Ice Cold Watermelon Stand

[isuredid]

a

[Heights2Bastrop]

There used to be a watermelon stand on Shepherd around 26th or 27th. I'm not sure, but the old tin building may still be there. If not, it hasn't been gone long. There was a fruit stand just across the street from it, also a tin building, but it has been gone for quite some time.

Back in the 50s, they used to plug the watermelon before you bought it so you could see what you were buying. The guy would jab his knife down three times and out would come this long, this wedge about 2

[Pumapayam]

The best one is the one out of town on the way to College Station off Highway 6.

I don't remember the one you are talking about, I used to work off of Polk 3 years ago.

[Parrothead]

I read the title of this thread and just imagined cold slices of watermelon laying on shaved blocks of ice ready to be picked up (with a salt shaker nearby). Heavenly! Thanks for the much-needed mental break.

[GovernorAggie]

The best one is the one out of town on the way to College Station off Highway 6.

I don't remember the one you are talking about, I used to work off of Polk 3 years ago.

Are you talking about DiLorio's? If so, I went there last year and they had a watermelon the size of a 4-year old kid for 7 dollars!

[NenaE]

I remember the watermelon stand at Evergreen and Lawndale, where the washateria/video store is. It was close to the "Key" gas station,(north) and that ceramic shop (2-story 1960's bldg., balcony -walkway,white rails & turquoise color), (west). That corner has some very old bldgs. beside/behind it. Across, diagonally from where the stand was, there once sat a 2-story Victorian house. Believe there is an auto parts store there now. That is a complicated intersection, 5 roads & a set of train tracks cross.

[airmech1112]

Are you talking about DiLorio's? If so, I went there last year and they had a watermelon the size of a 4-year old kid for 7 dollars!

I remember the watermelon stand, when I played baseball at dixie little league on Lawndale if we won a game our manager would take the entire team there to celebrate.

[Vertigo58]

I remember the watermelon stand at Evergreen and Lawndale, where the washateria/video store is. It was close to the "Key" gas station,(north) and that ceramic shop (2-story 1960's bldg., balcony -walkway,white rails & turquoise color), (west). That corner has some very old bldgs. beside/behind it. Across, diagonally from where the stand was, there once sat a 2-story Victorian house. Believe there is an auto parts store there now. That is a complicated intersection, 5 roads & a set of train tracks cross.

Nena, you must remember the Tampke Lumber Company???

It was on the same side of the gas station you described. I vaguely remember but it was there for a very loooong time. Finally either got demolished or was condemned, whatever. Whomever recalls this business please tap in. We knew a relative by that name, it was the owners sister that lived way over in Utopia, Tx. I bet the people at nearby Martini's Hardware may have known them?

Real East End trivia folks!

[NenaE]

Nena, you must remember the Tampke Lumber Company???

It was on the same side of the gas station you described. I vaguely remember but it was there for a very loooong time. Finally either got demolished or was condemned, whatever. Whomever recalls this business please tap in. We knew a relative by that name, it was the owners sister that lived way over in Utopia, Tx. I bet the people at nearby Martini's Hardware may have known them?

Real East End trivia folks!

I remember the lumber company that was on the west side of Evergreen (and Lawndale), the train tracks would have been directly north of it, the ceramic shop very close to it. But can't recall the lumber co. name. My g-mother lived very close to that intersection. I know Martini's Hardware.

[foxmulder]

I remember the lumber company that was on the west side of Evergreen (and Lawndale), the train tracks would have been directly north of it, the ceramic shop very close to it. But can't recall the lumber co. name. My g-mother lived very close to that intersection. I know Martini's Hardware.

Are y'all talking about where magnolia pawn used to be? The Bills Ice place lost the "cover" and you can see windows from ages ago. Nena(you aren't my mom are you? She lived in the area and her nick name is Nena!) Check this pic out!

[musicman]

Nena, you must remember the Tampke Lumber Company???

some of the structures from this are still there, although dilapidated.

