U-Tote-Um Grocery/Convenience Stores

[TexasVines]

U-tote-M has a corporate office on the west loop (610) south just south of where westpark is and it had a Totem pole out front

they all sold out to Stop-n-Go in the 80s as was said before

I believe the Melchers were then in on Ranger Markets that sold out to 7-11 there was only about 11 Ranger Markets one was on the southwest corner on Briar Forest and Wilcrest......for a while after they sold out there were 2 7-11s with the origional 7-11 on the north east corner of that intersection

I went to my first 9 years of school with JoAnn Melcher and she was a very nice girl......I also barely knew her older brother Frank

I believe Frank died at about 18 from a pretty rare disease, but I don't remember what

that same year at the Houston Rodeo a person (again can't remember who) was in the running to buy rhe grand slam of champion animals which had never been done and I believe still has not been done......he had bought all but the Steer and was in the running for it when he heard the Melchers were bidding to honor Frank......the person backed off and the Melchers bought it

not sure if it is 100% true, but I know there was a Chron story about someone buying all the champions but the last one and it was around the time I believe Frank passed on and the story around school was the Melchers had bought the Steer

I am not sure who it was that backed off, but that was a class act......the Melchers were good people too as far as I knew and JoAnn was always very nice

there was also a U-tote-M at the front of Lakeside Estates in the shopping center at the north east corner of Lakeside Drive and Westheimer.....we could usually buy beer there at like 15 if we were taller than the AZN guy behind the counter or if you went in smoking.....sometimes no

Lot of Houston memories there

Thanks Houston!

[RhinoVP]

I think the U-tote-Em I remember most was the one on Montrose and Hyde Park. That brings back memories of comic books and candy cigarettes for me. My grandmother would take me here every day, as she lived just two blocks down Hyde Park at Converse.

This building is still there and is now Hollywood food store as it has been for years.

Wasn't that a U-tote-Em in the old Clash video for "Rock the Casbah". There were two sheik's pumping gas into their Caddilac, giving the thumbs up sign. That's way back when MTV played music video's!

[Libbie]

I think the U-tote-Em I remember most was the one on Montrose and Hyde Park. That brings back memories of comic books and candy cigarettes for me. My grandmother would take me here every day, as she lived just two blocks down Hyde Park at Converse.

This building is still there and is now Hollywood food store as it has been for years.

Wasn't that a U-tote-Em in the old Clash video for "Rock the Casbah". There were two sheik's pumping gas into their Caddilac, giving the thumbs up sign. That's way back when MTV played music video's!

I remember that U-Tote-Em. It was the only one I knew that sold a kind of ice cream bar that was made of chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream with more chocolate in the middle. At the age of ten or so (circa 1960) I remembered my father's buying me one somewhere around Fairview or Hyde park, and a few weeks later I had my mom drive me around the area until I found that store and its ice cream bars, which I wanted to serve at my birthday party. And I did. Oh, and I remember the comic books, too. Ten cents a piece back then, and 25 cents for the "giant" ones.

[RhinoVP]

Would that have been an Eclair? I think you can still buy those and in Strawberry too.

[kayzer]

7-11, U-tot-em, Stop N Go. Even the mom & pops like the Evergreen in Stafford. Love(d) them all.

[Libbie]

Would that have been an Eclair? I think you can still buy those and in Strawberry too.

Maybe, though I don't remember what they were called; don't remember such an esoteric-sounding name, but heck, I was ten. They were a little thicker than Eskimo pies, chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream, more chocolate inside, and a stick, like a popcicle (sp?) or an Eskimo Pie. They were wonderful!.

[RhinoVP]

7-11, U-tot-em, Stop N Go. Even the mom & pops like the Evergreen in Stafford. Love(d) them all.

Isn't that an Evergreen still on Murphy at West Airport? It's funny that you bring up that store, because that was the home of $10 twelve pack when we were a bunch of underage punk's

[marketingwiz]

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?

Chet Cuccia

Do I remember U-Tote-Em? I WORKED at a UT in College Station when I was a sophomore at Texas A & M. It was directly across from campus (still there) near the intersection of Texas Ave. and Hwy. 6. I had the graveyard shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. If I didn't have to study, I'd go to work drunk straight from the club(s). What a life!

