Speaking of "across the street from Baptist Hospital" . . . Does anyone else remember a submarine sandwich/deli place directly north of Baptist Hospital on the other side of the NW Expressway? I want to say it was called "Subway" but it was nothing like the Subway locations of today. In addition to lots of hanging plants and superior sub sandwiches, they also had some really good potato salad and coleslaw and etc. I think I had one of my first submarine sandwiches ever at that place. (This would have been back in the early to mid-'70s.)

Oh! And this reminds me: The other day someone mentioned the fact that Neptune's Submarine Sandwiches is still around. I thought they were long gone. Like the Dairy Queens.

I've seen a Neptunes around 32nd and Classen but I have no idea if it the same as the ones that were around years ago.

I believe that it is the same. The original Neptune's location was on Penn a few block north of NW 23, and opened a bit earlier than 1974. It later (over)expanded into a local chain, and began to collapse. The next-to-last location was at NW 63 and May, just to the north of the present Sprouts (which was a Safeway at that time) and it closed in 1991 or 92. I used to have lunch there almost every day until it shut down because the building was going to be razed for erection of the present structure on the north side of the Sprouts parking lot.

Adair's cafeteria on Lincoln, I think. We used to go there a lot, like every weekend or, when I was a small child with my folks and grandparents. Seemed like a great place, but again, I was very small. I think the place ended up burning down?

when did the movie theatre in French market mall go out of business? i feel like i saw overboard and the original transformers movie there

when did the movie theatre in French market mall go out of business? i feel like i saw overboard and the original transformers movie there

This sort of reminds me of The Chicken and The Egg Quandry/Paradox:
Did the demise of the movie theater cause the disappearance of Furrs Cafeteria?
Or vice-versa?
And what about the place that I bought my first computer--located in the same Mall--that disappeared about the same time!
It was called "Uptime Computers" . . . I got a $2,000 computer for what Dell sold for $500 a couple of year later..
(wait a second . . . that doesn't make sense!)

Still . . . it was "Hand Crafted" "Locally" using the best available components . . . =)

Adair's cafeteria on Lincoln, I think. We used to go there a lot, like every weekend or, when I was a small child with my folks and grandparents. Seemed like a great place, but again, I was very small. I think the place ended up burning down?

The Adair's building is still there. It has been American Standard for ages, or was last time I looked.

Did the demise of the movie theater cause the disappearance of Furrs
Cafeteria or vice-versa?
Furr's was there years after the theater was gone.

That probably explains why some of the chicken on their buffet was so tough.

Speaking of "across the street from Baptist Hospital" . . . Does anyone else remember a submarine sandwich/deli place directly north of Baptist Hospital on the other side of the NW Expressway? I want to say it was called "Subway" but it was nothing like the Subway locations of today. In addition to lots of hanging plants and superior sub sandwiches, they also had some really good potato salad and coleslaw and etc. I think I had one of my first submarine sandwiches ever at that place. (This would have been back in the early to mid-'70s.)

Oh! And this reminds me: The other day someone mentioned the fact that Neptune's Submarine Sandwiches is still around. I thought they were long gone. Like the Dairy Queens.
Where Pearl's Cajun Kitchen on Meridian is located was originally a Subway but not the Subway franchise, an independent restaurant by Paul Seikel of Pearl's. I think they had another one before Schlotzsky's opened across from Baptist.


Furr's was there years after the theater was gone.
The French Market Mall location was a relocation from the space in the Glenbrook Center East where Michael's Plum and later The Varsity was located. My father worked on the second floor of that building and when they moved in Furr's was going in that spot. I also found the design drawings in the plan vault at Benham.

I think there was an Across the Street where Garfield's and the Dugout were located on North May.

what about the place that I bought my first computer--located in the same Mall--that disappeared about the same time!
It was called "Uptime Computers"Did you ever deal with Computer Masters, which was located first on NW 23 a bit to the east of Rockwell, and later moved down near Mathis Brothers around Reno and Portland before going kaput in the mid-80s or so? They built my first IBM clone, although I had gone through three TRS-80s before that thanks to static electricity. I didn't have to buy those, though; I was providing sweat equity to a joint venture and the other fellow provided the cash.

