Slurpee 40 Years Old This Year

[devonhart]

I remember my friend and me on our banana seat, bikes, and him asking me if I wanted to try the new drink down at the 7/11. I got the coke slurpee and remember the taste like it was yesterday, I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but the taste of that 40 year old slurpee, I recall quite clearly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slurpee

[musicman]

I remember my friend and me on our banana seat, bikes, and him asking me if I wanted to try the new drink down at the 7/11. I got the coke slurpee and remember the taste like it was yesterday, I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but the taste of that 40 year old slurpee, I recall quite clearly.

we haven't had 7/11s down here in years. i still remember in the early 70's they had the super hero plastic cups. i still have my collection from the early 70's...somewhere.

Edited July 5, 2007 by musicman

[Vertigo58]

Around 1968-1973 Here in Houston 7-11 stores called them Icee's. They were a mere ten cents! The name evolved over the years somehow. Coke flavor was my fav and they offered coupons on the side of each paper cup. If you clipped them out and saved like 10 you could send off and get cool stuff. I was too lazy to do that but we always walked to our nabe 7-11 to get them. Good old days.

Wish I had one now.

Edited July 5, 2007 by Vertigo58

[Firebird65]

Here in Houston 7-11 stores called them Icee's.

That's not quite correct. U-Tote-Ems had Icees and 7-11s had Slurpees. I don't think 7-11s ever had Icees and here's why:

For some bizarre reason, when I was a young kid, I loved Icees but hated Slurpees. There are some differences (Icees are more finally crushed than Slurpees), but basically they're the same thing. I did notice it was possible to slurp pretty much all the coke out of a Slurpee, leaving nothing but ice. I could never do that with an Icee.

We had a U-Tote-Em in our neighborhood at Gulf Bank and Cheswick and I'd always badger my dad to take me to get one. But when I went to my grandparents' house in Lindale Park, I never wanted a Slurpee from the 7-11 on Irvington and would get upset that they didn't have Icees. Weird, huh? Oh well, I've also been told there was a time when I didn't like French Fries either, but I'm not sure if I believe that. LOL!

I do remember those super hero cups and that's when I started to warm towards Slurpees (if warm is the proper term to use for a frozen beverage!) I got a Superman cup and after that, I figured Slurpees were OK.

Edited July 5, 2007 by Firebird65

[ToolMan]

Slurpees are much better thae Icees. I believe Stop & Go had the Icees too - too bad I have to drive to Austin to get a Slurpee now.

[Vertigo58]

I think you are right. I think the store we walked to may have been a U-Totem-Em before it was changed to a 7-11 later. Heck I was only 8-9 years old all I wanted was the drink! I also recall the canned Cokes were 10 cents and Chick-o-Sticks were a nickel. Bubblegum ball 2 cents. Hershey bar a nickel.

I think Austin (miraculously) still has 7-11's.

[TJones]

7-11 has always been Slurpee. I never really liked the Slurpee over the Icee either, it seemed that everytime I would try another Slurpee, I would always be reminded of WHY I didn't like them as much, BRAINFREEZES ! You can't suck down an Icee fast enough for a brainfreeze, but those darn Slurpees will get you everytime ! VIVA LA ICEE !

The one thing I did like from 7-11 was their own namebrand 7-11 sodas. They had a variety of "off-flavors" that you couldn't find anywhere else.

[texianjoe]

7-11 has always been Slurpee. I never really liked the Slurpee over the Icee either, it seemed that everytime I would try another Slurpee, I would always be reminded of WHY I didn't like them as much, BRAINFREEZES ! You can't suck down an Icee fast enough for a brainfreeze, but those darn Slurpees will get you everytime ! VIVA LA ICEE !

The one thing I did like from 7-11 was their own namebrand 7-11 sodas. They had a variety of "off-flavors" that you couldn't find anywhere else.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. 7-11s had ICEEs. I remember the rotating bear on top of the machine next to the checkout counter. Slurpee came with the Stop and Gos when they were two different companies.

joe

[Firebird65]

The one thing I did like from 7-11 was their own namebrand 7-11 sodas. They had a variety of "off-flavors" that you couldn't find anywhere else.

Golden Age sodas were also like that (maybe they were made at the same plant?). My grandmother used to get them at Weingartens and there were some interesting flavors. I don't think anyone else carried that brand because I never saw them again after Weingartens closed. So maybe Golden Age was Weingartens' house brand.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Icee's were also what they sold at the KMart snack bars. Not that I ever got one, but I certainly remember looking longingly at that bear many, many, many times!

