Does anyone remember Mr. Swiss?

[papaOU]

Ah, and that's my problem. I can't find any such address, and my southside friends say this address doesn't exist... and yet... it was listed repeatedly in stories and SEC filings involving Mr. Swiss.

I grew up and still live in the Capitol Hill area. The nearest Mr Swiss was the one on 33rd and Robinson. They did not last long at all. Only thing close on the SE area would have been the HI 25 Drive in.

[USG '60]

Is there ANY chance at ALL that it means in Dallas?

[Steve]

Nope. Zero. The address belonged first to an Oklahoma City construction company, and when its owner died, his son used the property as the headquarters for Mr. Swiss.

[Steve]

OK, Capitol Hill folks - here's another question: do any of you know or remember a Don Hervey?

[Generals64]

OK, Capitol Hill folks - here's another question: do any of you know or remember a Don Hervey?

================================================== =========
Knew his brother Bob.....OKC police officer....

[Steve]

Either of them still with us?

[USG '60]

Nope. Zero. The address belonged first to an Oklahoma City construction company, and when its owner died, his son used the property as the headquarters for Mr. Swiss.

So was it where Scott's Cleaners is now? If not, where?

[Steve]

I don't think so, but I'll have to drive out there. County Assessor records indicate that property was built in 1978, but I'll have to do more digging...

[Steve]

It is indeed 1111 SE 25th!
So, how do I know this? My first clue was a major fire, an arson, that hit this property in 1990. That would explain why assessor records don't indicate any buildings built prior to 1978 on the property.
My second hint, the one that clinched it, however, was a neighbor. H. Waggoner & Co. placed a classified ad in 1962 that listed their address as 1611 E Commerce. That address, like 1111 E Commerce, no longer appears to exist. So what happens if I look up 1611 SE 25 today? It belongs to Wagonner & Co., still in the pump and pipe supply business. And the photos for Wagonner show buildings that definitely have been around for a half century. So now we know where Mr. Swiss was located.
Ding, ding, ding.

[bluedogok]

I grew up and still live in the Capitol Hill area. The nearest Mr Swiss was the one on 33rd and Robinson. They did not last long at all. Only thing close on the SE area would have been the HI 25 Drive in.

I would imagine that the location Steve is mentioning was probably an office and not a restaurant location since it was listed in SEC filings.

Other interesting offerings on that SEC page as well. An offering for the Seattle SuperSonics Corporation is included in there.

I know that especially down here that many streets have changed names or have been referred to as one name when it never was officially called by that name, some still refer to Sixth Street in Downtown Austin as Pecan Street....but then it seems almost every road in Texas has three names. I remember seeing an old plat map one time that still had Hefner Road listed as N 108th.

[Generals64]

It is indeed 1111 SE 25th!
So, how do I know this? My first clue was a major fire, an arson, that hit this property in 1990. That would explain why assessor records don't indicate any buildings built prior to 1978 on the property.
My second hint, the one that clinched it, however, was a neighbor. H. Waggoner & Co. placed a classified ad in 1962 that listed their address as 1611 E Commerce. That address, like 1111 E Commerce, no longer appears to exist. So what happens if I look up 1611 SE 25 today? It belongs to Wagonner & Co., still in the pump and pipe supply business. And the photos for Wagonner show buildings that definitely have been around for a half century. So now we know where Mr. Swiss was located.
Ding, ding, ding.

================================================== =========
Steve:...at one time (not too long ago) on the N. E. Corner of 25th/Commerce and High there was a Drive-Inn Restaurant there. I was in that area of town last week and noticed that the Drive-Inn had been torn down. That May be the spot you are looking for...

[Steve]

I'm feeling very, very good that 1111 E Commerce is 1111 SE 25. As for 25th and Commerce... I'll have to look into that. My upcoming post on Mr. Swiss will be a lot of fun.