I believe that it is the same. The original Neptune's location was on Penn a few block north of NW 23, and opened a bit earlier than 1974. It later (over)expanded into a local chain, and began to collapse. The next-to-last location was at NW 63 and May, just to the north of the present Sprouts (which was a Safeway at that time) and it closed in 1991 or 92. I used to have lunch there almost every day until it shut down because the building was going to be razed for erection of the present structure on the north side of the Sprouts parking lot.

The only Neptunes I remember eating at a lot was on NW 16th and Rockewell. I loved their roast beef subs slightly warmed up.

Adair's cafeteria on Lincoln, I think. We used to go there a lot, like every weekend or, when I was a small child with my folks and grandparents. Seemed like a great place, but again, I was very small. I think the place ended up burning down?

Our family would go to the Adairs on NW 23rd and Drexel in the 60's and early 70's. I remember all the aquariums they had to look at while waiting in line.

Furr's was there years after the theater was gone.

Furrs was there up until just a couple of years ago. There was also a Furrs in the far west end of the Windsor Hills shopping center on NW 23rd and Meridian. I ate there a lot when they would have their $5 after 5:00, all you could eat.

I believe that it is the same. The original Neptune's location was on Penn a few block north of NW 23, and opened a bit earlier than 1974. It later (over)expanded into a local chain, and began to collapse. The next-to-last location was at NW 63 and May, just to the north of the present Sprouts (which was a Safeway at that time) and it closed in 1991 or 92. I used to have lunch there almost every day until it shut down because the building was going to be razed for erection of the present structure on the north side of the Sprouts parking lot.

My first outing at a Neptunes was the one on Classen and 32nd around 78 or so. I always thought it was the first and original. Still stop by every now and then for a whole supersub or 2.

63rd and May was my old neighborhood, used to go to that Safeway (walked to it) and ate at the Neptune's next to it, played in the field where Ted's is, climbed around on the hill and rocks where McD's is, saw the Andy Warhol 3-D versions of Frankenstein and Dracula at the French Market Theater, shopped at Woolco....

Loved the aquariums at Adair's, had forgotten about those!

The only Neptunes I remember eating at a lot was on NW 16th and Rockewell. I loved their roast beef subs slightly warmed up.

The Neptunes I remember was the one that took over the Twitty Bird's location, also there was one just north of 44th on Penn.

Did you ever deal with Computer Masters, which was located first on NW 23 a bit to the east of Rockwell, and later moved down near Mathis Brothers around Reno and Portland before going kaput in the mid-80s or so? They built my first IBM clone, although I had gone through three TRS-80s before that thanks to static electricity. I didn't have to buy those, though; I was providing sweat equity to a joint venture and the other fellow provided the cash.

Never dealt with Computer Masters. My experience with Uptime (back in about '93) was enough for me.
It's been all Hand-Me-Down Dells since then. =)
('cept'n fer this here laptop . . . =)
(and I don't own a SmartFone neighther . . .)

Where Pearl's Cajun Kitchen on Meridian is located was originally a Subway but not the Subway franchise, an independent restaurant by Paul Seikel of Pearl's. I think they had another one before Schlotzsky's opened across from Baptist.
.

We used to eat at it and drink beer when we go through with our day shifts at Chili's. I think before it was down at the Pearl's location, it was further north on Meridian near where ribcrib is now. This would have been about 1990. As far as the Neptune, there used to be one on Air Depot in MWC back in the mid eighties

So . . . I had a nice lunch, with my mother, just yesterday, at what has been a favorite restaurant of [mine] for several decades. The portions and the prices were perfect. In retrospect, the best part of all was the fact that the Owner, Jim Dolezel, actually recognized me at the door even if I don't frequent the place like I used to. I'm not sure if that says something about him as a restaurateur or something about my own ego, having moved on up and over to the vaguely inner NW zone of the OKC sprawl many, many years ago. In either--or any--case, Pelican's OKC (actually MWC) is a Classic.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Still . . . a bit of new siding doesn't hurt. Does it? Even if not "Organically Weathered" nor chemically treated to attain "The Instant Look of Authenticity" . . ?

https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10417628_698608570186411_6701047991757702364_n.jpg

The Stately Waiting Area. The picture doesn't do it justice. Suffice it to say that it is both welcoming and comfortable. Just as it's been since about 1980. (Which comes close to qualifying it for one of those extra special dining establishments that have lasted more than 30 years).

