Southside OKC Memories....anyone?

[SouthsideSooner]

I went to Arthur and Roosevelt too. I grew up thinking I would attend Grant high school but because my family lived on the west side of May ave., I was bused to Capitol Hill. My first year in high school was the year they started busing. Our city was on the national news frequently because of the racial violence. It was a horrible time.

We used to go to lunch at a place called Los Tacos next to Knob Liquor. They had the fattest burritos and tacos loaded with meat and cheese. After disappearing for many years, the same family reopened Los Tacos a couple of years ago at 89th and S. May using the same recipes and portions. Check it out.

[Prunepicker]

I went to Arthur and Roosevelt too. I grew up thinking I would attend Grant high school but because my family lived on the west side of May ave., I was bused to Capitol Hill. My first year in high school was the year they started busing. Our city was on the national news frequently because of the racial violence. It was a horrible time.

Truly an awful time. Wasn't it strange that everybody, except a handful of guilty so-n-sos who thought they knew everything, was happy. How dare somebody want to go to a school in their neighborhood. For some reason the education at Northeast and Douglas was supposed to be sub-par. It's odd, everybody I knew that transferred from one of those schools were intimidating when it came to grades. They scored higher than most of us.

Mom and Dad moved to the Putnam City area so my younger brothers and sister wouldn't have to put up with the stupidity of busing. I'd already been sent to a private school (pre-busing).

[jon]

I LOVE the OKC Memories thread, and have so enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts and memories of our wonderful city!

My husband and I both grew up as "southsiders"...

I graduated high school in 1978 and my husband graduated in 1973 (Christian Heritage Academy and U.S. Grant)

I also went to CHA and grew up on the southside—all be it at a later time.

[TeriOKC]

What year did you graduate?

[jon]

What year did you graduate?

I went to CHA from 1984-1996.

[fire121]

Anyone remember Spartan Atlantic Department Store at SW 29 and May where Grider's is now? There used to be a restaurant at SW 74 and Penn where Hooters is now, that was some type of circus theme with huge flag poles I can't remember the name but it burned at some point and then became Teddy's or Larry's?? all the employees wore t-shirts with funny slogans?? Of course later during the oil boom it was a strip bar but I can't remember the name of that one either.

[Prunepicker]

... There used to be a restaurant at SW 74 and Penn where Hooters is now, that was some type of circus theme...

That was Circus Circus. It was originally a Howard Johnson restaurant @1966

[SoonerDave]

That was Circus Circus. It was originally a Howard Johnson restaurant @1966

Close, but not quite.

It was "Circus Time Family Restaurant," which was a regular haunt of my family when I was a kid. The building exterior was literally built and designed to look like a fanciful circus tent, right town to the simulated tentpole roof and illuminated carousel-style decoration on the top of the sign.

It was incredibly cool to have the phone at the table where you placed your order, and I was heartbroken when it burned down in the late 70's IIRC. The site was abandoned for years, later rehabilitated, and the building reopened as an infamous "gentlemans" club before it went out of business, then was torn down and a Shoney's built on the site. After Shoney's failed, Hooters took over, and the rest is history.

-Dave

[Prunepicker]

Close, but not quite.
It was "Circus Time Family Restaurant,"

Hah, Circus Circus is or was a Las Vegas place. Ooops.

[SOONER8693]

SooverDave, that "gentlemans" club you reference was Vixens. That was the best club of it's type OKC has ever had or likely see again.

[Martin]

ha! i also happen to remember that the "gentlemen's" club was called vixens... though i was younger than five years old around the time it existed and the only reason it sticks in my head is because i thought it had something to do with reindeer. :P

i understand that the target on sw 44th & western wasn't always a 'target'... anyone know what preceded it?

-M

[SoonerDave]

ha! i also happen to remember that the "gentlemen's" club was called vixens... though i was younger than five years old around the time it existed and the only reason it sticks in my head is because i thought it had something to do with reindeer. :P

i understand that the target on sw 44th & western wasn't always a 'target'... anyone know what preceded it?

-M

It was another department store known as "Arlans." It had a gas station and automotive service center at the west end, which Target took over and ran for several years before shuttering them both.

At the east end of the store was an Arlan's Grocery Store, which became a Humpty Dumpty store, then a Target Grocery Store, then nothing for some time until it became what is now the Ace Hardware store.