[Generals64]

I'm feeling very, very good that 1111 E Commerce is 1111 SE 25. As for 25th and Commerce... I'll have to look into that. My upcoming post on Mr. Swiss will be a lot of fun.

================================================== ============
Steve:....there was a lot of activity in that part of town in the 50's and 60's. It's a pretty rough and tough area now....

[papaOU]

I drove by 1111 SE 25th. The company there is Magic Services and is associated with Scott Cleaners.

Magic Services and Scott Cleaners Intro

[Steve]

So here's what I found out.... go to www.okchistory.com

[CarltonsKeeper]

The "High 25 Drive Inn" you mention was owned by a good friend of our family which we ate at every Sunday after Church!! It was at S.E. 25th and High, the N.E. corner just as Gen/64 said! This was back in the late fifties and the the man's name was Buck Brown (now deceased). I ate there a couple of years ago and it was very good and had stayed very busy all these years..............Are you sure it's gone???????????????

[Generals64]

The "High 25 Drive Inn" you mention was owned by a good friend of our family which we ate at every Sunday after Church!! It was at S.E. 25th and High, the N.E. corner just as Gen/64 said! This was back in the late fifties and the the man's name was Buck Brown (now deceased). I ate there a couple of years ago and it was very good and had stayed very busy all these years..............Are you sure it's gone???????????????

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, that's where I was taking you for lunch this week. it's gone....

[CarltonsKeeper]

But, does any of this confirm what was located at 1111 E. Commerce if that address existed? Not being a smart ***** but what have you learned about 1111 E. Commerce???? ??????????????????????????????????????????

[Generals64]

But, does any of this confirm what was located at 1111 E. Commerce if that address existed? Not being a smart ***** but what have you learned about 1111 E. Commerce???? ??????????????????????????????????????????

================================================== ============
Read the story on the link......Oh yeah, call me tomorrow if you get time....chasing old Trigger for the past couple of days...going to bed...

[papaOU]

The "High 25 Drive Inn" you mention was owned by a good friend of our family which we ate at every Sunday after Church!! It was at S.E. 25th and High, the N.E. corner just as Gen/64 said! This was back in the late fifties and the the man's name was Buck Brown (now deceased). I ate there a couple of years ago and it was very good and had stayed very busy all these years..............Are you sure it's gone???????????????

Building has been demolished. It's amazing how long it lasted after I35 was constructed.

[Doug Loudenback]

I see that Steve got his article at OkcHistory.com put together: http://www.okchistory.com/index.php?...aces&Itemid=78 ... good research job with help from several OkcTalkers (not me, I was never in one and I never gave Mr. Swiss any thought before this thread got started). Seems from his article that Mr. Swiss had a heck of a start ... another too bad, so sad kinda deal. It's a good read.

[Generals64]

I see that Steve got his article at OkcHistory.com put together: Whatever Happened to Mr. Swiss? ... good research job with help from several OkcTalkers (not me, I was never in one and I never gave Mr. Swiss any thought before this thread got started). Seems from his article that Mr. Swiss had a heck of a start ... another too bad, so sad kinda deal. It's a good read.

================================================== ==================
Doug: Here's an Urban Legend for you and your "Diggers"......What do YOU know about "The Twilight Zone"??? This is an area located on the Northside of OKC....

[Doug Loudenback]

================================================== ==================
Doug: Here's an Urban Legend for you and your "Diggers"......What do YOU know about "The Twilight Zone"??? This is an area located on the Northside of OKC....

Never heard of it. You've educated me before ... the floor is yours (but it might be better to start a new thread ... this one's about Steve's research).

[Steve]

Carey Place... something we'll definitely want to "dig" into. Very cool street near OCU just north of Gatewood. Clearly some southsiders must have crossed the tracks at some point to check it out.

[papaOU]

================================================== ==================
Doug: Here's an Urban Legend for you and your "Diggers"......What do YOU know about "The Twilight Zone"??? This is an area located on the Northside of OKC....

What's this got to do with Mr. Swiss?

Couldn't pass up the chance.