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1.0-9/10313452_698608766853058_2493071539187086930_n.jpg

Don't Mess With Success. (Every time I walk into this place, it feels like coming home. =)
(and don’t count nor hold the failed attempt of “Pelican’s” to expand over onto North May a decade or so back against it.) The food was good, the ambiance exceptional, the service attentive and the experience way up there on the positive part of the Cost/Value Dining Graph.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/10363869_698608853519716_5246473235083807646_n.jpg

If I recall correctly (and often I don't) there was an O'Mealy's cafeteia in Windsor Hills at some point in time. Where were there other O'Mealy's's?
(I realize that is a spelling/grammar error; how often do you have the chance for three apostrophes in a word?)

There was one on May Avenue just north of NW 30, and the original was on NW 23 a bit east of Hudson...

RM,
Several related answers. As Bluedogok said, it was a Paul Seikel restaurant. The related answers are, they moved West near Rockwell into an early version of TGIF's (anybody remember that one? I believe it is Fazoli's now). Then they moved to Meridian and I-40 in the building that was Pearl's Cajun Kitchen and now Pearl's Fish House. Very few people remember TGIF's, it was just a tiny little place, but they had pretty good lunch fare. As for Neptune's, they have been on Classen Blvd for a long time and I think it's the only one left. An old friend of mine owned the one on the East side of Broadway Extension near 22nd street.
C. T.
Speaking of "across the street from Baptist Hospital" . . . Does anyone else remember a submarine sandwich/deli place directly north of Baptist Hospital on the other side of the NW Expressway? I want to say it was called "Subway" but it was nothing like the Subway locations of today. In addition to lots of hanging plants and superior sub sandwiches, they also had some really good potato salad and coleslaw and etc. I think I had one of my first submarine sandwiches ever at that place. (This would have been back in the early to mid-'70s.)

Oh! And this reminds me: The other day someone mentioned the fact that Neptune's Submarine Sandwiches is still around. I thought they were long gone. Like the Dairy Queens.

they moved West near Rockwell into an early version of TGIF's (anybody remember that one? I believe it is Fazoli's now). Quite correct, and I do remember when that early TGIF building was built. The son of a bowling partner was the original manager; he worked for the TGIF franchising firm, and his job was to build and open their new stores around the whole USA. Earlier, he had been with the local chain that operated a number of theme restaurants around town (the names of which escape me at the moment but one was at Britton Road and Eastern with an old-mill theme, and another was on I240 west of Penn, again with a millpond motif; their last was Gator's on Country Club Drive just east of May) and had managed the one on I240. My wife and I along with his mother and stepfather attended the staff dry-run the night before its official opening and had a great time...

Jim,
Joe Kelly's was on Britton road just West of Kelley. Also, didn't they own Chi Chi's? I don't remember the place on I-240. The TGIF's evolved from a "Fast Casual" to what it is today almost overnight.
C. T.
Quite correct, and I do remember when that early TGIF building was built. The son of a bowling partner was the original manager; he worked for the TGIF franchising firm, and his job was to build and open their new stores around the whole USA. Earlier, he had been with the local chain that operated a number of theme restaurants around town (the names of which escape me at the moment but one was at Britton Road and Eastern with an old-mill theme, and another was on I240 west of Penn, again with a millpond motif; their last was Gator's on Country Club Drive just east of May) and had managed the one on I240. My wife and I along with his mother and stepfather attended the staff dry-run the night before its official opening and had a great time...

Kelly-Johnston owned the OKC franchises of ChiChi's as well as the Joe Kelly's concept.

Yep; the place on I240 pre-dated Joe Kelly's at Britton and Eastern. I think the building is still there and still a restaurant, but don't remember the name and don't get down that way much any more... It had a (totally fictional) backstory much like "The Mill" at Britton road.

