morpheus

I lived on Harold street, went to St Anne's for 8 years with all the lovely nuns. Walgreens used to have a bin of 45's and sometimes there were some treasures. The Saturday morning cartoon and b movie extravaganza were  highlights, and sometimes a yo yo contest.

Wackers had a tiny post office and can still picture the portly bespectacled woman who ran it...such treasures in the aisles as already mentioned. Western Auto was full of fragrances-new tires, leather mits, footballs and basketballs. I too enjoyed Coney Island, but across the street was the venerable Record Rack where  I bought my first Sinatra album, classical albums and so many more, the albums often with a plastic sleeve. a very friendly couple ran it...she had pointy glasses, a redhead I think. when I questioned the $4.00 price of an album the owner drolly commented-"You pay more for Sinatra." And I doubt if anyone remembers this, but just down the street on West Alabama, a funny little woman ran a record store out of the front of her house...you could sit on a stool and she'd play anything you wanted to hear...short cropped  hair with glasses, me and my pals loved this place. Across the street was Valian's Pizza, which was my meal of choice to watch Star Trek with.  On Harold and Shepherd sat tiny Toddle House where I would have a masterburger and hashbrowns. A few blocks down sat the Broiler Burger with that wonderful charcoal burger smell. Oh man,. i could go on, but as you say, it was an idyllic place to grow up and ride a bike and play football in the street, even if we didn't realize it till much later.

My mom took me to Battlesteins on Shepherd. It was definitely not as chic as Sakowitz, more affordable, which is why she shopped there, along with Foley's. There was a saleslady named Marge, a real character who would measure me for pants and her reference would be, "Just a little below where the Yankee shot you."

My father had an office in the Medical Arts Bldg for 50 years-graduated dental school in 1927. I got to know that lobby and office real well.Had a busy lunch counter and lots of glossy marble. What kind of small mind destroys a structure like that for parking?

After my adventures as a R&R drummer in the 60's I changed direction and got a job at Cornelius Nursery around 1971. I loved it, and it became one of my various occupations over the years. The work environment was wonderful-a riot of color and heavenly scents, the cool spray of constant watering, which intensified the fragrances of marigolds, phlox, jasmine and roses.

Customers all seemed to be in a good mood there, so I ended up making the rounds of numerous nurseries in the next three years. But I forget their names, except for Gardenland on Westheimer, which was the last place I worked at before hitting the road for the Rockies in '74.

There was a very well established place, in Bellaire, I think. And a small one at the intersection of San Felipe and 610,  where I recall Dan Pastorini came in looking for some pots, with his buxom girlfriend.

And a really really tiny one on Richmond, between Greenbriar and Kirby.

Anyone remember these?

Midlane was just one of a host of complexes in the area, also Three Fountains, Cummins and Timmons Lane being the ones I remember. I can't tell you how many parties I went to between say, 66 and the early 70's. They weren't roped off. Each section had its own pool and the word would spread during the week where the action was. You just crashed the party. I usually brought a bottle, but the kitchen was usually filled with booze. The girls were hot and flirty, and the humid, sultry aire somehow made it more alluring. I remember a night when they kept playing the Stone's "Let's Spend the Night Together."

There was a drive-in nearby, and later a Jack in the Box, where i spent a lot of bucks.

Loved the pizzas at Valians on South Shepherd and W Alabama--would get one to go and watch Star Trek.

Also, the Mading's Drug Store on Shepherd and West Gray--excellent malts.

Does anyone remember the rather small drive-inn located on Westheimer, just after Highland Village and the RR tracks, but before Mid Lane?

My next door friend's dad was an oil man who had some kind of membership to the Shamrock pool, and we were there practically every week during the long hot summers of the mid 50's. It seemed like the biggest pool in the world, and sometimes we were the only ones there! I particularly remember those tall diving platforms-I only went as high as the second one.

Glenn McCarthy had a reputation as a hell raiser-he was the basis for the character of Jett Rink in the movie Giant, from the Edna Ferber novel.

It's a shame they tore it down. Developers have no sense of history.

In the mid 70s there was the Kopper Kettle cafeteria on Harrisburg - and by that time the old Chicken N Egg Roll (RIP) was a Mi-T Bite.

Fwiw for other stores and restaurants in the area from that time period, there was a place called Carol's Kitchen across Shepherd (where Starbucks is), a Valians at the current Pappas Seafood, and Jimmie Green Chevrolet on the southeast corner of S Shepherd and Westheimer..

Never went to Carols' Kitchen, but I got a Valians pizza every Friday night, took it home and then watched Star Trek or something. Also frequented the Coney Island about a half block up, which was across from my favorite record store, the Record Rack, run by a very nice couple whose names I long forgot.

Speaking of records, does anyone possibly remember a quirky and tiny older lady who sold records out of her home, about a half block up West Alabama, from Valians.

My sister informed me that the little "Toddle House" on Shepherd and Harold was finally torn down. It had been a Chinese place for some years, but in the 50's/60's it was my favorite hamburger place, only a half block from our house.

Masterburger, hash browns and a cold Dr.Pepper. Less than a dollar. Mmmmmm...

My buddy and I roamed the Westheimer area, from the Galleria and westward, in search of parties with alluring women. This was between 1966 and 1970, while I attended UofH. Do you recall the Scene West? It was an extremely popular dance club, with a plexiglass dance floor that lit up, and a drummer that played along with tunes of the day. As I remember, the girls tended to be rather stuck up there, but the music was great.

The big party places, at least for us, were Three Fountains and Cummins/Timmons Lane Apartments. There would often be two or three going on at once, often around a pool. I remember the faces of some regulars, but no names. I would describe these places as one night stand paradises. Those were the days of heavy makeup and hairspray, but it seems like those Houston girls were exceptionally pretty.

And then there was Sin Alley, but I think that topic was already covered.

BTW, I graduated form high school in 1964.

Edit:  October 23, 1969

I worked part time at Sakowitz on Post Oak around 1965. It was pretty ritzy. worked in men's accessories, i think. we sold Countess Mara ties which sold for $100, or some outrageous sum. There was a popular sandwich/deli next door where I used to have their delicious club sandwich.

Also worked at Joske's, on the other side of Westheimer, not as classy, but more fun to work in. I was a stock boy and had a crush on a young salesgirl who looked exactly like Samantha in Bewitched, which was popular at the time. I even called her Samantha. I got fired.

I wonder where she is now....?