cowboybud

I worked at the Orange Julius at the North Town shopping center (north east corner of Tidwell and the North Freeway) in the mid-70's. The franchise was owned by my high school chemistry teacher. He wasn't the only teacher I knew who had a second job. The man was from Newburg, New York and was militant about how clean the restaurant was to be kept. Granted it was a small place but I'll bet it was the cleanest fast food place on the north side at the time. The building was free-standing in the parking lot and the roof looked like a pleated slab of concrete. There were windows on three and a half sides so it was easy to see customers approaching in their cars or on foot. Many walked over from the other stores in the shopping center including one very cute young lady with blond hair from the Sound Warehouse.

I remember that place.

Thanks for the info! that is awesome people still went inside there... I don't know why, but I've just become fasinated with remembering these places all through out town. It seems like with the recent news of Six Flags demise, parks of any size might not have a bright future...

I've also done a wiki entry on Castle Golf and Games if anyone wants to check that out.

The million dollar question is: there was a small amusement place along I-45, near Airtex / Kuykendahl (I think where all those restaurants now are (Zio's, etc.), near the Ethan Allen and furniture stores) Anyway, this place had batting cages, peddle boats and a bright big top tent / canopy on the structure that was always clearly visible from the freeway. It remained defunt for quite a few years after it shut down. Does anyone remember the name of that one?

I remember a big arcade in that area, but I don't remember it having batting cages and boats.

Sage Drug Stores

There are some that claim 1 was opened on the north side of town.

North Freeway between West Rd. and FM 525 in the Randalls Center. It opened in the mid-70s and was there until Sage went belly up. The space became a Walgreens and, as far as I know, has been vacant (along with most of the center) for several years.

I don't live far from this one (used to go to the Panchos that used to be there) and grew up to one nearly identical to this at Little York and I-45. Different stores, but pretty much the same layout - an anchor on one end and an airconditioned, glass-enclosed hallway leading to the rest of the stores.

The "mall" at Little York at I-45 originally was anchored by Grants, a department store in the vein of Woolco. When that folded, it became the Big Texan Bowling Lanes. I believe now that space is a Food Town grocery store. Next to the Grants was a drug store (I don't think it originally was Walgreens as Walgreens didn't come to Houston until around 1975).

Walgreens has been around Houston a LOT longer than that; there was one on Long Point near my grandmother's old house that had been there since at least the 50s. You're thinking of the one in the Randall's center by Aldine, which opened around 1975.

As others have said, North Oaks wasn't a mall per se; there was a center court that had some small storefronts, the AMC theatre and an arcade (there was a rear entrance/parking lot to the theatre accessible from Stuebner-Airline/Veterans Memorial). I remember Target, a clothing store of some kind (Weiner's maybe), a Wyatt's Cafeteria and I think another restaurant there.

Got to searching and found this site of Elvis' concert and appearances dates:

http://oldies.about.com/od/elvis/a/elvis1955_2.htm

How did this guy play a gig every day in so many different cities? He was all over the place. I don't think musicians do that today.

And some dates he'd have an afternoon and evening show, or an early evening show and midnight show.

Remember that back then, bands only played a 30 minute (or so) set. The jamboree shows had several different acts performing.

WOW! Blast from the past!

I remember sitting in the little kids booth that you put quarters into to watch reel to reel cartoons while my mom and sisters shopped at Sage. That AND the fresh made carmel corn.

Good times, good times!

OH, and always stopping at Wink's BBQ for lunch afterwards! It also is long gone. They had THE best ham sandwiches ever!

I remember Globe, too, but it doesn't hold nearly the same fond memories.

And the store on the East Freeway that is now a Fiesta.....between Federal and John Ralston Road. Can't believe that I don't remember the name. Gemco? Something co!

It is Gemco. There was also one at North Freeway @ Airline across from Northline Mall, which is also now a Fiesta (or was the last time I was over there).

I had forgotten all about Jim's. Was there a connection between Jim's, Champ's and JoJo's?

There was also a Jim's/Champ's on Hillcroft @ Westward?, where there's a Conoco station and strip center now. I was in that one several times with friends, otherwise would never have been there. Went to the one on Murphy @ 59 once for breakfast when it was JoJo's, once for dinner when it was Champ's.

The only one of those buildings still standing is the one on N. Braeswood @ Chimney Rock which was Pastine's, an Italian place, for a while and is now El Ranchero.

There was a Champ's on I-45 between West Rd. and Aldine Bender (FM 525). Had many a drunken breakfast there, once saw two waitresses get into a food fight. Last time I was in the area, there was a Mexican Seafood restaurant on the site (the building was completely remodeled and was painted Taco Cabana pink).

I remember a drunken Oiler fan pouring a beer on my 14-year-old head.

Bum Phillips was actually fired after the 1980 season.

it was definitely General Cinema--i can well remember the old "movie reel" opening that they used before each movie started...wonder if youtube has this opening anywhere?

Update Re: Clodine General Store

Drove by there today; they've got the place on stilts, so it looks like they're moving it somewhere.

Is Spring Branch HS in HISD or in its own district?

No, there's a Spring Branch ISD.

http://www.springbranchisd.com/

The current high schools are Memorial, Northbrook, Spring Woods and Stratford. Spring Branch and Westchester were converted to magnet schools.