[NenaE]

Are y'all talking about where magnolia pawn used to be? The Bills Ice place lost the "cover" and you can see windows from ages ago. Nena(you aren't my mom are you? She lived in the area and her nick name is Nena!) Check this pic out!

Looked on Google Earth, and it triggered my recollection of the little ice house that has been there forever...the lumber co. was right by it, (Myrtle St. is close by) ,do recall it turning into a pawn shop (front bldgs. only used), you can still see the other lumber yard coverings out back (from the maps). Bldgs. on Bowie street have always caught my eye, look very old.

Haha...NenaE is my great-grandmothers name...On one of my first posts on HAIF I talked about several locations in this area where old Victorian houses stood, one was where that auto parts store is, across Evergreen & Lawndale, NW corner of intersection.

Where is that picture of the bank sign from? Haven't been by there lately. That's not the Harrisburg Bank sign, (or whatever it's name is now), is it? I love that bank's design, full glass panels, full length curtains.

I'll have to do a drive by soon.

Musicman, is this the location of the Tampke Lumber Co.?

[musicman]

your description is accurate with respect to the pawn shop, lumber yard and ice house. you unknowingly saw danax's house there as well.

i'm not sure where the bank sign is to be honest. unless it is north of the rr tracks? there's a furniture resale place in a strip center. i'm off of evergreen myself but closer to the freeway and i just can't picture that bank sign.

[foxmulder]

Yes, it's the harrisburg bank! Back when it said "BANK" before frost took over. The storm uncovered it!

[musicman]

Yes, it's the harrisburg bank! Back when it said "BANK" before frost took over. The storm uncovered it!

ah ok. i kept thinking evergreen and lawndale is where the pic was taken. just took a drive there cause i KNOW i didn't remember a bank sign.

[Vertigo58]

Maybe we are headed in to a East End lost and found relative here? If anyone happens to one day hear of or speak to anyone of the living relatives of the Tampke clan? people that owned or ran the Tampke Lumber Company they should know that we (or I & family) knew their sister that lived on her farm in Utopia, Tx. To set the time and date last we saw her in person was around 1981 when our family used to visit the ranch. My dad somehow knew her from close to 40 yrs ago. Not sure where to start but he knew Mrs Tampke cause she would lease out the land for hunting so dad would go w/pals. She was already very old but extremely kind. A very simple old fashioned little lady that would let us visit and stay in one of several of her farm homes, bascially camp out, swim etc. She mentioned on ocassion she had a brother that owned that lumber place. I do have 1981 pics of her and of her ranch. I recall her house even had one of those phones that you crank to speak into! She has obviously passed away long ago from what we heard but I often wonder what became of the ranch. Then as yrs passed I noticed the lumber place seemed abandoned & forgotten. Can you imagine the fantastic stories those folks could tell especially since he served the East End for all those decades! More than likely the business materials were used to build most homes nearby! Another mystery about to be solved?

One day I sure would love to create a topic just on Utopia, Tx complete w/pics I took in 81, it has barns, her windmills, cows, very typical Texas but in a neat way. She was a real sweetheart, we almost saw her as a distant grandma.

Oh yes, her name was Nettie Tamke! Just don't hear names like that any more.

[HedwigTramp]

I remember the area well... The Watermelon stand with the sawdust floor.

The Lumber yard, but I don't recognize the name "Tampke". I asked my 95 year old dad who has lived in Pecan Park since the 30's if he could remember the name...but no luck.

I actually worked at the E&H Ceramic shop from about 1968 to 1973 (started as a 7th grade student at Deady). Two single ladies owned/ran the shop (mother and daughter). The daughter had a son that was wild as a lion. I think he turned it into a Classic Mustang restoration shop a few years later.