IIRC, Arlans went bankrupt as a chain, and Target (under the Dayton Stores name, I think) bought up several of the chain's properties.

During that time of the mid 70's, there were several "pre Walmart Walmart" type mass-merchandisers that came and went. "Trade Mart" was such a retailer in the space eventually occupied by Service Merchandise on SW 74th and Penn, and now occupied by Big Lots. There was also a local department store known as Kerr's that operated out of the old Reding shopping center that once lived across from Sears, NW from the Target site, but now serves as the Integris (nee South Community) parking lot.

As far as "Vixens" goes, it was an embarassment. Far as I'm concerned, "nice" and "gentleman's club" is an oxymoron...

[SOONER8693]

SoonerDave and classy must also be an oxymoron.

[Prunepicker]

i understand that the target on sw 44th & western wasn't always a 'target'... anyone know what preceded it?-M

On the southeast corner of SW 44th & Western there was originally a store called Arlen's. It was a chain that didn't last long.

[Martin]

can't remember if it was vixen's or if it was the spot that became hollie's near 84th & western where the owner installed hot tubs. maybe the definition of 'class' varies between people, but i don't find that too classy. i don't think it's much of a coincidence that those types of establishments exist primarily in the seedier parts of town.

soonerdave- wasn't the spot currently occupied by burlington coat factory on 74th & shields a trade mart? i was thinking it carried that name between the time it was brannum's and venture... but i may be wrong.

-M

[TeriOKC]

Ah! I forgot about Hollie's on Western becoming a "gentlemen's" (?) club. I remember going to Hollie's in the 80's when it was an oldies dance club. Never been a "clubber" and at that time, I don't think I'd yet had and "adult beverage" (that came at age 27). What I remember most is some "old guy" (I was 25, so he was in his early 40s probably) dancing over to me when I was sitting at a table with friends and wanting to dance. I thought I was going to throw up.

Also, a note about Arlan's - it was owned by Debbie Reynolds late husband, Harry Karl. I remember my mother taking me and my sisters to the opening. Debbie and Agnes Moorehead (Endora on "Bewitched") signing autographs...

[SoonerDave]

can't remember if it was vixen's or if it was the spot that became hollie's near 84th & western where the owner installed hot tubs. maybe the definition of 'class' varies between people, but i don't find that too classy. i don't think it's much of a coincidence that those types of establishments exist primarily in the seedier parts of town.

soonerdave- wasn't the spot currently occupied by burlington coat factory on 74th & shields a trade mart? i was thinking it carried that name between the time it was brannum's and venture... but i may be wrong.

-M

No, it was actually a Woolco department store, and Venture took the space some years after Woolco went bankrupt.

In that time, that Shields shopping center was actually a pretty decent little area - there was a Safeway grocery store on the east end, an organ/piano store in the middle of the "interior" of the mall, and a few other odds and ends. Woolco, however, toward the end, became *really* nasty...I was amazed when Circuit City initially built over there several years ago...

-sd

[Bobby821]

There used to be a Bonanza steak house where Circuit city now sits, Bonanza was torn down.

[Taxed But Not Represented]

It was a Woolco before it was Venture.

can't remember if it was vixen's or if it was the spot that became hollie's near 84th & western where the owner installed hot tubs. maybe the definition of 'class' varies between people, but i don't find that too classy. i don't think it's much of a coincidence that those types of establishments exist primarily in the seedier parts of town.

soonerdave- wasn't the spot currently occupied by burlington coat factory on 74th & shields a trade mart? i was thinking it carried that name between the time it was brannum's and venture... but i may be wrong.

-M

[Martin]

yep... and after it was bonanza, i remember it being 'goldies' and then a home cooking restaurant called something like 'split peas' or 'black-eyed pea.' after that, it was dozed to make way for the now empty circuit city.

i don't remember the current burlington spot ever being woolco... not saying it wasn't, just don't remember it. i vaguely remember the 'mall' attached to the strip. it was situated in the inner corner of the "L" near where furr's is. i seem to remember there was a fountain as you walked in. the furr's entrance was accessed from within the 'mall' and was decorated in a heavy spanish motif and they had a piano for live entertainment.