I had friends in Spring Branch who went to Spring Branch High. I remember going to the school but I can't remember where it was located. Can someone help me?

Also, did they tear it down or is it still up?

Westview just east of Campbell in Spring Valley. My grandmother used to live in the area and my two oldest sisters went there. They converted it to a magnet school, I think. Not sure if it's still there.

One semi-celebrity went there; pro wrestling great Gino Hernandez (real name, Charles Wolfe).

Greens Rd. was once called Gears Rd.

Will Clayton Pky. was once Jetero Blvd.

Hwy. 249 was once FM 149

Veterans Memorial Dr. was once Steubener-Airline

As for the Greenspoint area, that's in Nimitz's attendance zone. I don't believe any of the people who live in the apartments along Greens Road ever went to Aldine as those apartments were all built after Nimitz opened in 1978. I stand to be corrected, however.

He may have been referring to the apartments along Airline/Dyna/Goodson.

Here's an update on your list Firebird. I have to say, this is some amazing stuff.

Nadine Kujawa was my principal in elementary school. She and my mother butted heads about something, don't remember what, it's been 30+ years..

Anyone know what good ol' Mr Lewis is doing now? I heard he was an assistant superintendent at some point.

This is a recent story on the Clodine General Store from the Fort-Bend Herald Coaster newspaper...

Fate of Clodine General Store hangs in the air

By Marquita Griffin Wednesday, September 12, 2007 4:17 PM CDT

There was a time when Clodine was just a sleepy country town out west of Houston. Not many people, not much traffic, not anywhere to shop.

Except, of course, for the Clodine General Store.

One of the community's oldest buildings, it was the central gathering place for the folks who lived in the tiny settlement, located along FM 1464 in northeast Fort Bend County.

All that, of course, has changed with the growth of Houston, as builders snapped up all that farmland around the town and turned it into numerous subdivisions for downtown commuters.

With each nail and yard of concrete, Clodine has slowly faded into a historical footnote. And as the town slipped away, so went the store.

And now the fate of the Clodine General Store hangs in the air as preparations for the expansion of FM 1464 are in motion, but all Henry Nemec wants is to preserve what he views as a historic structure.

Hidden beneath rust and faded signs, the Clodine General Store sits quietly like an old-timer, with memories carefully stored away in the cracks of the wooden floors and the among the dust collecting on the shelves.

1971 at Clear Creek High School, all students had to wear school supplied jock straps and gym shorts during P.E. Class. There were three large bins marked small, medium and large to reach into. Some poor assistant coach had to wash and dry these all day long for the next classes to use. We all had to take showers, no exceptions. Another assistant coach watched us to make sure everyone showered and then handed each of us a towel as we finished.

More than once we were made to swim in just jock straps. Nobody asked why, we just did what we were told. We assumed the coaches just didn't want to wash and dry that many garments.

OK, that's just creepy.

When my family moved into the Villa Madrid (formerly Sundance) Apts, most of the whites and minorities of means had left for the greener pastures of Mission Bend and points west.

Mission Bend is on a downhill slide now. Many people have moved to more affluent areas of Fort Bend County.

As you walked in the front door there was a tall desk to the right where you had to show your membership card. I don't remember if it cost anything but you had to have one. They may have relaxed it in its final days. Another reason I remember is there was a pretty blond that I knew from my Village Pizza days that worked the desk. I kept trying to get her to go out with me.

wikipedia on GEMCO

joe

The GEMCO by Northline Mall became a Fiesta, not sure if it's still there.

Land value is something that I'm a pure imbecile at understanding. I read that one of the main reasons why drive-in movie theatres bit the dust was because of rising property values. Maybe someone can enlighten me on what all of that means.

Same reason why Astroworld closed.

In the 1940s, there was an airport on the site of what is now Aldine High and Stovall Middle School.

I wonder if in due time the telephone "book" will be a thing of the past? Will it someday be only online? YellowBook.Com has theirs both book and online. It seems like operators are now people of the past. When you call 411, naturally, a recording answers.

In one TV commercial, David Carridine has a laptop computer entering YellowBook.Com to show to his "student." In the other commercial, he throws the book to him.

I work for an independent yellow pages publisher, and the thinking is that printed phonebooks will be a thing of the past in 20 years.

I dunno, I was REAL young when Kitirik was on, but I remember having a crush on her. LOL!! I also remember Cadet Don and the Casper cartoons Ch 13 used to show early mornings -- did not have a crush on him. LOL!!!! Anybody remember Captain Harold?

I think someone had brought up Captain Harold in another thread?

I cannot think of his real name but if I recall he would introduce late night B-movies? or was it Rock n Roll Bands? he was dressed like a fighter pilot with goggle sand scarf. Had a big mustache. I think he was sort of a local TV personality on Channel 26? I do remember seeing him dressed in business suits while on TV so he did more than just the Captain bit. He always had gorgeous women around him so either he was supplying them good stuff or ? Wonder what became of him, hope hes not in the Betty Ford Clinic like most of them.

This was also when they used to show The Three Stooges after Popeye & Mighty Mouse cartoons. Cant forget the After School Specials. See we did pretty good without any blasted cable TV.

Harold also did numerous local commercials, including Pilgrim cleaners, that's probably where you saw him in a suit.