I actually ate some of that Regal Food Service crap food from the refrigerators, like bean burritos and pimento cheese sandwiches (safest choices). During finals, my study group would meet there and we'd drink beer, smoke cigs and study all night. I was so good that I was asked to work at a second UT in Bryan. I guess the bar was set pretty low back then........

[Propps]

Those Ice Cream Bars you crave were "Sidewalk Sundaes". I must of ate a jillion of 'em.

They had a gold wrapper with a little coupon on the back, which could be combined with four of five more coupons and a couple of quarters, and when you sent it off to a P.O. Box in Englewood, NJ; then about the time you'd forget about sending it off in the first place, you'd get your Silver Photo ID Bracelet with the Twisto-Flex Memory Band, (or some such thing) back in the Mail.

It would be waiting for you right there on the Kitchen Table when you got home from school. The initial excitement would soon give way to abject fear, because you bought it to give to a Girl, so maybe you and her could "Go Steady". It seemed so easy when the "Photo ID Bracelet" was just a picture on the Ice Cream Bar wrapper.

I might still have one, lurking in the Attic.

''You tell 'em U-Totem."

Leroy Melcher's Ad Agency

[yuan1274]

We had U-Tote-Ems in Bellaire too along with 7-11 on Rice Ave and the famous Midget Market near Bissonet and Avenue B near Gordon Elementary and Feld Park. Great place to buy baseball cards in 1958-60.

I don't know where this one was located

[Paul1956]

We lived near Freeman Elementary for a while, and there was a U-Tote-M on Edgebrook where I would buy comics for 12 cents and a Rat Fink vending machine. Close by was another little store called 'Cunninghams' that I remember had cartons and cartons of BicPens on the counter for 19 cents each. Strange what sticks out in my mind after all these years.

[DonMahoneyFan]

"You tell 'em U Tote M, my friend"

[moni]

I remember UtoteM fondly. When I first moved to Houston from a very cold Chicago, I was amazed that these stores had their sliding glass doors open at all hours and even in the winter. It is a happy memory for me. My neighborhood at the time was a very safe place, but still..

[missmsry]

As a child, I moved back to my hometown of Houston from Argentina in 1959. There was a U-Tote-Em next to Shadow Oaks Elementary School where I bought hostess cupcakes every day after school. I'm still chubby and still think of convenience stores as U-Tote-Ems. I didn't know what a 7-11 was until I was older. Which came first?

[rsb320]

There was one on Bellaire, near Edloe. That'd be like the 3500 block or so.

[darla1976]

Hi! I'm new to this forum/website and I've got to tell you, I've enjoyed reading all of your posts. I've read several posts on several topics over the last couple of days. It sure brings back a lot of memories. I graduated from high school in 1976... yes, the bicentennial year. Remember when everything, including garden/water hoses, were red, white and blue?!

I'm not a Houstonian. I've lived in Galveston County most of my life. But a lot of the things that are discussed here are familiar to me, as well. We had several UtoteM's in my area, too. But we also had a couple that weren't mentioned by any of you... I'm wondering if they were privately owned or maybe a smaller chain. They were called "Plantation" and another called "Little Chief". They were mini marts/convienence stores just like the ones you've named (7-11, Stop-n-Go, UtoteM, Ranger Mart, etc). Anyone recall either of those?

I remember when Almeda Mall was THE place to shop. Although the Galvez Mall was closer to me, we thought the one in "Houston" was better... afterall, you had to drive 40 minutes just to get there! Whew! In the days when my mother sewed all of my dresses, it was a real treat for her to "buy" a dress for me.

Since I graduated in 1976, I was a follower of the Disco Era. I loved it! We'd frequent lots of clubs in the Houston area. I can't remember all of them, but a few come to mind, like Cooters (Edgebrook and IH45, I think), Uncle Sams (Pasa-"get down"-dena, I think), & Bentley's. I know there were more, I just can't recall the names right now. Maybe some of you can jar my memory. Boy, those were fun days. Legal drinking age was just 18 then. When in Galveston, we'd go to "The Islander" dance club on the Seawall.

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you all that I'm so happy to have found this site! Thanks for bringing back some great memories.

