U-Tote-Um Grocery/Convenience Stores

[Ashikaga]

Now I've just remembered something else from my days in Houston over 40 years ago. I recall us stopping by a convenience store chain called "U-Tote-Um." The sign was an indian totem pole. Does anyone else out there remember those stores? LeRoy Melcher / Melcher Investments.

Are there any popular chain convenience stores over there in Houston? If there are, what are their names? There are some Racetrac's over here. I looked up their website. It said that there are also some over in the Houston area. I saw an article in the Houston Chronicle that said that the Diamond Shamock stores in Houston are changing their names to Valero. I don't know if the ones over here will do that or not. When I last saw them, they were still Diamond Shamrock.

Chet Cuccia

[sevfiv]

funny, no recollection of "u-tote-ums", but while in oklahoma near the arkansas border, there were "tote-a-pokes," which had signs on totem poles.

valero is the parent company of diamond shamrock - they are replacing some diamond shamrocks with their regular "shamrock" brand...

[Kirzania]

... Is that like a Food Pantry?

[Ashikaga]

funny, no recollection of "u-tote-ums", but while in oklahoma near the arkansas border, there were "tote-a-pokes," which had signs on totem poles.

valero is the aprent company of diamond shamrock - but i have also noticed more "shamrock" stores (sans diamond) lately.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With all of these mergers and name changes of so many businesses, it's hard to keep up. My bank is called SouthTrust. I found out that it will formally merge with Wachovia in October and that the name of it will be changed to Wachovia at that time.

Are there any Wachovia Bank's over there in Houston?

Chet Cuccia

[ToolMan]

There used to be a U-Tote-um right by house when I was a kid. Then it was a Stop-N-Go, then a Diamond Shamrock.

But what I miss most is a 7-11 in Houston. Man a miss there icee's. Nobody elses is the same.

[sevfiv]

there are a few wachovia securities locations here, but no bank banks that i have seen, if you know what i mean...heh

[RedScare]

Man, I used to love U-Tote-Ms! Most of the Diamond Shamrock's you see around Houston, at least inside the Beltway, used to be one of 3 stores - 7-11, Circle K, or U-Tote-M. I believe 7-11 sold their stores in Houston first, when they took the company private, and needed money to pay down the debt. Circle K bought the Houston stores, I believe.

U-Tote-M sold next. They sold their Houston stores, maybe to Diamond Shamrock.

Don't know where Circle K went.

To this day, I still refer to a generic convenience store as a U-Tote-M, or a 7-11. Everyone looks at me funny, and I realize they haven't been here as long.

EDIT: ToolMan is right. There were Stop-N-Go's here as well.

[HeightsGuy]

U-Tote-M became Stop-N-Go's back in the 80's. Talk about showing my age;)

[MidtownCoog]

I think Leroy Melcher started them.

The biz school building at UH is named after him - Melcher Hall.

[MidtownCoog]

New wachovia opens soon at BW8/Wilson road, across from Fall Creek.

[sevfiv]

I think Leroy Melcher started them.

The biz school building at UH is named after him - Melcher Hall.

yep he sure did

[HeightsGuy]

What I said was based on recolection, so I put U-Tote-M into google and got this:

TSHA Online article on U-Tote-M

"The company was founded by former U-Tote'M convenience store executive F. J. Dyke, Jr., who formed a partnership to run a U-Tote'M franchise with the purchase of five convenience stores in San Antonio from Sommers Drug Stores. Upon purchase, Dyke changed the name of the Sommers stores, which had been operating under the name Stop N Go"

"In 1983 Van Horn updated the company logo and renamed all company stores Stop N Gos."

"In May 1994 NCS and the Circle K Corporation completed a transaction in which Circle K acquired NCS's eighty stores in Southern California and the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia, and NCS acquired eighty-eight Circle K stores in Houston and the Metroplex of Dallas-Fort Worth. NCS now operates 709 Stop N Go stores in Texas"

[Ashikaga]

Man, I used to love U-Tote-Ms!  Most of the Diamond Shamrock's you see around Houston, at least inside the Beltway, used to be one of 3 stores - 7-11, Circle K, or U-Tote-M.  I believe 7-11 sold their stores in Houston first, when they took the company private, and needed money to pay down the debt.  Circle K bought the Houston stores, I believe.

U-Tote-M sold next.  They sold their Houston stores, maybe to Diamond Shamrock.

Don't know where Circle K went.

To this day, I still refer to a generic convenience store as a U-Tote-M, or a 7-11.  Everyone looks at me funny, and I realize they haven't been here as long.