[EastEnd Susan]

Golden Age sodas were also like that (maybe they were made at the same plant?). My grandmother used to get them at Weingartens and there were some interesting flavors. I don't think anyone else carried that brand because I never saw them again after Weingartens closed. So maybe Golden Age was Weingartens' house brand.

There was a small grocery store on the corner of 67th and Canal called Richeys. It was a Lucky 7 store. They sold Golden Age sodas. My mom always bought them because their cream soda was the best. They had long skinny triangles going around the can.

Edited July 5, 2007 by EastEnd Susan

[Vertigo58]

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. 7-11s had ICEEs. I remember the rotating bear on top of the machine next to the checkout counter. Slurpee came with the Stop and Gos when they were two different companies.

joe

Now you guys have me a bit mixed up.

I had originally noted that 7-11 had Icee's too. I remember a little spoiled kid that lived next door always saying I'm going to 7 E-Aeven for a Icee. I recall the bear advertised on the big glass windows next to the "Proud to be a Kicker" KIKK bumper stickers. I clearly can say I never heard the word slurpee until about 1980? I say Icee's came 1st at 7-Eleven's. Peace!

Oh and even Sear's always had an Icee machine with the bear next to the popcorn machines.

[sevfiv]

i think i prefer icees over slurpees just because of the name (ice is good, slurp + pee not)

don't really drink stuff like that these days anyhow

i would go to Dallas to get a Squishee from the temporary Kwik-E-Mart, though!

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/4937088.html

[gnu]

There was a small grocery store on the corner of 67th and Canal called Richeys. It was a Lucky 7 store. They sold Golden Age sodas. My mom always bought them because their cream soda was the best. They had long skinny triangles going around the can.

ain't the internet golden....

is that it?

we didn't have many 7-11's near us growing up so i got icee's (sears, kmart, utotem, etc)

how about slush puppies? is that right?

i liked slushes better...used to get them at a mom & pop drive in near me when i was growing up.

Edited July 5, 2007 by gnu

[Firebird65]

Oh and even Sear's always had an Icee machine with the bear next to the popcorn machines.

As a kid, that was the only good reason to go into Sears. Any almost other time, a trip to Sears meant time to try on school clothes. YUCK! Unless I was with my dad, then it was to get a tool. That was only slightly better. At least I wasn't required to do anything other than be quiet then. LOL!

Icee was never the exclusive domain of U-Tote-Em, but I do believe Slurpee was exclusive to 7-11. If you read the article at the beginning, it does say something to that effect.

Edited July 5, 2007 by Firebird65

[gnu]

As a kid, that was the only good reason to go into Sears. Any almost other time, a trip to Sears meant time to try on school clothes. YUCK! Unless I was with my dad, then it was to get a tool. That was only slightly better. At least I wasn't required to do anything other than be quiet then. LOL!

can you say Toughskins!?

Sears was where we went to sit on santa's lap too.

and look at the toys you wanted for christmas - all picked out of the sears catalog, of course.

[texianjoe]

Icee's were also what they sold at the KMart snack bars. Not that I ever got one, but I certainly remember looking longingly at that bear many, many, many times!

You are right I remember getting an ICEE and a .25 submarine sandwich from the snack bar, usually located near the entrance. They also sold nuts and chocolate candy.

joe

[Firebird65]

and look at the toys you wanted for christmas - all picked out of the sears catalog, of course.

To a kid, that Sears Christmas catalog might well have been the equivalent of the Guttenberg Bible.

[mkultra25]

To a kid, that Sears Christmas catalog might well have been the equivalent of the Guttenberg Bible.

Someone has digitized the entire 1979 Sears Wish Book and posted it on Flickr:

Wish Book for the 1979 Holiday Season

[northbeaumont]

Around 1968-1973 Here in Houston 7-11 stores called them Icee's. They were a mere ten cents! The name evolved over the years somehow. Coke flavor was my fav and they offered coupons on the side of each paper cup. If you clipped them out and saved like 10 you could send off and get cool stuff. I was too lazy to do that but we always walked to our nabe 7-11 to get them. Good old days.

Wish I had one now.

