Drive-In on N.W. Expressway

[Jim Kyle]

Service Merchandise was east of Founders in what now is Best Buy's parkng lot.

That was the original Service Merchandise location but it was more like Home Depot's parking rather than Best Buy. It later moved out to the old Cinema 70 area just north of where the Hideaway is now located.

And NW Hiway Drive-In was around the 7-11 and Marriott, a bit more to the west than you indicate. Independence wasn't there; Grand Blvd wound around the back of the drive-in. As teens we would park on Grand and watch the movies without benefit of sound...

[Prunepicker]

... Service Merchandise was east of Founders in what now is Best Buy's
parkng lot.

That was the first location. Around 1970 it moved to N.W. Expressway and
Springbrook, across from Hibdon's. Then it moved to the location where
the Cinema 70 was.

[ctchandler]

SS,
Sorry, the drive-in was next door to Hertz (where I worked). And the watch on my arm right now I purchased from Service Merchandise. The One you are referring to closed in the 70's. You said a 1969 aerial view and I would agree, but we are talking about the mid 70's to early 80's. I shopped at both Service Merchandise stores. My boys used to watch the drive-in movie when I had them with me while I was working on a computer project/problem. They loved it.
C. T.

I didn't think the NW Hi-Way drive in was where Service Merchandise was. A quick look at the 1969 aerial views elsewhere on the board verified this. The drive in was west of Founders Tower. Between Founders and Independence Street. Where the Marriott, 7-Eleven and the former Borders building are. Service Merchandise was east of Founders in what now is Best Buy's parkng lot.

[ctchandler]

SS,
Just noticed the responses that already stated what I just posted. Sorry, I didn't mean to pile on.
C. T.

[Bill Robertson]

That was the first location. Around 1970 it moved to N.W. Expressway and
Springbrook, across from Hibdon's. Then it moved to the location where
the Cinema 70 was.

I don't remember exactly when SM moved but it was way after 1970. I was in high school from 73 to 77 and went into the SM on May often. It was my go to place for stereo and sports stuff.

[Bill Robertson]

That was the original Service Merchandise location but it was more like Home Depot's parking rather than Best Buy. It later moved out to the old Cinema 70 area just north of where the Hideaway is now located

The 1969 arial clearly shows the building that was Shoppers World, SM, and many other things being closer to May. In Best Buys parking lot. I compared the 1969 shots to current Google Earth shots side by side. In the 1969 view there is obviously a large empty field between SM and Founders Tower. The empty field is where Home Depot is now.

And NW Hiway Drive-In was around the 7-11 and Marriott, a bit more to the west than you indicate. Independence wasn't there; Grand Blvd wound around the back of the drive-in. As teens we would park on Grand and watch the movies without benefit of sound...

I said the drive in was where 7-11 and the Marriott are now. By the 1969 views Independence was in between the drive in and Highlander bowling alley. Right where it still is.

[Bill Robertson]

SS,
Sorry, the drive-in was next door to Hertz (where I worked). And the watch on my arm right now I purchased from Service Merchandise. The One you are referring to closed in the 70's. You said a 1969 aerial view and I would agree, but we are talking about the mid 70's to early 80's. I shopped at both Service Merchandise stores. My boys used to watch the drive-in movie when I had them with me while I was working on a computer project/problem. They loved it.
C. T.

The Cinema 70 was by Hertz. I was talking about the NW Hi-Way drive in.

[SoonerDave]

That was the first location. Around 1970 it moved to N.W. Expressway and
Springbrook, across from Hibdon's. Then it moved to the location where
the Cinema 70 was.

Something's not lining up, because Service Merchanidise on N. May moved to NW Expy well after 1970, something closer to a decade later. The SM building on NW Expy was built as part of a broader mall in the mid-late 80's that included some oddball variation on a home decorating theme like Hobby Lobby, only with seemingly more upscale intentions. Don't think it lasted very long.

[Jim Kyle]

Around 1970 it moved to N.W. Expressway and Springbrook, across from Hibdon's.

Wasn't that discount house around NW Hiway and Springbrook something other than Service Merchandise? Seems to me its name started with "R" but I can't pull the rest of it up. I do recall that you had to buy a membership that cost quite a lot, in order to get inside, and the discounts and range of items available weren't all that great...