EDIT:  ToolMan is right.  There were Stop-N-Go's here as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, almost everyone uses a big name brand when referring to a product, regardless of the actual brand. Many people call a tissue a "Kleenex" even though it might be a "Puffs." A lot of people will call a soft drink a "Coke" even though it might be an "R.C."

Chet Cuccia

[gnu]

I'm pretty sure the chains co-existed for a while.  Did Stop-N-Go acquire U-Tote-M?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Anyone remember "Super Duper"? We had several of those around our house - as well as U-tote-M. The Super Dupers changed to Stop N Go at some point. I remember the U-tote-M's having lots of hospital green tile.

[Ashikaga]

Over here there are that many "chain" convenience stores. The only one that has several stores is called "Exxpress Mart" (yes, they spell it with two "x's").

The only things that I ever buy in convenience stores are lottery tickets and gasoline. The prices of everything else is too high. Besides, I try to stay out of them whenever possible because there are a lot of fights in them.

Chet Cuccia

[Heights2Bastrop]

As I recall, most or all of the 7-11s becaume U-Tote-Ms (You tell 'em "U-Tote-M"), and then became Stop-n-Go later.

[Houston born and raised]

I remember U-Tote-Um. There was one in the subdivision I grew up in (Briargate, SW Houston) back in the 1970's (I'm 40 now). Then it was a Circle K and I can't remember what it was after that.

[ssullivan]

One of my favorite convenience stores of all time is the Cum-N-Go I encountered last year in Oklahoma. I wonder if the owner has ever realized the double entendre of that name, especially spelled the way it is.

There are still some U-Tote-Ems operating in the Pacific Northwest.

[Ashikaga]

One of my favorite convenience stores of all time is the Cum-N-Go I encountered last year in Oklahoma. I wonder if the owner has ever realized the double entendre of that name, especially spelled the way it is.

There are still some U-Tote-Ems operating in the Pacific Northwest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There are some places that sell lottery tickets other than convenience stores. I've seen some supermarket and liquor stores sell them (over here).

Chet Cuccia

[sevfiv]

One of my favorite convenience stores of all time is the Cum-N-Go I encountered last year in Oklahoma.

that's worse than "Tote-a-Poke!"

[LTAWACS]

i think they were pretty much all the same.

[TexasHome]

I remember them. Used to go there and fill up on soft drinks.

[Ashikaga]

I remember them. Used to go there and fill up on soft drinks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Back in the early 1960s I remember a U-Tote-Um on Galveston Road just down from where I lived.

Chet Cuccia

[TexasHome]

Would that be the one in Webster?

[Ashikaga]

Would that be the one in Webster?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know. I just remember us going down Galveston Road a little way's from our house (located at # 8 West Court Drive) and going into a U-Tote-Um. This was over 40 years ago, so my memory may not be right all of the time.

Chet Cuccia

[jmancuso]

i remember them. there was one on studewood in the heights.

[lowspark]

There was a 7-11 across the street from my house when I grew up on the corner of W. Airport & Chimney Rock. That was in the 60s. When 7-11 pulled out of Houston, it became a local no-name store and changed hands/names several times.

We used to run back & forth to that 7-11 to get chocolate bars (10 cents), gum (5 cents for a 5 pack of wrigleys or 1 penny for bubble gum), and of course Icees -- cola & cherry were the two flavor choices. Those were the days!

The U-Tote-M I remember was on Westheimer just inside the loop. It was a brick building and I believe it's still there as a convenience store but I don't know the name. I'll have to make it a point to pass by there & notice.

[MidtownCoog]

Actually, you got Slurpies at 7-11.

You get Icees at Sears's pop-corn stand. And now they have them at Burger King.

[lowspark]

Actually, you got Slurpies at 7-11.

You get Icees at Sears's pop-corn stand.  And now they have them at Burger King.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, 7-11 switched to Slurpees at some point. But back in the early - mid 60s, they sold ICEEs. We practically lived at that 7-11. It was on the exact corner of my street, and we were 2 houses in from the gas station on the corner on the opposite side of the street. I remember the ICEEs and I remember them switching to Slurpees.

[Ashikaga]

Yeah, 7-11 switched to Slurpees at some point. But back in the early - mid 60s, they sold ICEEs. We practically lived at that 7-11. It was on the exact corner of my street, and we were 2 houses in from the gas station on the corner on the opposite side of the street. I remember the ICEEs and I remember them switching to Slurpees.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I remember back in 1965, my dad bought me my first comic book at a U-Tote-Em. The price of it was 12 cents. It was called Magilla Gorilla.

