enviromain

Alpha,

they'd walk down to JMH

JMH was the only place my grandmother and mother would buy meat. I remember playing I-Spy with my brother in the parking lot while Mom was shopping. Is that store even still around?

You are probably thinking of Gemco, which I believe was an acronym for Government Employees something something something.

Gemco was on Fondren and Beachnut. Eventually turned into Walmart. And then an educational institute.

My only question is that this is August, what the heck brought this on Enviro ?

I was looking through some old pics and saw a photo of one of the Halloween Party's that took the place of Trick or Treating after that happened. The pic just sparked a sad memory. It's sad that everybody had to suffer because of that tragedy!

Dean Corll was the "Candyman"

Correct. Different incident. Pretty Sorry - Both!

yep..definately took a lot of the fun out of halloween.

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive....id=2004_3813766

Exactly! Halloween the way we knew it was gone! Especially in Houston. I was getting to the age where it was debatable whether I would dress up or not, but my brother was devastated. We were forced to start having home parties with the people we knew. No more "Trick or Treat."

I went somewere near downtown, i can't remember where exactly though. I'm only 21!

The only Globe I knew of was on the corner of Hillcroft and Bellaire Blvd. in Sharpstown, across from the Sharpstown Drive-In Theatre and a Chinese Restaurant. Nothing much more was built up in that area during the 70's.

I'll never forget the Halloween in the mid 70's in Houston because a guy named O'Bryan had laced some candy with poison and gave it to both of his kids for the insurance money. Luckily the daughter did not consume the fatal treat, but the son did. I think he was from Deer Park or Pasadena (Houston Area).

All of this sucked because of the unrightiousness of O'Bryan, the death of his son, the marks for life for his daughter and family, the fact that O'Bryan received the glorious nickname "the candyman," and the fact that O'Bryan was The Man who killed halloween that way it used to be.

What hit me the hardest was O'Bryan's son was one year younger than myself.

Nice pics! I used to collect matchbooks. Wish I still had them.

I sprained my ankle once at that old ice rink next to the University of Houston. Ice Land I think it was called. I limped for weeks.

I didn't fall much when skating at Bellaire Skating Rink. What really sucked though is years later when I bought some inline skates. I put them on and started skating and all was good until I tried to hit the brakes by using the front of my skates. The brakes were in the back of the skates. Man, I went down face first on the concrete. That was definitely one of my finer "Stupid Human Tricks."

Additional trivia: Moving Sidewalks toured with Jimi Hendrix in '68 I believe. When Hendrix was on The Dick Cavett Show that year, Cavett asked him who his favorite guitar player was and he told him Billy Gibbons.

The only place I see them now is in airports.

Does anyone remember these old amusement places in Houston? what they were called? where there may be pictures of them?

The ski slope at the intersection of 610 West Loop and Southwest Freeway which later became...

The waterslide at the intersection of 610 West Loop and Southwest Freeway which finally became...

Malibu go-cart raceway and arcade at the Southwest Freeway

Games-People-Play...I believe it was on Fondren....big 80's hangout with arcade, waterslides and go carts..

The ski slope was a joke! I'm not sure how they thought that would work in the Hot Texas State! I remember driving by it and feeling exited that it might work. Think about how fast ice melts in Texas. What a tax right-off. I don't know why the waterslide did not work out, but I was under the impression that it was owned by the same "tax right-off people."

Malibu at SW Freeway was a murder scene of 3 or more people during late 70's or early 80's. It was a horrific awakening for those of us who had been there before. I have to say, I never went back!

Games People Play was on Fondren and Beechnut. Learned to play PacMan, Froggers. and Centipede there! How funny! I can still picture it, not much now but a whole lot at the time. Used to practice baseball there too.

--Handy Andy (very briefly here during the 70s)

I remember Handy Andy located near Hillcroft and Bissonnet. Henry's BBQ was across the street. And Sacco's Grocery Store, as well.

What about Piggly Wiggly? Way Out West? Josky's, JMH (Bellaire/West U) Meat Grocery Store, Westbury Square? Palais Royal?

Eagle, Gemco, Pharmor, Weiners, Montgomery Wards, Woolco, Woolworth & Globe are some of the many that just closed up shop and weren't bought or taken over by anyone.

The Gemco I knew was on Beechnut and Fondren. It was the pioneer of the current Walmarts and such. The first store in Houston (to my knowledge) to have camping equipment, sports, shoes, toys, fabrics, food court, and groceries. Bought my second baseball glove there. My mom loved it and I liked their ice cream!

The Railhead

6400 Richmond

Didn't the Railhead eventually turn into the Boston Teaparty? Seafood Buffet?

You made me crack my oatmeal facial.

The worst part about being kicked out of Astroworld was the fact that we were there with the MYF - Methodist Youth Foundation. Talk about a double whammy!

Used to sneak into the park and steal golf balls when I was younger.

My grandmother from my mother's side lived behind the Dairy Queen on Bellaire Blvd. (perfect opportunity for upcoming entrepreneurs).

Slightly older now, just concentrate on pool balls.

Sakowitz

Weingartens

U-Tote-'M

Joske's

Best

Federated Electronics

Woolco

Still have the wooden hangers!

Even though it's only been gone a short time, I miss the original Antone's on Taft. The chain Antone's pale in comparison to the original locations. I don't even know how many 'original' stores exist.

I also miss ZuZu, which was on Shepherd near Fairview. It was Mexican fast food and I remember a salsa bar or something... it was quaint with good food.

Did you ever go to Tila's? Good food, wish it was still there. Used to be very close to the last of Felix Mexican Restaraunts. Still fighting to keep Felix's open!

Monterey House was a wonderful place to eat. We went to the one on Bissonnet across from Bayland Park when I was a kid. In fact we named our cat "Pepe" after the waiter there! That cat lived almost 20 years. I do miss the candy there for sure!

My best friend and I used to get a season pass every year for $10. Our favorite ride was the Dexter Freebish Electric Roller Ride. We also liked the round theater where you watched while lying on the floor. I remember seeing helicopter rides and the curves on Lambart Street in San Francisco. We got kicked out of Astroworld once when we spit on a man's head from the sky ride that took you from one side to the other. Sorry.......we were kids!

Used to watch that and Captain Kangaroo! My best friend was on Don Mahoney and Jeana Claire show! Thanks for the memory!

There was a Globe on the northeast corner of Bellaire and Hillcroft. It was right across Hillcroft from the Sharpstown drive-in theater. Sage was on the southeast corner of Beechnut and Post Oak (now 610) right across from Meyerland. What occupies those locations now?

I used to shop at that Globe and saw Jaws at Sharpstown Drive-In Theater! Last time I checked there was a Fiesta store where Globe once was and they built an apartment complex where the Drive-In used to be!