I actually lived in one of the apartments above the warehouse at the corner of Bowie and Evergreen for a couple of years. There was the ice house across Evergreen that would sell a 16 year old booze. And there was "Doc".. the doctor who had an office (in a house) on the east side of Evergreen next to my apartment. "Doc" stayed plastered during office hours and would stumble across Evergreen to the Ice house a couple of times a day. He actually performed my Physical when I started the U of H. I vividly remember that his office had cat food in the fridge with the medicines.

The shady bars on Bowie were a Real trip on the weekends. I never visited them, but gunshots outside my apartment were routine.

Yep.. I have a lot of memories (some pretty blurry) of that area.

[musicman]

i think the ceramic shop is there in some fashion...at least the molds in the building you mentioned and a newer one across evergreen. the car restoration place is back of the warehouse you lived in. the brick on the east side appears to have collapsed and other damage was sustained during ike.

the ice house on evergreen is still there but i'm not sure the bars on bowie are. i know there's a mexican restaurant and one of those gambling places. if i'll remember i'll do a drive by later.

[Vertigo58]

The shady bars on Bowie were a Real trip on the weekends. I never visited them, but gunshots outside my apartment were routine.

Yep.. I have a lot of memories (some pretty blurry) of that area.

Isn't there a field near those sleazy bars and of all things a church? That church has always seemed very mysterious. I am certain it is still open but not sure what denomination or even more interesting year built and pics.

More trivia: One of those bars was called the Popcorn Lounge around 1979.

[Fez1964]

Isn't there a field near those sleazy bars and of all things a church? That church has always seemed very mysterious. I am certain it is still open but not sure what denomination or even more interesting year built and pics.

More trivia: One of those bars was called the Popcorn Lounge around 1979.

I believe the church you are referring to is called Broadway Baptist. The church has had an impact in the community for decades. They had a school there and I am not too sure if it is still open.

[Vertigo58]

I believe the church you are referring to is called Broadway Baptist. The church has had an impact in the community for decades. They had a school there and I am not too sure if it is still open.

Here's a tad more of trivia for those that may remember that intersection. There was or still the Auto Parts on that corner, my little bro worked there around 1987 and I think it eventually closed. To the left of it between Martini's Hardware was a Wholesale Beer sales place. We knew the owners whose name was Boggs, the son we knew was Robert Boggs. Sold the cheapest kegs of brew around and were doing quite well for yrs. One day it seemed to just be vacant as if they sold and split the area. A keg of Lone Star was about $25.00! This was around 1981-82.

Directly across from Martini's H was a bar, a most unusual bar. We snuck in as teens late 70's and it was still 1961 inside, decor, people, heavy smoke, jukebox. Like a scene out of an early 60's spy film, quite cool. Scorcese could have filmed Good Fellas in there and it would have been perfect. As yrs passed the old timers passed away and it is now of all things a bakery. The outside still retains that mod 60's neatto style though. Can't recall what the name of the bar was, must have been pretty hep for its time. Maybe Houston's local mob (Goombah) used to hang out there? Ja!

[NenaE]

The newer ceramic shop had very mod details, turquoise accent colors, mod railings, don't know why I never stopped in for a visit. HedwigTramp, you are right, the older building was a ceramic storage facility. I remember the classic Mustangs in a smaller workshop, close to the ceramic shop. My father taught me to appreciate classics, he had a '65 GTO convertible once. That shop was there for many years. There is a 2-story house sitting on a large lot across from that church, (SE from the front doors), has a basement in it, was told that it had water in it, few years back. Lawndale has some old bldgs, very similar to the ones on Bowie. They are (were?) South of where the Leonard's Dept. store was, down from Martini's. Speaking of bars, anyone remember the Wahoo Bar, in front of TG&Y's? Was "cedar red", like those picnic tables that were so popular at one time. Where Kellogg crosses Lawndale, (North side), there used to be a train depot (1800's-early 1900's)...there is a the legend of the Twin Sisters cannon being buried there, next to the bayou. There is also a very old cemetary at the other end of Bowie st. I know this is trailing a bit, but Vertigo that old white Spanish style house we talk about at Park Place & Old Galveston has been torn down...another house close to it's location is for sale, dates to 1900 (if you can believe HAR info.).