-M

[SoonerDave]

yep... and after it was bonanza, i remember it being 'goldies' and then a home cooking restaurant called something like 'split peas' or 'black-eyed pea.' after that, it was dozed to make way for the now empty circuit city.

i don't remember the current burlington spot ever being woolco... not saying it wasn't, just don't remember it. i vaguely remember the 'mall' attached to the strip. it was situated in the inner corner of the "L" near where furr's is. i seem to remember there was a fountain as you walked in. the furr's entrance was accessed from within the 'mall' and was decorated in a heavy spanish motif and they had a piano for live entertainment.

-M

We used to go that Bonanza every once in a while. The Texas Toast was really good. Goldies was a restaurant chain that Barry Switzer was involved with several years ago. There was a Black Eyed Pea restaurant farther west on the south side of I-240 east of Penn, but it closed down several years ago and was taken over by Joe's Crab Shack. I don't know how well Joe's is doing these days, because my wife - who loves seafood - doesn't even like to go there anymore.

The Shields mall was attached to the Burlington building as recently as a few years ago. That theater became a horrible spot for drug dealers and thugs....I've heard stories from people who were in there watching a movie when the place would get raided by cops. Yikes.

There was a discount/consignment store adjacent to the theater, and after it went out, they just ripped it down and broke the "L" of the mall.

The Safeway that used to be there was of a vintage back when you knew the butcher and could watch them package the beef; alas, those days are long gone.

I do not know this for a fact, but I believe there may have been an intent eons ago to have that Shields mall simulate in some way what used to be known as (and I guess it still is) French Market Mall on NW 63rd and Western.

That reminds me of another long-time strip-mall in S. OKC that is still very much alive - at SW 59th and Western. On the NW corner is what used to be Southwestern Bank (I think it is now something like First United), and they used to have a contest to predict what time/day in the summer it would hit 100 degrees first. They had a time/temp sign when those were unique.

That mall, "Southwestern Plaza" also had one of the coolest toy stores around, called "Kiddie City." They had all kinds of games and toys...just one space over from a photography studio, Zales, Stockton's (I think), another Safeway, McDonald's Drug, OTASCO, a Merle Norman cosmetics store, Radio Shack, a small TG&Y, and Kips Big Boy Restaurant at the far southwest end. There was also a cool self-service US postal service island in the parking lot, where you could drop off parcels, buy stamps, or just drop off mail. The mall was just adjacent to a placed called "Car Wash City...." My grandmother lived the bulk of her life in a neighborhood just north of that mall. Sadly, that area is deteriorating, too....Southwood Baptist Church moved, and the building was sold/torn down, and now there's a pathetic used car lot there with a trailer as sales office...really, really ugly.

[Generals64]

We used to go that Bonanza every once in a while. The Texas Toast was really good. Goldies was a restaurant chain that Barry Switzer was involved with several years ago. There was a Black Eyed Pea restaurant farther west on the south side of I-240 east of Penn, but it closed down several years ago and was taken over by Joe's Crab Shack. I don't know how well Joe's is doing these days, because my wife - who loves seafood - doesn't even like to go there anymore.

The Shields mall was attached to the Burlington building as recently as a few years ago. That theater became a horrible spot for drug dealers and thugs....I've heard stories from people who were in there watching a movie when the place would get raided by cops. Yikes.

There was a discount/consignment store adjacent to the theater, and after it went out, they just ripped it down and broke the "L" of the mall.

The Safeway that used to be there was of a vintage back when you knew the butcher and could watch them package the beef; alas, those days are long gone.

I do not know this for a fact, but I believe there may have been an intent eons ago to have that Shields mall simulate in some way what used to be known as (and I guess it still is) French Market Mall on NW 63rd and Western.

That reminds me of another long-time strip-mall in S. OKC that is still very much alive - at SW 59th and Western. On the NW corner is what used to be Southwestern Bank (I think it is now something like First United), and they used to have a contest to predict what time/day in the summer it would hit 100 degrees first. They had a time/temp sign when those were unique.

That mall, "Southwestern Plaza" also had one of the coolest toy stores around, called "Kiddie City." They had all kinds of games and toys...just one space over from a photography studio, Zales, Stockton's (I think), another Safeway, McDonald's Drug, OTASCO, a Merle Norman cosmetics store, Radio Shack, a small TG&Y, and Kips Big Boy Restaurant at the far southwest end. There was also a cool self-service US postal service island in the parking lot, where you could drop off parcels, buy stamps, or just drop off mail. The mall was just adjacent to a placed called "Car Wash City...." My grandmother lived the bulk of her life in a neighborhood just north of that mall. Sadly, that area is deteriorating, too....Southwood Baptist Church moved, and the building was sold/torn down, and now there's a pathetic used car lot there with a trailer as sales office...really, really ugly.