Anyone remember Fred Gang's up on NW 39 in the old Billie Lee Pies location?

Jim,
Fred Gang's was owned by Sizzlin Sirloin and they also owned Billie Lee Pies. Their corporate headquarters was located behind Fred Gangs.
C. T.
Yep; the place on I240 pre-dated Joe Kelly's at Britton and Eastern. I think the building is still there and still a restaurant, but don't remember the name and don't get down that way much any more... It had a (totally fictional) backstory much like "The Mill" at Britton road.

Anyone remember Fred Gang's up on NW 39 in the old Billie Lee Pies location?

I was a bus boy/dish washer/baked potato wrapper at Sizzlin Sirloin on 39th st when I was in high school around 1971. My friend Pete Young was a cook there and got me the job. We got our pies from Billy Lee Pies next door. I can still remember their strawberry pies. Alfia the prep lady that made the salads and cut the pies would sneak us a piece to eat when one of the pieces didn't look presentable to serve. I think she used to intentionally mess a few pieces up so us workers could eat some pie. There was a small liquor store across the street that Alfia would go to sometimes after we would close and get us some beer.

I forgot all about Sizzlin Sirloin!:D

When I was a kid visiting my grandparents from Denver I remember Casa Bonita and Crystals. I remember wanting to go to the Casa Bonita here and when they finally did take me I was thoroughly disappointed because it was the same crappy food without the fun of the Denver version. It was like going to a regular sit down restaurant. I remember Crystals because of the lights outside the store. When I lived here in the late 90s early 2000s I remember Pratts grocery and remember it being the only grocery store I would go to because of their extensive natural and vegan foods selection, something that at least for me at the time was hard to find.

Was going through the old ads (thanks much, Pete!) and saw one for Tammy-Linn clothing (on N May/Grand-ish, by Girlie Pancake House and Sound Warehouse). I seem to remember that they had a monkey in their store, can't remember what kind, but also a train that ran around the store (attached to the wall, I think, above the reach of us grabby kids). Can anybody confirm these?

Was going through the old ads (thanks much, Pete!) and saw one for Tammy-Linn clothing (on N May/Grand-ish, by Girlie Pancake House and Sound Warehouse). I seem to remember that they had a monkey in their store, can't remember what kind, but also a train that ran around the store (attached to the wall, I think, above the reach of us grabby kids). Can anybody confirm these?

Yes, there was a monkey they kept in the store that suffocated from smoke during a fire in that building in the mid-80's.

The same group owned Guy Madison's next door.

Yes, there was a monkey they kept in the store that suffocated from smoke during a fire in that building in the mid-80's.

The same group owned Guy Madison's next door.

Yep!! Shopped there a lot for my boys . .they loved the monkey and the train!!

Speaking of monkeys, there was a pet store just south of Split-T. Monkeys were sold there, or so it seemed. Who remembers?

Speaking of monkeys, there was a pet store just south of Split-T. Monkeys were sold there, or so it seemed. Who remembers?

Where exactly?

I know that in the 70's and 80's directly south of Split T was a large lot where you could get car service.

It was "Aquarium Interiors" and specialized in exotic tropical fish. It was on the west side of the street and about half a block south of the original Split-T, almost adjoining that car-service lot.

Yes, there was a monkey they kept in the store that suffocated from smoke during a fire in that building in the mid-80's.

The same group owned Guy Madison's next door.
They also had The Madison Shop in Northpark.

Where exactly?

I know that in the 70's and 80's directly south of Split T was a large lot where you could get car service.
It was south of that lot, Pete. It's the aquarium shop Jim mentions. And seeing it in black and white just made me instantly nostalgic for the spot and bummed that I never went in. It was one of those places that I always would drive by intending to go into at some point but never managed to...opportunity lost.

Yes, there was a monkey they kept in the store that suffocated from smoke during a fire in that building in the mid-80's.

The same group owned Guy Madison's next door.

Ah, by then I was too old to buy stuff there, didn't know/remember about the fire, bummer about the monkey... And forgot about Guy Madison's, we shopped there too... Thanks, y'all!