Chet Cuccia

[MidtownCoog]

I never knew that.

7-11 is pretty cool. They still have some neat promotoins during football season.

We get their commericals now and then on ESPN and ABC.

[dbigtex56]

I was thinking that there was a U-Totum in the 200 block of Westheimer in the early 80's. Can't remember if it was at the corner of Helena St. (still a convenience store) or Mason St. (now a adult DVD store).

Anyone remember?

[57Tbird]

There was a 7-11 across the street from my house when I grew up on the corner of W. Airport & Chimney Rock. That was in the 60s. When 7-11 pulled out of Houston, it became a local no-name store and changed hands/names several times.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I lived up the block and around the corner from you, at that time, on Landsdowne, about a block south of W. Airport. I remember that 7-11 too. From your description of your 7-11 purchases, it sounds like you were just a kid then. Did you know that Ron Stone of KHOU-TV fame lived on the same block as you at that time?

[lowspark]

I lived up the block and around the corner from you, at that time, on Landsdowne, about a block south of W. Airport.  I remember that 7-11 too.  From your description of your 7-11 purchases, it sounds like you were just a kid then.  Did you know that Ron Stone of KHOU-TV fame lived on the same block as you at that time?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Boy, it's a small world! Yeah, we bought that house in 1963, I was three years old and lived in that house until I got married. I did not know that about Ron Stone! OK, this story might not strike anyone else as funny but it's a memory for me.

When Ron Stone was anchor (actually I think it was after he had moved over to KPRC), he used to end his broadcast by saying, Good night Neighbor. I (as a teenager who thought I was clever) used to say, Neighbor! I don't even know where he lives!

Little did I know, he actually WAS my neighbor at one time.

[57Tbird]

Boy, it's a small world! Yeah, we bought that house in 1963, I was three years old and lived in that house until I got married.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess you and my son must have gone to the same elementary school for a year or two before we moved in 1968. You would be a year older than he. The name of the school slips my memory. We still communicate with our old neighbors that lived across the street. They moved there in 1961, same year as we did, and they still live there.

[Ashikaga]

I guess you and my son must have gone to the same elementary school for a year or two before we moved in 1968.  You would be a year older than he.  The name of the school slips my memory.  We still communicate with our old neighbors that lived across the street.  They moved there in 1961, same year as we did, and they still live there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was born in 1958. I lived in Houston from 1962-64. I attended Kindergarten at Park Place Elementary School. I wonder if one of you went to school with and/or lived near me. I resided in a white house on the corner of # 8 West Court Drive and Galveston Road, just a little way down from where Park Place Boulevard dead ends into Galveston Road.

Chet Cuccia

[lowspark]

I guess you and my son must have gone to the same elementary school for a year or two before we moved in 1968.  You would be a year older than he.  The name of the school slips my memory.  We still communicate with our old neighbors that lived across the street.  They moved there in 1961, same year as we did, and they still live there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Anderson Elementary.

My mother remained in that house for until she passed away a few years ago.

[Trophy Property]

Now I've just remembered something else from my days in Houston over 40 years ago.

[Ashikaga]

Last night I was having dinner at the folks house.  The following conversation took place:

Mother:  Go up to the U-Tote-Em and get some milk

Me:  What the hell is a U-Tote-Em

Mother: the Convienance Store up the street

Me:  Sunny's...  Got it.

I actually remember U-Tote-Em (there was one on Richmond between Hillcroft and Freshmeadows) but they have been gone a long time.    I was reading this post last week and when my mom called the Corner Store the U-Tote-Em I about fell out of my chair.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If your mother calls a drive-in grocery store "U-Tote-Em" when its name is something else, then that chain must have been popular in its day to have made a deep impression on her.

I don't recall any of them ever being over in this area. Just over in Houston.

Chet Cuccia

[djrage]

I was thinking that there was a U-Totum in the 200 block of Westheimer in the early 80's. Can't remember if it was at the corner of Helena St. (still a convenience store) or Mason St. (now a adult DVD store).

Anyone remember?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you talking about the place next door to Numbers? I also know there was a U-Tote-Um on Edgebrook in the little strip center just before the Arlington Place Apartments. I remember going into the office when we lived there back in 1988 to pay rent and seeing an arial photo there of the complex and in it was the U-Tote-Um. It was a Stop-n-Go when we lived there.