[Vertigo58]

The newer ceramic shop had very mod details, turquoise accent colors, mod railings, don't know why I never stopped in for a visit. HedwigTramp, you are right, the older building was a ceramic storage facility. I remember the classic Mustangs in a smaller workshop, close to the ceramic shop. My father taught me to appreciate classics, he had a '65 GTO convertible once. That shop was there for many years. There is a 2-story house sitting on a large lot across from that church, (SE from the front doors), has a basement in it, was told that it had water in it, few years back. Lawndale has some old bldgs, very similar to the ones on Bowie. They are (were?) South of where the Leonard's Dept. store was, down from Martini's. Speaking of bars, anyone remember the Wahoo Bar, in front of TG&Y's? Was "cedar red", like those picnic tables that were so popular at one time. Where Kellogg crosses Lawndale, (North side), there used to be a train depot (1800's-early 1900's)...there is a the legend of the Twin Sisters cannon being buried there, next to the bayou. There is also a very old cemetary at the other end of Bowie st. I know this is trailing a bit, but Vertigo that old white Spanish style house we talk about at Park Place & Old Galveston has been torn down...another house close to it's location is for sale, dates to 1900 (if you can believe HAR info.).

Nena, I think you just created a new mystery. You mean that one level 40's style building was another Leonard's Dept Store??? So you mean East End had two of them? We all know there one at Telephone/Dumble but you mean was another one?

PS, I do remember always seeing the name Wahoo Bar too. We used to go to that TG & Y around 1968-74. That beauty parlor that is still on that adjacent strip center after all these yrs but I am certain its exchanged hands over he yrs. Back in 1969 when my big sis was visiting from Canada (Eastern Airlines stewardess) she had her hair done there (seemed like a wholeday) still remember coming back to pick her up w/mom. I recall her hair seemed a mile high, a bouffant was much in vogue.

This is funny, we have strayed from the watermelon stand again, ja!

By the way, I am almost sure that was a Kentucky Fried Chicken across where that Wahoo was at. had a big bucket spinning around with the Colonel's face.

[NenaE]

Nena, I think you just created a new mystery. You mean that one level 40's style building was another Leonard's Dept Store??? So you mean East End had two of them? We all know there one at Telephone/Dumble but you mean was another one?

PS, I do remember always seeing the name Wahoo Bar too. We used to go to that TG & Y around 1968-74. That beauty parlor that is still on that adjacent strip center after all these yrs but I am certain its exchanged hands over he yrs. Back in 1969 when my big sis was visiting from Canada (Eastern Airlines stewardess) she had her hair done there (seemed like a wholeday) still remember coming back to pick her up w/mom. I recall her hair seemed a mile high, a bouffant was much in vogue.

This is funny, we have strayed from the watermelon stand again, ja!

By the way, I am almost sure that was a Kentucky Fried Chicken across where that Wahoo was at. had a big bucket spinning around with the Colonel's face.

Yeah, I'm sure of it, my grandmother shopped there, at Leonards...the older bldgs. were across the st. (south), right next to the Winchells donuts. The watermelon stand also sold Christmas trees in the winter.

[Vertigo58]

Yeah, I'm sure of it, my grandmother shopped there, at Leonards...the older bldgs. were across the st. (south), right next to the Winchells donuts. The watermelon stand also sold Christmas trees in the winter.

Guess we have to solve the mysteries ourselves. This could very well be the same Leonard's Stores that originated in Ft Worth. There was a old advertisment in Google that mentioned all location in Houston so it must be the same people. Seems they later revolved into Dillard's! What!