I recall a restaurant in mid 1970s between 50th and NW Highway and between Grand and Portland. Some of staff dressed as hollywood or other characters (no it wasn't Molly Murphys). May have been closed as crosstown expressway replaced Grand Blvd. Am I just imagining this? Seems like my Dad and I ate there one evening. I have been thinking about this for several years. I figure the collective brilliance of this thread can settle it. Thanks !

I recall a restaurant in mid 1970s between 50th and NW Highway and between Grand and Portland. Some of staff dressed as hollywood or other characters (no it wasn't Molly Murphys). May have been closed as crosstown expressway replaced Grand Blvd. Am I just imagining this? Seems like my Dad and I ate there one evening. I have been thinking about this for several years. I figure the collective brilliance of this thread can settle it. Thanks !

It was called Buster T. Brown's. It suffered a massive fire in 1975.

Later it became Candelwood.

Yep; the place on I240 pre-dated Joe Kelly's at Britton and Eastern. I think the building is still there and still a restaurant, but don't remember the name and don't get down that way much any more... It had a (totally fictional) backstory much like "The Mill" at Britton road.

Anyone remember Fred Gang's up on NW 39 in the old Billie Lee Pies location?
yummm! Strawberry pie! (Billie Lees)

Growing up we went to the 16th & Portland location. I went to high school and worked at Skaggs with the pharmacists son (Greg Smith IIRC).


You mean this MacArthur Park Raceway (http://www.macparkraceway.com/)? It has been reopened.


Jandebeur's Honda-Kawasaki was on SW 29th, the House of Kawasaki out at NW 10th & Council is the only one that I knew of on 10th. Our neighborhood bought most of our motorcycles out there and when we started riding we rode on the land on the SW corner of 10th & Council before the subdivision went in out there. We also rode at the north end of Overholser in what is now Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge.

I'll bet no on remembers when Maxey's had a motorcycle store on Broadway ext. It was on the east side of Broad. ext. between Wilshire and nw 63rd. Even before that they had a store in the shopping center where Johnnies hamburgers on Britton rd, is now, on the far east side of the shopping center.

I also remember taking my 450 Honda to an area close to where UPS on I-40 is now and climbing a really steep hill with about 75 or 80 other people, there was always a bunch of people there riding dirt bikes. The hill and the whole area was destroyed when they built I-40.

They also had The Madison Shop in Northpark.
I knew Guy Madison the son of the people that owned The Madison shop, and also Guy Madison's on north May between Wilshire and Grand, east side of the street. I also remember him getting a beautiful 1969 Z-28(blue with white stripes) in 1969. At that time I had a 1967 Corvette(427) that I paid for by working at the Taco Bell at Wilshire and May.

I'll bet no on remembers when Maxey's had a motorcycle store on Broadway ext. It was on the east side of Broad. ext. between Wilshire and nw 63rd. Even before that they had a store in the shopping center where Johnnies hamburgers on Britton rd, is now, on the far east side of the shopping center.

If you actually placed a metaphorical or analogical bet in this context . . . you lose. (I remember =)

(Dang! This total recall ain't what it's cracked up to be! ~ Arnold Schwartnegger, "The Big Book of Clichés, Pt. 2: The Paraphrases) =)

So, I bought an *old* 1983 Volkswagen. As I was going through the documents that came with the car, the original warranty book has a dealership business card thing stamped into place with Gandara World Imports, 1515 NW Expressway. Anyone know how long that place was in business and what happened to them?

I looked up the address and its where the current Courtyard Hotel is located. On the assessor's page, it showed the hotel maybe being built in the mid or late 1990s. Makes me wonder if the dealership suffer from the oil bust.

I don't remember details, but they did sell Buicks and Opal Gts.

sorry . . . I confused the Auto-Save Content.
my apologies, in advance.

It was a Volkswagen dealership built near the end of the 60's. The
name started with an E. Eckhardt? Not Eskridge, at that time he
only sold Oldsmobiles.

Does anyone remember Gangus Whitfield VW and used car lot on nw 39th just west of where Cable VW is now. I worked there in the early 70s.