I loved when Circle K was here. To me they were a Corpus Christi thing when I was little back in the 70s. When we started seeing the Circle Ks when we went down there to see family we knew we were getting close. It was cool being able to say "I'm going to Circle K" when they were here. When family would come to Houston they'd all be like "y'all have Circle K here??. Its the same with HEB now. I'm loving that. I hated seeing Circle K go.

[Trophy Property]

If your mother calls a drive-in grocery store "U-Tote-Em" when its name is something else, then that chain must have been popular in its day to have made a deep impression on her.

I don't recall any of them ever being over in this area.  Just over in Houston.

Chet Cuccia

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THere was one up the street from our house so she got used to it. She is always getting names wrong. She calls me by my unlce's, father' and cousin's first name at will.

[skwatra]

there's still a stop-n-go on NASA 1. the gas is diamond shamrock, but the convenient store is still the same classic stop-n-go green, logo and all.

[Trophy Property]

there's still a stop-n-go on NASA 1. the gas is diamond shamrock, but the convenient store is still the same classic stop-n-go green, logo and all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Stop N Go is still around. Granted the gas is Diamond Shamrock, but I know of 4or 5 Stop N Gos. Westhiemer and Montrose comes to mind.

I used to get my Super Co-Pilot filled up everyday on the way to HS. I had a 30 minutes drive and I would usually drink an entire Co-Pilot full of DP, a package of 6 mini chocolate donutes followed up with 3-4 smokes. Nothing like the High School metabolism.

[JColle1975]

This may be a little late response but yes, I remember U Totems, thought not from as far back as 40 years ago. I remember them from 20 or so years ago. Matter a fact I remeber one outside the neighborhood I grew up in at Sage and San Felipe. They were a chain of convience stores that died out when Circle K came into being. But I remember taking many trips to the U Totem...

[Ashikaga]

This may be a little late response but yes, I remember U Totems, thought not from as far back as 40 years ago. I remember them from 20 or so years ago. Matter a fact I remeber one outside the neighborhood I grew up in at Sage and San Felipe. They were a chain of convience stores that died out when Circle K came into being. But I remember taking many trips to the U Totem...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did Circle K buy them out?

[hajones]

Yep, I remember U-Tote-Em. There was one on my street in our neighborhood in Channelview (Channelwood). The building's still there, it's the water district office now. We spent a lot of time (and money) there as kids on cokes, candy, think they had popcorn later. They were still building a lot of the houses there in the early '60s and some of the construction guys came in and bought hot links for lunch. I remember those hot links, man they were good. Ten cents, plus a nickel if you wanted a slice of bread with it. Worked there some later cleaning up, stocking shelves.

[TJones]

Now I've just remembered something else from my days in Houston over 40 years ago.  I recall us stopping by a convenience store chain called "U-Tote-Um."  The sign was an indian totem pole.  Does anyone else out there remember those stores?

Are there any popular chain convenience stores over there in Houston?  If there are, what are their names?  There are some Racetrac's over here.  I looked up their website.  It said that there are also some over in the Houston area.  I saw an article in the Houston Chronicle that said that the Diamond Shamock stores in Houston are changing their names to Valero.  I don't know if the ones over here will do that or not.  When I last saw them, they were still Diamond Shamrock.

Chet Cuccia

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You bet I remember U-tote-M, stole alot of candy out of there. Only got caught a couple of times. I used to frequent the one on Foutain View and Skyline, right by hwy.59. It is still a convience store, with a new name. Played tons and tons of pinball there. No video games there, of course this was 1978 or 79. The old Yellow , green, and maroon exteriors, with tile totem poles. These stores were the precursor to the Stop-N-Go stores.

[Parrothead]

I am in a U-Tote-M employee training film, which is most likely in a vault somewhere or more realistically in a landfill. I was 7 years old and my sister and I were supposed to take our hot dogs to the counter so the cashier could ring us up. It was the coolest thing in the world for me because I got to eat that hot dog.

My dad did all of U-Tote-M's PR during the late 70's. Those were the days....

[MarthaG]

There was a U-Tote-M on the corner of Oak Forest and W. 43rd...across the street from Oak Forest Elementary. I walked to that store many times as a child. I remember on my 12th birthday, my mother gave me a quarter so I could get a piece of penny candy for each person in my 6th grade class.

There was a 7-11 on Judiway near Oak Forest across from the public pool. This was a favorite place to get Popsicles and penny candy. I remember finding coke bottles and cashing them in for a few cents and buying penny candy.

[Poppahop]

U-Tote-Ums immortalized in Townes Van Zandt song...

Talkin' Thunderbird Blues

Among the strangest things I ever heard

Was when a friend of mine said man, let