Don't you remember that mall being on the south East corner? Northwest corner had a house moving company and a Sinclair station...I used to work in that T.G.&Y.I was the first assistant manager...1965.....Then I ran the store on 59th and Penn for a number of years..

[SoonerDave]

Don't you remember that mall being on the south East corner? Northwest corner had a house moving company and a Sinclair station...I used to work in that T.G.&Y.I was the first assistant manager...1965.....Then I ran the store on 59th and Penn for a number of years..

Yes, the mall is on the SE corner, but the former Southwestern Bank is on the NW corner of that property....that's what I was referring to....

[Generals64]

Hey:...What about T.G.&Y.? Anyone remember much? You know, most of the teenagers in OKC worked at a T.G.&Y. sore at one time or another. Mr. Young (Y of T.G.&Y) was a good friend. You know there was a T.G.& Y. at the following locations.
1. Airline shopping center
2. 29th & S. May
3. 29th and S. Agnew (long time ago)
4. 29th and Kentucky
5. Capitol Hill on 25th street
6. S. E. 44th and Shields
7. S.W. 44th and Walker ( really a long time ago)
8. Reding ( #1 store in the co. for a long time..before family centers)
9. 44th and S. May
10. S.W. 59th and May
11. S.W. 59th and Penn
12. S.W. 59th and Western
13. S.W. 74th and Pennsylvania

in Capitol Hill the tile going into the store still says T.G. & Y....go see and reminesce (sp).

[Taxed But Not Represented]

The Safeway later became Drugs for less as did the one at 59th & Penn when Safeway built the new stores at 44th & May and 59th & Walker. The 74th & Shields location is now Langston's western wear. Does anyone remember the giant slide behind (south) of Southwestern Plaza? My first 10 speed bike casme from Kiddie City. Stockton's was at 44th & High and later at 44th & Western (Redding) after Humpty Dumpty moved down to 36th & Western and later became an IGA. I have seen in previous post that Humpty was next to Arlen's but I don't remember that and we lived just east of Western on S.Olie near 50th.

We used to go that Bonanza every once in a while. The Texas Toast was really good. Goldies was a restaurant chain that Barry Switzer was involved with several years ago. There was a Black Eyed Pea restaurant farther west on the south side of I-240 east of Penn, but it closed down several years ago and was taken over by Joe's Crab Shack. I don't know how well Joe's is doing these days, because my wife - who loves seafood - doesn't even like to go there anymore.

The Shields mall was attached to the Burlington building as recently as a few years ago. That theater became a horrible spot for drug dealers and thugs....I've heard stories from people who were in there watching a movie when the place would get raided by cops. Yikes.

There was a discount/consignment store adjacent to the theater, and after it went out, they just ripped it down and broke the "L" of the mall.

The Safeway that used to be there was of a vintage back when you knew the butcher and could watch them package the beef; alas, those days are long gone.

I do not know this for a fact, but I believe there may have been an intent eons ago to have that Shields mall simulate in some way what used to be known as (and I guess it still is) French Market Mall on NW 63rd and Western.

That reminds me of another long-time strip-mall in S. OKC that is still very much alive - at SW 59th and Western. On the NW corner is what used to be Southwestern Bank (I think it is now something like First United), and they used to have a contest to predict what time/day in the summer it would hit 100 degrees first. They had a time/temp sign when those were unique.

That mall, "Southwestern Plaza" also had one of the coolest toy stores around, called "Kiddie City." They had all kinds of games and toys...just one space over from a photography studio, Zales, Stockton's (I think), another Safeway, McDonald's Drug, OTASCO, a Merle Norman cosmetics store, Radio Shack, a small TG&Y, and Kips Big Boy Restaurant at the far southwest end. There was also a cool self-service US postal service island in the parking lot, where you could drop off parcels, buy stamps, or just drop off mail. The mall was just adjacent to a placed called "Car Wash City...." My grandmother lived the bulk of her life in a neighborhood just north of that mall. Sadly, that area is deteriorating, too....Southwood Baptist Church moved, and the building was sold/torn down, and now there's a pathetic used car lot there with a trailer as sales office...really, really ugly.