[Prunepicker]

Wasn't that discount house around NW Hiway and Springbrook something
other than Service Merchandise? Seems to me its name started with "R" but
I can't pull the rest of it up. I do recall that you had to buy a membership
that cost quite a lot, in order to get inside, and the discounts and range of
items available weren't all that great...

First it was Medco then it was Service Merchandise, we lived in the area
behind it. Didn't Service Merchandise have a membership?

[Jim Kyle]

Nope, anyone could walk in and buy. I think they had a registration form to fill out, but no cost to do so.

Yep, Medco was the one I was remembering. I think they folded and the building became available when SM decided to move from May Avenue. I don't think that building is still there; as I recall it was about where the City Bites site (now closed) is located, but the current building is much smaller than I remember Medco being.

[SoonerDave]

First it was Medco then it was Service Merchandise, we lived in the area
behind it. Didn't Service Merchandise have a membership?

Nope. Many of the Service Merchandise locations were previously occupied by a store called "Trade Mart," and I think for a brief time, "Shopper's Club" or "Shoppers Choice" that may have been a membership-based store.

[Pete]

Nope, anyone could walk in and buy. I think they had a registration form to fill out, but no cost to do so.

Yep, Medco was the one I was remembering. I think they folded and the building became available when SM decided to move from May Avenue. I don't think that building is still there; as I recall it was about where the City Bites site (now closed) is located, but the current building is much smaller than I remember Medco being.

The old Medco / SM building is still there.

It took the entirety of the Springbrook building that runs north and south.

[Prunepicker]

The old Medco / SM building is still there.

It took the entirety of the Springbrook building that runs north and south.

The old Local Federal building has been torn down. It was in the
parking lot.

[Prunepicker]

as I recall it was about where the City Bites site (now closed) is located,
but the current building is much smaller than I remember Medco being.

The Service Merchandise building was on Springbrook. City Bites was on
Brookside.

[bluedogok]

I thought that Medco and SM were both open for awhile, Medco at Springbrook and SM on May. Medco closed years before SM moved to the old Cinema 70 location when it was redeveloped. What was the name of the home improvement store where Hemisphere's is located? A friend of mine's father had the masonry contract on that center and he laid a ton of block/brick out there. That experience led him to get out of contracting for awhile.

[Martin]

What was the name of the home improvement store where Hemisphere's is located?

was it a builders square? -M

[ctchandler]

No, it was something like "Mr. Handyman". It definitely wasn't a Builder's Square. Maybe somebody will correct me on the exact name. I shopped in there quite a few times. It was a hardware/do it yourself type store.
C. T.

was it a builders square? -M

[Pete]

Handy Dan perhaps?

[Pete]

Check that...

Research tells me that Service Merchandise moved directly from 5901 N. May to the new location in Marketplace Shopping Center (the center east of McArthur on the site of the old Cinema 70) in April of 1985.

The new SM was 50,000 square feet. The other main tenant was Mr. How (home improvement) at 70,000 s.f.

[ctchandler]

Pete,
Thanks, Mr. How is it. I did a quick search and found a connection. It appears that Mr. How was owned by Service Merchandise. At least that was the case when Handy Andy bought the Mr. Hows from SM in the Chicago area in 1986.
C. T.

[Martin]

ah... mr. how. haven't heard that name in forever. -M

[Pete]

Mr. How didn't last long at that location or I believe, in general.

I had forgotten about it too and I lived less than a mile from that store.

[Jim Kyle]

Builder's Square was on the NW corner of NW 36 and May, where the indoor go-kart track is now located. Mr. Handyman was at NW 63 and May, in the building later occupied by Birmingham Coat Factory and then Big Lots!

I can't remember the name of the one where Hemispheres is now, though...

[Bill Robertson]

Check that...

Research tells me that Service Merchandise moved directly from 5901 N. May to the new location in Marketplace Shopping Center (the center east of McArthur on the site of the old Cinema 70) in April of 1985.

The new SM was 50,000 square feet. The other main tenant was Mr. How (home improvement) at 70,000 s.f.

Mr How, I never would have remembered that. I went in there a few times too.