Wow.
All this talk of old car dealerships just reminded me of . . .
Tom "'WHEEL DEAL' Handful of Fake Money Fanning" Padgham
and
Alan "Torture Time Again: We Shupply th' Methsican Market" Merrell.

Some of the best local TV commercial viewing ever with the possible exception of Linda Soundtrack.

Closest thing to it nowadays is that We Buy Houses Lady . . .

My older brother was a salesman for Alan Merrell Chevrolet, can't remember the years, probably late 60s or early 70s.

Can you imagine how far Alan Merrell might have gone in the car selling business if he hadn't had that speech impediment?
Near as I can recall, he was always looking for cars to sell to The Mexican Market.
It's sort of ironic, in a way. (I don't think he was local . . . I think more like Chicago or thereabouts)

Who was that shyster, with the wad of bills in his hand, on television, fanning through them like a deck of cards saying, "We'll Deal."
It wasn't Alan Merell . . . It was that other guy . . . I think his brother in laws kid started UBuildIt or is related to that other local scamartist who actually once retired on camera in front of the "In Your Corner Dude" . . . so he could make a comeback, like, recently, again. =)

Sorry . . . For just a moment there I forgot Tom Padghem and repeated myself.

Kudos for your bro' for his part in the cultural continuum. =)

Don't forget Coffeen Oldsmobile that was there before Bolen... Henry Coffeen was a classmate of mine at Classen (along with Breene Kerr, from whom I much much later bought a Fiat X-1/9)...

I went to school with Breen Kerr's son(Breen jr.) and also went out with his daughter Kim, maybe twice. One of the times we went out, she showed up at my house in the most beautiful 51 Jag convertible. Much later I owned a taxi service and carried Breen sr. and his wife Sherry to and from the airport when he lived near 63rd and Grand blvd. In the late 80s he moved to Greenwich Conn. and hired me to drive a green Jag to Greenwich. Since then I've lost track of him, don't know if he' still alive.

Skyrick, I discovered Abextra in 1968. Prior to '67, who would be selling trip glasses, anyway? Once, in the blacklight room, a friend's fake tooth was revealed.

Anyone remember that wonderful Jefferson Airplane poster, the wooden looking one? Man, that was cool.

Speaking of magazines, did they sell Eye Magazine, or did I buy it elsewhere?
If you hung out at the Abextra, do you remember the black chick with the giant afro? It was huge, maybe 3 or 4 feet wide. I still have a San Fransisco poster and an eagle carved out of wood and mounted on copper that I bought there.

Does anyone remember Gangus Whitfield VW and used car lot on nw 39th just west of where Cable VW is now. I worked there in the early 70s.

I remember it, but vaguely. My dad had a 63 VW Beetle which I know he had serviced there. For some reason I have a memory that they may have moved further south towards Norman sometime later as I can remember his taking the car down that way and us having a test drive of a new beetle.

I still have the screw driver that went with the tool kit which was stored under the front "hood". It has a wooden handle!

I also remember the windshield washer reservoir had a schrader valve and you used a tire pump to pressurize it!

A very well built and air-tight car.

In Britton near the Broadway ext..

I saw Canned Heat play at Ruby's, don't remember the year.

Does anyone remember a car wash shaped like a whale on or around NW 50th and Meridian??

Or am I just crazy??

You are not crazy,I think it was bight blue.

There was a Sub Stop on 2nd and Broadway in that old gas station.

Sub Stop moved from 36th and Macarthur to 2nd. I ate there often, and one day came by and they were gone. They gave no warning, or very little they were moving.

My memory fails me so does anyone remember the names of my favorite hangouts: the drive-in at May and Britton Rd., the drive-in next to the Founders Tower and a burger place I think it was called Kennedy's (if I remember right it was on May just north of Hefner? Maybe someone else has a better memory than me.

I remember all of those places, Twilight Gardens, NW drive-in, and Kennedy's(Across the Street, and about 4 other names over the years)

Yes but wasn't there one at around May and Hefner? Or something similar?
I remember ordering from the tables using the phones that were at the tables and no it wasn't Del Rancho.

You are exactly right about the phones, they had very good chili-cheese burger, the food was always good. It's still there(the building) under another name.