[e streeter]

i think there was a u-tote-m near the corner of willowbend and post oak. i think they all disappeared when i was living in dallas from the early 80's to the early 90's.

what ever happened to all the houston 7-11's. there are 7-11's in other cities. if i remember correctly 7-11 was owned by southland corp in dallas.

we had a independent convenience store near post oak manor. it was called warden's and we would always ride our bikes to it and get icee's, grape gum balls that made your teeth turn purple and buy archie and millie comic books.

[GREASER]

I loved utotem...they had that promo totem pole that made some sort of noise, clicking noise maybe..dont remember what it was...they also had a tube tester. I used to pull the tubes from the tv and ck them.

[emscougar]

I lived in Sugar Creek, and there was a utotem just over the wall at Dulles ave and Ludwig street. There used to be a lot of hispanic gang fights there. I witnessed a few, including one where a life was lost to a carpet cutter.

But all in all, I have fond memories of the store. one incident occured that was not nice, but changed my life. I was entering my house when I heard the screech of brakes, heard a loud boom, and I knew it came from the direction of the utotem. I went as fast as I could to the wall. Everything was dark. I hopped over the wall and ran over, seeing a car that had tried to turn onto ludwig at a high rate of speed. The car had gone into a ditch, became airborne, tangled up in the power lines and fell to the ground. In the back seat was a blonde girl, .....Heck.....all I was,....was a lifeguard with cpr training. I felt helpless. There was nothing I could do for her. All I could do was watch Ft. Bend EMS come extricate her, backboard her and transport. This bothered me for a long time, and I eventually became an EMT and worked volunteer 911 on northside, and have been on transfer ambulances off and on for 18 years now. I will always wonder if that girl was ok, and I will never know. But every time I go to that store today, I think of her, UtoteM, and other memories of growing up next to the store.

Coug

[djrage]

I don't know where this one was located

Isnt this from the movie The Outsiders?

[57Tbird]

Isnt this from the movie The Outsiders?

See this link from earlier in this thread.

[TJones]

See this link from earlier in this thread.

T-BIRD !!! What's happening Big Daddy ??? Haven't seen you around in a month of Sundays.

Isnt this from the movie The Outsiders?

Yep, that's Tulsa, Ok.

[NenaE]

I don't know where this one was located

Just curious...what's a sundrie?

[memebag]

Just curious...what's a sundrie?

It's the day before Mondrie.

[NenaE]

[57Tbird]

T-BIRD !!! What's happening Big Daddy ??? Haven't seen you around in a month of Sundays.

Hey, TJ! I've been lurking around and jump in every once in awhile. You're a classic car expert. Is that a '55 Chevy Bel Air in front of that U-tot-em?

NenaE... Sundries are a little bit of everything... too many things to mention. Don't see that word much anymore. I guess "miscellaneous items" would be used today. Sundries, or sundry items, was a common staple of the old drugstores.

[NenaE]

link, once again from Bob Bailey: http://www.cah.utexas.edu/db/dmr/image_lg....iable=e_bb_2483

Didn't know Utotem had been around that long.

[TJones]

Hey, TJ! I've been lurking around and jump in every once in awhile. You're a classic car expert. Is that a '55 Chevy Bel Air in front of that U-tot-em?

NenaE... Sundries are a little bit of everything... too many things to mention. Don't see that word much anymore. I guess "miscellaneous items" would be used today. Sundries, or sundry items, was a common staple of the old drugstores.

Sorry I didn't see this sooner T-Bird. Judging by the tailfins, I want to say '55, could be '56, I am gonna look at a few more photos to determine for sure. It's a 4door though. LOL!

Wow, what a crappy pic that really is, blurs out the taillights just right, I am gonna go with '55 the tailights look like the smaller version which would be '55.

[TexasVines]

Sorry I didn't see this sooner T-Bird. Judging by the tailfins, I want to say '56, could be '55, I am gonna look at a few more photos to determine for sure. It's a 4door though. LOL!

it is a 55

the 57 had the split V in the rear and the 55 had the straight line trim like the one in he pic and the 56 had just the 2 color panels, but the trim sloped down in the rear VS being straight like the 55

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

[JRH_1948]

There was a U-tote-M at the SW corner of Ella and Grovewood in the early '60s when I lived near there. Google maps streetview shows the building for lease. It was across the street from Sinclair Elementary

ISTR There was a 7-11 at the NE corner of Shepherd and 13th. This one was across the street from Love Elementary. Location, Location, Location.