This show how far behind the times I am. I remember ICEEs from back in the 1960s. But I thought that the SLURPEE came out within the last 10-15 years. I didn't learn what a SMOOTHIE was until 2004 when I was watching my parent's dish TV and I saw a show on the Discovery Channel called "BIG" where they made a huge blender to make a bunch of them.

[TJones]

This show how far behind the times I am. I remember ICEEs from back in the 1960s. But I thought that the SLURPEE came out within the last 10-15 years. I didn't learn what a SMOOTHIE was until 2004 when I was watching my parent's dish TV and I saw a show on the Discovery Channel called "BIG" where they made a huge blender to make a bunch of them.

ASH, you are killing ME !!!

[cowboybud]

You can still get an "Icee" at Wal-Mart and some movie theatres. I remember the local Stop-N-Go selling them as a kid.

[Guest Marty]

I remember drinking Slurpee's at the 7-11 at Aldine Westfield and Hopper road in the early 80's then it change to Super Duper to Stop and Go. I think it's called Mario Mart now. I remember the brain freezes the most though

[nm5k]

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. 7-11s had ICEEs. I remember the rotating bear on top of the machine next to the checkout counter. Slurpee came with the Stop and Gos when they were two different companies.

joe

Thats what I was thinking. Icee was the first of the two, no doubt.. And I always thought they came

from 7-11's.. ??

I'm not sure about U-totems though.. I forgot what they had..

Anyway, as I remember the slurpees came out from Stop and Go. That was their answer to 7-11's

icees.. Course, maybe they sold icees at other places.. I don't know if "Icee" was a 7-11 brand, or a

brand of frozen slush sold to anyone that wanted to cough up for a machine..

As I remember from the old days, the guy working the counter ran the machine and poured it

into cups.. It wasn't a self serve thang like they all are today. When the majority of the 7-11's

were bought out and replaced by Stop in Go's, it was hard to find an actual Icee.. Stop and Go

was slurpee land.. Myself, I alway preferred the monster size cup cokes, that I used to buy in the

summers from most Stop and Go's.. And I had a large 32++ oz or so cup that I could refill for real cheap..

So I knew about where every stop/go in town was... I chugged em non stop in the summer due

to working.

MK

[northbeaumont]

ASH, you are killing ME !!!

What is "ASH" the acronym for?

[Firebird65]

Someone has digitized the entire 1979 Sears Wish Book and posted it on Flickr:

Wish Book for the 1979 Holiday Season

I can do you a few better. Here's a website with that one and several others, dating back to 1944:

http://www.wishbookweb.com

I clearly remember the Sears 1971 and 1975 catalogs. By 1979 I was 14 and too old for most of that stuff.

[Disastro]

we haven't had 7/11s down here in years. i still remember in the early 70's they had the super hero plastic cups. i still have my collection from the early 70's...somewhere.

Man, I remember those!!! You still have yours? My friends and spend many a summer day on our bikes going to 7-11 to get those things....

...seems like that was another planet now...

7-11 was DEFINITELY the store with the Slurpees. ICEEs could be found just about anywhere else as I recall...and you can still get those at WalMart, Target...not sure where else...

Edited July 6, 2007 by Disastro

[musicman]

Man, I remember those!!! You still have yours? My friends and spend many a summer day on our bikes going to 7-11 to get those things....

...seems like that was another planet now...

7-11 was DEFINITELY the store with the Slurpees. ICEEs could be found just about anywhere else as I recall...and you can still get those at WalMart, Target...not sure where else...

i'm sure my stash of superhero cups are somewhere at my parents. i agree at least here 7-11 had slurpees exclusively.

[Disastro]

i'm sure my stash of superhero cups are somewhere at my parents. i agree at least here 7-11 had slurpees exclusively.

At the time, and maybe still, 7-11 was owned by the Southland Corporation...and, like the "Fatso" hotdog I think Slurpee was a trademark of Southland...kind of like way Big Gulp is.

[EastEnd Susan]

ain't the internet golden....

is that it?

we didn't have many 7-11's near us growing up so i got icee's (sears, kmart, utotem, etc)

how about slush puppies? is that right?

i liked slushes better...used to get them at a mom & pop drive in near me when i was growing up.

Yep. thats the golden age bottle I remember. Mom bought cans because we went to Galveston and there was no glass allowed on Stewart Beach. I remember slushes too. My dad always took me to get one at a tiny drive in burger place on the corner of Wayside and one of the avenues between Harrisburg and Canal. This was after he took me to Mason Park and we were on the way home. That slush was a tradition.