been fenced off and don't appear to be part of the demolition effort. If you want to get your last glimpses of it, better hurry. They are bringing it down quick, fast, and in a hurry. I just drove past there on Saturday, and everything was still completely intact.

Lawrence Marshall Chevrolet, we CLOBBER big city prices! Wasn't "Eggs and Chevrolets are 'cheep'er in the country" the tag line for Buck-Buck-Buckalew Chevrolet in Conroe? You know, "just north of the big city prices"? They had the little yellow chick that would hatch out of its egg, and start "cheeping", thus tying into the eggs liner?

The first one on your list, Allbritton's Cafeteria met its untimely end when Mr. Allbritton retired. The building sat empty for a couple of months and was demoed. It was almost to the corner of Waugh and West Dallas, directly across the street from Jack in the Box, on the east side of Waugh. A friend of mine that works at Whole Foods on Kirby said they built a new location on the old Allbritton's footprint, but I haven't taken the time to go all the way down there to have a look see for myself.

Haha...hope it doesn't get stuck in your head for the remainder of the day! ...and if it doesn't, this one likely will. Yet another Chevrolet dealership that has graced the Katy Freeway service road for the better part of 40 years: Westside Chevrolet, Ka-ty Free-way, Peek Road ex-it, Hou-ston. Westside Chevrolet, Ka-ty Free-way, Peek Road ex-it, Hou-ston. Of course, Westside is still there, but with the death of the Peek Road exit, it was re-written in the song as "Grand Parkway exit, Katy". Now...when did the city limits for Katy change to include Peek Road and Texas 99????

He's thinking about Courtesy Chevrolet which was wiped out by the Katy Freeway. 77-77 Ka-ty Free-way. Courtesy Chevrolet, Open Sundays!

Cranking up my wife's New Kids on the Block cassette. "Step by step...ooooh baby, gonna get to ya guuuuurl."

I remember the neon strips arching the top but not tge bright orange glow on the upper framing. It seems there were new surface street lights erected when the bridge opened, making the road a brighter orange, but not the frame lit up that way. It's sad that we don't remember what it looked like, because its never been maintained. What a shame.

^or Domino's for authentic Italian. The Shipley's on Rankin doesn't sell beignets that I'm aware of. I'll ask, heck, I might even try one just to see, but the expectations would be low. While the Westheimer location may be the only franchise calling the chocolate cinnamon twist a "Hoffy", it's available at other locations, such as Rankin, as its original namesake. I've honestly never heard of it called a Hoffy.

Where Spanish Flowers is at Main & Airline currently, in its past life was a bookstore named Marvin's. It wasn't your average bookstore. Those familiar with it, will understand...