Grew up just north of 89th and east of Penn in the late 60's/early 70's, then moved over to Ranchwood Manor in the mid 70's. Went to Moore schools my entire "kid life."

14 Flags was cool if for no other reason than the incredibly loooooooong driveway you had to go down to get to the ticket booth. I actually have more vivid memories of Winchester Drive-In farther up on Western, which just started another spring/summer season a few months back. Wish there were some movies good/decent enough to take the kids to a drive-in.

TG&Y was up and running by the time I was old enough to remember running errands there, and that was pretty much a two or three times a week occurrence. Got prescriptions filled, bought 45RPM records there, got TV's, toys, and View Master reels there. It was an awesome place.

We shopped at Buchanan's at SW 89th and Penn, and that was back when that intersection was all-but the south end of town. And Crossroads, when it opened, was the most incredible place I'd ever seen. Orange Julius and "Le Mans" were beyond imagination. I still remember their opening jingle.

I remember the old "Dead Man's Curve," where eastbound I-240 turned into the HE Bailey southbound toward Tuttle, before they rebuilt that interchange to support what was originally called the "West Bypass," but later just became known as I-44.

Never went to Crystals until it was well past its heyday, and it was sad because what it had once been was so evident from the dilapidated fixtures and features that were still remaining when I did visit once, and that was on a double-date about 15 years ago. It closed not even a year later, I think.

I used to enjoy Service Merchandise, and I also remember Arlan's as the predecessor to Target at 44th. There was also a Humpty Dumpty grocery store in the space now occupied by Ace Hardware.

..man, get me started, and I could fill volumes...

-sd