Leonard's The Best For Less!

http://members.fortunecity.com/tokenguy/to...ales/page30.htm

[gnu]

1957 Houston locations of Leonard's Department Stores (courtesy Ma Bell):

1) 9119 Humble Rd

2) 3016 Little York

3) 2820 Fulton

4) 809 Congress

5) 8111 La Porte Rd

6) 13415 North Shore Rd

7) 7103 Lawndale

8) 8525 E. Houston Rd

9) 802 Telephone Rd

1975 Houston locations (courtesy City Directory)

2) 3016 Little York

3) 2918 Fulton

5) 4530 Holmes Rd

6) 13415 East Freeway

7) 7103 Lawndale

8) 8525 E. Houston

9) 802 Telephone

not numbered

3143 Southmore

129 Little York

1238 Uvalde

(edit: added 1975 locations)

[musicman]

Guess we have to solve the mysteries ourselves. This could very well be the same Leonard's Stores that originated in Ft Worth. There was a old advertisment in Google that mentioned all location in Houston so it must be the same people. Seems they later revolved into Dillard's! What!

i believe leonard's was owned by one of the weiner's sons who went out on his own. my mom worked there in the 50's and ended up working for leon weiner at weiner's in the 60's at their main office which eventually moved to westview. the leonard's store was at 75th and lawndale on the corner where the old theater is. when leon's son andy took over in the late 90's, he expanded too much and the stores ended up closing

[Vertigo58]

9) 802 Telephone Rd

Never realized nor knew that they were so many spread out in Houston! We lived near this local and from what I remember it was just a common dept store that seemed very quiet most of the time at least around 1969-73? Then finally closed down.

We used to go wondering inside for thrills when walking back from Jack N the Crack across the street at Dumble. There only were a handful of customers and mostly older women and a select few sales clerks. The selcetion of clothes seemed very square to us, I mean it was the 70's long hair, bell bottoms, etc & these items were just ...

This whole section of lower Telephone seemed like a little village then, real nice. Its a miracle the building is still extant. It has now become very dated and been remuddled in every horrible way possible. Tear her down and build anew. I know dream on...now bakc to watermelons!

[IronTiger]

Dillard's didn't absorb them like Macy's absorbed Foley's...Leonard's went OOB then Dillard's bought the empty locations.

[NenaE]

Here's what I learned yesterday...from the Sanborn maps (1939, later unlisted date) & HCAD data.

Tampke Lumber Co. - 7514 Lawndale (between Kellogg & Parsons), NE of Broadway Baptist Church

Blalock-McCall Lumber Co. - 1009? Evergreen (near intersection of Evergreen, Griggs, Lawndale) across (west of) the watermelon stand.

Key Oil Co. - 7201 Lawndale. Service Station (built 1953).

Martini Hardware Store - 7145 Lawndale (built 1935).

Music School (unknown name) - 7160 Lawndale (around where that bakery/previous lounge was, x from Martinis)

Restaurant (unknown name) - 7148 Lawndale (x from Leonards)

Aryway Apartments - to the right of Leonards.

Arrowhead Apartments - off Redwood & Lawndale. (note: the Wahoo bar was in the 'hood, coincidence?) (not listed, but maps showed a bldg. with a barbeque pit behind it, think it was the Wahoo). side trivia note: in the 1960's kids played a marble board game with American Indians painted on it, called Wahoo).

Lawndale Plaza St. found at apartments near the shopping center containing Weingartens at 75th & Lawndale.

Ceramic Shop storage bldg. on Bowie (off Lawndale) - Built 1949, referred to as "Retail Multi-Occupancy". Also lists residential bldg. on same property, blt. 1940. There was also a cleaners business x the street, on Evergreen, I vaguely remember it, had those slanted, painted vertical poles.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. on Harrisburg Blvd. was built in 1946-47. on same property, at 6842 Harrisburg, had a Filling Station at 69th & Harrisburg, as well as a Tire & Service Station. I'm assuming it was part of Sears, same property, blt. 1946-47.

Gulf Brewing Co. located on Polk Ave. (west of Gus Wortham golf course-NW corner)

Hughes Tool Co. - Located between Polk Ave. & N. Capitol Ave. (northwest of golf course, direct north & east of the brewery), NW of where that Fiesta now is located.